ANAHEIM ? The object of criticism and a hot button for fan discontent whenever the Angels slipped into a slump, Mickey Hatcher couldn't survive the most unexpected slump in Angels history.
With the Angels' offense "grossly underperforming" in the words of GM Jerry Dipoto, Hatcher was relieved of his duties as the team's hitting coach following Tuesday's game against the Oakland A's. Triple-A hitting coach Jim Eppard will join the Angels on Wednesday and assume the hitting coach duties.
Mickey Hatcher was fired Tuesday as the Angels' hitting coach. The Angels set franchise records for average (.285), hits (1,604) and runs scored (883) in 2009, but only two AL teams have scored fewer runs than the Angels this season.
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"Obviously, we've been struggling as an offensive club, really for the entirety of the season," Dipoto said. "Peeling back the layers of the onion, this is a problem that we've had as an offensive team for the last couple of years. It's something we've been monitoring, trying to change the way we approach our at-bats ... Through conversations we've had as an organization, the major league coaching staff, particularly Mickey, walking through the various concerns and ideas - it's been a rough struggle for us offensively.
"Eight shutouts in the first 36 games of the season and an offense that was grossly underperforming with what they've historically done. This is unfortunately a situation where a message needs to be sent, and a philosophy needs to be instilled. Right now we're struggling to do that, and we just felt like the voice needed to change."
Hatcher, 57, had been the Angels' hitting coach since Mike Scioscia became manager in 2000. The longest-tenured hitting coach in baseball before Tuesday's firing, Hatcher is the first coach fired from Scioscia's staff in 13 seasons. First-base coach Alfredo Griffin is now the only remaining member of Scioscia's original coaching staff.
The Angels set franchise records for average (.285), hits (1,604) and runs scored (883) under Hatcher in 2009. But that production had disappeared in the two subsequent seasons with the heat on Hatcher turning up in direct proportion to the regression of the offense.
Despite the expensive offseason addition of Albert Pujols and the return of Kendrys Morales, the Angels rank near the bottom of the American League in most statistical categories this season. They have been shut out a major-league high eight times. No team since 1907 has been shut out more often through the first 36 games of a season. Only two AL teams (the A's and Twins) have scored fewer runs than the Angels this season.
Two areas Dipoto has made it known he values ? the plate discipline to work and control counts and on-base percentage ? were particular weaknesses for the Angels. Their .313 team OBP in 2011 was 21st in the majors, 13th in the American League. This year's mark is even worse (.301).
"As an organization, we think the world of Mickey ? his work ethic, his enthusiasm for the job," Dipoto said. "But at a certain point, it becomes about the results on the field. Offensively, we're having a difficult time getting on base, we're having a difficult time hitting in situations, with runners in scoring position, etc. You can go on down the line.
"We're all accountable, to a certain extent, for what we've been given as our responsibility. I'm included in that. Mike's included in that. Obviously Mickey's included in that, and this is a move that we're making in an attempt to jump-start an offense and to instill a philosophy that we believe has the power to last."
The announcement of Hatcher's firing was made well after the game and Scioscia was not available for comment. Dipoto would not comment on how his conversation with Scioscia about the need to make the change went.
However, the move is another clear indication of how the power dynamic in the Angels' front office has changed since Dipoto's arrival in November.
"I won't get into that except to say that we make decisions for a variety of reasons and this one was clearly thought through," the GM said.
Dipoto said the decision to fire Hatcher was "not at all" related to any perceived friction between Hatcher and Pujols. Hatcher revealed to reporters recently an anecdote about Pujols standing up and speaking during a pre-game hitters' meeting, taking responsibility for his own struggles and vowing to improve.
Pujols expressed his displeasure with Hatcher for talking about it.
"Mickey should have never told you guys that," Pujols told reporters at the time. "That stuff needs to be private. He should have never told the media.
"What we talked about at the meeting, not disrespecting Mickey, but that stuff should stay behind closed doors."
Ironically, Hatcher often joked this spring training about being demoted to "assistant hitting coach" with Pujols' arrival because of the future Hall of Famer's immense credibility with teammates.
"This had everything to do with what had been essentially a pole-to-pole offensive struggle to this point," Dipoto said. "There's really no more of a soap-opera story to it than that.
"We haven't been scoring runs with consistency, putting together consistent at-bats, hitting in situations, and those are the things that will be measured offensively. That's why we're here today."
Eppard, 52, is a former first baseman-outfielder who won four minor-league batting titles and spent parts of four big-league seasons with the Angels and Blue Jays (1987-90). He has been in the Angels' minor-league organization since 2003 as a hitting coach.
Dipoto would not call Eppard an interim choice for the position.
"I'm not a big fan of the interim tag. I don't think that allows anybody the ability or autonomy to do their job," he said, adding that Eppard's future role will be evaluated "as we move along."
"We believe in him, he's a part of the Angels family and he deserves the opportunity to sink his teeth into the job."
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