Will White Sox New Director of Hitting Help Uplift Abysmal Bats?
New Director of Hitting Ryan Fuller Aims to Address Areas of Improvement
Shortly after the worst season-long performance in Major League Baseball history, the Chicago White Sox added a position to the organizational chart in hopes of helping perk up the production of their bats. According to a press release from the South Siders, Fuller will oversee all aspects of hitting throughout the White Sox organization, where he will work closely with the hitting coaches at the major-league level, along with staff and players across Chicago’s minor league system.
Creating Consistency Across the Organization
Fuller said he’s already started working with the White Sox hitting coach Marcus Thames, as well as the organization’s minor league coaches and coordinators where he’s seeking to give them resources, data and other information to deliver to players in a “simple and sticky manner.” Another one of Fuller’s goals is to create a consistent structure at each level of the organization so that when players are going up and down, there’s no differentiation in how they go about their day-to-day business.
Emphasizing Education, Training, and Game Planning
With structure and consistency in place, Fuller aims to emphasize getting results at the plate in three parts: Education, training, and game planning. “The key phases that I see are three areas,” Fuller said. “Educating our coaches and players at a really high level, helping them understand what they do well, what success looks like, educating them every day.” He also emphasized the importance of training and game planning, stating that the Orioles’ success during his tenure was due in part to their ability to train at a higher level than everyone else.
Helping Players Level Up
Fuller spent the last three seasons as co-hitting coach of the Baltimore Orioles, where he helped oversee the development of players like Colton Cowser, Gunnar Henderson, and Adley Rutschman. He believes that by providing players with the skills and training they need, they will be able to “level up” and achieve success at the major league level. “We’re not going to put someone in a situation where they’re going to fail over and over again,” Fuller said. “We want to equip them with the skills, the training that allows them to level up.”
Challenges Ahead
The 2024 White Sox finished last in MLB in eleven different statistical categories, including home runs, triples, hits, extra base hits, runs scored, RBI, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging (OPS). They were also second-to-last in doubles. The White Sox’s first spring training game is set to take place against the Cubs on Friday, February 23 in Mesa, Arizona.
Conclusion
Ryan Fuller’s appointment as the White Sox’s new director of hitting brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the organization. With his emphasis on education, training, and game planning, he aims to help the White Sox’s bats improve and become more consistent. While the challenges ahead are significant, Fuller’s track record of success with the Orioles suggests that he may be the right man for the job.
FAQs
Q: What is Ryan Fuller’s background?
A: Fuller spent the last three seasons as co-hitting coach of the Baltimore Orioles.
Q: What are Fuller’s goals for the White Sox’s hitting department?
A: Fuller aims to create a consistent structure across the organization, emphasize education, training, and game planning, and help players “level up” to achieve success at the major league level.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing the White Sox’s hitting department?
A: The 2024 White Sox finished last in MLB in eleven different statistical categories, including home runs, triples, hits, extra base hits, runs scored, RBI, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging (OPS).
