Cubs Hire Manny Ramirez As Hitting Consultant
(CBS) The Cubs have hired Manny Ramirez as a hitting consultant, they announced Tuesday morning.
Ramirez worked with the organization last year as a player-coach at Triple-A Iowa, and he'll now continue to work with the Cubs' major league and minor league hitters "on the fundamental and mental aspects of hitting," the team said.
As was previously reported, Kevin Youkilis will join the Cubs, with the team announcing he'll be a scouting and player development consultant. In his new role, Youkilis "will assist the front office by scouting amateur and professional hitters in northern California and will work with hitters in the minor league system under the direction of the hitting coordinator."
Both Ramirez and Youkilis played in Boston and were a part of two World Series champions when current Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein was running the Red Sox.
The Cubs also announced the establishment of a new mental skills program, which is designed "to assist major and minor league players with the mental aspects of baseball." That department will be led by director Josh Lifrak and is comprised of three more individuals: Darnell McDonald, Rey Fuentes and Dr. Ken Ravizza.
The Cubs also made an array of promotions and additions in the scouting department. Notably, Jason Parks, a former lead prospect writer for Baseball Prospectus, has been promoted to professional/amateur scout after joining the organization last season.