George Brett decided not to continue as the Royals hitting coach. Players are disappointed. Here’s Eric Hosmer:

“At the end of the day it stinks he’s leaving,” Hosmer said, “but the good thing is he’ll still around for home games. I’m disappointed. We’re going to miss him in the dugout. He’s expressed to us about he’s a phone call away.”

Pedro Grifol takes over as the full time hitting coach:

While Brett was fixing the mental part of the Royals, Grifol was doing the behind-the-scenes work on players’ mechanics, poring over video and tinkering with their swings.

The 43-year-old began his first season with the Royals as the hitting coach of the Surprise Royals. Before that, he was a manager for Class A High Desert in the Seattle organization, and had worked as an area scout, manager and minor league director over the past 13 seasons.

Now, Grifol has the chance to make a name for himself as the hitting coach.

Hosmer seems to be back on track. The rest of the team doesn’t seem to be much better.

Sam Mellinger write on how the current Kansas City road trip might decide George Brett‘s willingness to continue as the Royals hitting coach:

“When I retired, it wasn’t because I couldn’t play anymore,” Brett says. “I was still a good hitter. Not what I was, but I led the team in RBIs my last year. I retired because I got tired of the travel and being away from my family.”

One moment from back then particularly sticks in Brett’s memory. A road trip to Seattle, late in his career. He’d always told his wife how beautiful it was there, so she flew ahead to meet him. The Royals played the night before in another city – Brett can’t remember exactly where, which is sort of the point – and didn’t get to the hotel until 4 in the morning. He thought then this was no way to spend the rest of his life.

He thinks about that now, too.

If Brett’s coaching is working, I suspect he doesn’t need to be there all the time. He can do a lot of instruction in KC, and skip some of the trips. With all games broadcast, he’ll see what players are doing right and wrong during games. KC has an assistant coach, and he could make the long road trips. I don’t think it needs to be stay or go. There is a compromise position.

The Royals hired George Brett as their interim hitting coach:

Hall of Famer George Brett was appointed the club’s interim hitting coach Thursday and will join the team in time for their game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Brett takes over for Jack Maloof and Andre David, who have been reassigned to the minor league organization.

This will be Brett’s first in-season coaching role, though he’s been the franchise’s vice president of baseball operations since retiring as a player following the 1993 season. He’s also worked as a volunteer coach at spring training for years.

“I’m thankful that this organization has one of the greatest hitters and more importantly one of the greatest competitors our game has ever seen in George Brett, and he has accepted our offer to join the coaching staff on an interim basis,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.

I can’t argue with the choice. Brett was one of the great hitters of his generation. He started out as a high average/OBP player, but by his prime developed excellent power, taking advantage of the extra-base hit opportunities at Kaufman Stadium. He hit 665 doubles and 137 triples, leading the league in the latter category three times. We’ll see what he can do as a coach.