Braves Name Baylor Hitting Coach

The Atlanta Braves have shuffled their coaching staff, led by the hiring of former Colorado Rockies manager Don Baylor as hitting coach.

Braves manager Bobby Cox announced the changes, which included bringing coach Glenn Hubbard up from Macon to become first base coach, moving Ned Yost from bullpen coach to third base, third base coach Bobby Dews to bullpen duty, and first base coach Pat Corrales to bench coach.

Left off Cox's new staff were Clarence Jones, hitting coach since 1990, and Jim Beauchamp, the dugout coach for eight years. The Braves said they have been offered minor-league coaching positions.

Returning as pitching coach will be Leo Mazzone.

The Braves' loss to San Diego in the NLCS continued the postseason woes of baseball's dominant regular-season team of the '90s. They've made the playoffs seven straight seasons, but have won only one World Series in that time.

Baylor, 49, was fired after last season and turned down a vice presidency whose responsibility would have included revamping the Rockies' farm system. Baylor, a 19-year major-league player, also turned down a coaching position with the Seattle Mariners, saying he still hoped to manage.

As the first manager in Rockies' history, Baylor compiled a 440-469 record over six years before he was fired. Colorado was 77-85 last season.

"Don's success as a standout major-league player, a major-league coach and as a major-league manager have distinguished him as one of the game's most capable individuals," Cox said. "He will be a tremendous asset to the Braves."

The Rockies led the NL in batting for the fourth consecutive season in 1998, with a team average of .291. Baylor will be reunited wit former Rockies first baseman Andres Galarraga and shortstop Walt Weiss.

He and Hubbard, a longtime Braves second baseman, played together on the pennant-winning Oakland A's of 1988.

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