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Red Sox Around The Globe

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  Gedman, Sorrento among Red Sox hitting coach candidates 

  
  

  By Peter Abraham / Globe Staff 

  
  

  The Red Sox are moving to find a hitting coach, bringing three candidates in for interviews this week. The group includes former All-Star catcher Rich Gedman.

  
  

  Gedman, minor league hitting coordinator Tim Hyers and Los Angeles Angels minor league hitting coordinator Paul Sorrento are on a list that will likely expand according to manager John Farrell.

  
  

  The Red Sox are not considering assistant hitting coach Victor Rodriguez for the position, although he could stay on the major league staff depending on who is selected.

  
  

  Gedman, 55, played for the Red Sox from 1980-90 before finishing a 13-year career with the Astros and Cardinals. The Worcester native spent the last two seasons as the hitting coach with Double A Portland. He has coached in the Red Sox farm system for four seasons.

  
  

  Portland hit .268 as a team this season and averaged 4.6 runs. Gedman earned praise for his work with Mookie Betts, Sean Coyle, Blake Swihart and other prospects.

  
  

  Sorrento, a 48-year-old native of Somerville, played 11 years in the majors. Farrell and Sorrento were never teammates but both were in the Cleveland organization in 1992 when Farrell was recovering from elbow surgery.

  
  

  Sorrento filled in on the Angels staff this season when hitting coach Don Baylor needed time away to recover from a broken leg on March 31. Sorrento has been with the Angels for three years.

  
  

  Hyers has been with the Red Sox for two seasons. He spent the better part of two months on the major league staff this season after hitting coach Greg Colbrunn suffered a brain hemorrhage on June 4. Colbrunn came back to the team in July then decided after the season that he would not return in 2015.

  
  

  The Red Sox have not yet reached out to former Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long. But there is interest in speaking to him. Another internal candidate could emerge as well.

  
  

  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland could consider hitting coach Chili Davis for a promotion to bench coach as incentive for him to stay with the organization. Davis was Triple A Pawtucket’s hitting coach in 2011 and is well regarded by the Red Sox.

  by Pete Abraham, Boston Globe... 10/14/2014 12:06:04 AM