Wuarnner R.

I have been coaching professional baseball players for 24 years. This is my 13th year working for the Tampa Bay Rays. I’ve worked as a manager, scout, infield, outfield and currently as a batting coach in their system. I also have been doing private fielding and batting lessons to players from 7 to 25 years old for the last 7 years.

I played professional baseball for the Chicago White Sox system for 5 years, and I’ve been coaching since I finished my career as a player. As a coach I worked for the White Sox for 10 years as a scout, fielding and batting coach, I was with the Cincinnati Reds for one year as a manager in 2006 and with the Tampa Bay Rays since then for the last 13 years as a manager and coaching different areas. As a manager I was manager of the year in 2009 when we won the championship in the Venezuelan summer league for the Rays. As a batting coach our team has finished between the first 3 places for the last 5 years.

First I make an general evaluation, to know the strengths and weaknesses. I get focused on taking advantage of their strengths while improving the areas in need. Working on the positive mind set, confidence, challenging them on a drills progression. If I make any changes on mechanics they should feel comfortable with them. I start off the batting tee, then I use the drills needed to improve the specific area, to work on front toss drills and then I finish throwing live, where progressively we work on different pitches, pitch selection, game situations, etc. Defensively I also work on a progression doing Hands/foot work, Ground balls lecture, agility/quick reactions, live situations, etc. Always sending them home with drill package as a homework to do for a better and quicker results.