Chicago White Sox new hitting coach Greg Sparks joins the team with the intention of increasing its AL-worst run production, but he believes that he’ll have fun working with the team’s young bats.
Sparks, hired with fellow hitting coach Todd Steverson this week, notes that it’ll take time to get the Sox sluggers in the right direction but he looks forward to the challenge.
I think it’s more of an opportunity to work with [Steverson] and get with a good organization, Sparks said. I did look at the players we do have here. It’s a younger bunch. Yeah, there are some free-swingers, but they’re athletic. They’re good-looking players. There’s a lot of ability there and talent. It’s an exciting time. I think what I can bring, along with (Steverson), is help get these guys headed in the right direction, Sparks said. Ultimately, it’s about putting an offense together that helps you win a World Series. That’s the ultimate goal, and it wasn’t a matter of an opportunity to show what I can do. It’s an opportunity to go out and work with a bunch of talented young players.
The 51-year-old last was the Oakland A’s minor league hitting coordinator in 2015. He spent the last 19 seasons working with Steverson in Oakland.
Sparks has a career-record of 359-352-1 over six seasons as a minor-league manager from 1998-03.
Sparks was a White Sox batboy in 1979, and was present for the infamous Disco Demolition Night.
