The Yankees and Raul Ibanez have discussed him becoming the club’s hitting coach and he is curious about the possibility, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
With Ibanez a member of the Royals (though not on the active roster) through the World Series, the Yankees waited until after Wednesday night’s thrilling Game 7 Giants victory to contact Ibanez.
Ibanez has been lauded by Royals players and manager Ned Yost for his calming influence and knowledge of hitting. A meeting called by Ibanez in July was credited with turning the Royals season around.
Asked during the World Series if he would consider a coaching career, Ibanez said that was more in the future than the present. But he wasn’t asked specifically about the Yankees’ job that opened when Kevin Long, a close friend of Ibanez’s, was fired after eight seasons with one year and approximately $700,000 remaining on his contract. Long landed with the Mets.
Ibanez, 42, is widely respected for his knowledge of hitting and an ability to communicate with players on the subject. However, since he has never been a hitting coach at any level, there could be questions about if he can handle the wide variety of chores attached to the position.
The Yankees interviewed Dave Magadan and Chili Davis. Magadan was turned down and Davis opted to work in Boston rather than The Bronx. The Yankees reached out to Eric Hinske, who was the Cubs’ first base coach last year, to see if he was interested and he wasn’t. Hinske, a Yankee in 2009, will be the Cubs’ assistant hitting coach if he’s retained by Joe Maddon.
In 2012, his only year with the Yankees, Ibanez batted .240 with 19 homers and 62 RBIs. In eight postseason games he hit .269 (7-for-26) with three homers and five RBIs.
Across 19 big league seasons, the left-handed hitter batted .272 with 305 homers, 1,207 RBIs and an .801 OPS. He had two stints each with the Mariners and Royals and also played for the Angels and Phillies. Two years ago in Seattle, Ibanez batted .242 with 29 homers and 65 RBIs.
The Yankees are also in the market for a first base coach with infield experience to replace Mick Kelleher, who was let go with a year left on his deal.
The Yankees are expected to make the qualifying offer of $15.3 million and one year to free agent closer David Robertson by Monday’s 5 p.m. deadline. And it’s not out of the question the Yankees and Robertson could agree on a multi-year deal in the three- to four-year range. Robertson made $5.2 million this past season, when he converted 39 of 44 save chances replacing all-time saves leader and future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.
The Yankees can’t offer free agents Chase Headley, Brandon McCarthy and Stephen Drew the qualifying deal because they were acquired during the regular season.
The Yankees have hired Eric Chavez as a special assignment scout. Chavez, who played with the Yankees in 2011 and 2012, finished a 17-year big league career this past season with the Diamondbacks.