From staff, AP reports
DENVER — Colorado Rockies hitting coach Alan Cockrell, former standout at Joplin Parkwood High School, will not be offered a contract for next season.
The team announced Tuesday that third-base coach Mike Gallego and bench coach Jamie Quirk also were not offered contracts. Quirk has been manager Clint Hurdle’s bench coach since 2003, and Gallego was hired before the 2005 season.
Bullpen coach Rick Matthews, who has been with the organization throughout its 17-year existence, will be assigned to a role to be determined later. He has been bullpen coach since 2003 and also served seven years as pitching coordinator.
Pitching coach Bob Apodaca and first-base coach Glenallen Hill will return on manager Hurdle’s staff.
Cockrell was with the Rockies’ organization the last 11 seasons, including two stints as hitting coach. He was hitting coach the final five months of the 2002 season after Hurdle was promoted to manager. He served as hitting coach at Triple-A Colorado Springs from 2003-06 before rejoining the big-league staff in 2007.
The Rockies led the National League with a .280 team batting average in 2007 when they won the National League pennant and lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.
The Rockies’ average dropped to .263, which ranked sixth in the NL. The St. Louis Cardinals led the league at .281.
Cockrell, a football and basketball standout at Parkwood from 1978-81, earned All-America honors in both sports at Tennessee.
Cockrell, picked No. 9 overall by the San Francisco Giants in the 1984 June draft, spent 13 seasons as a minor league outfielder. His one month in the major leagues came in September 1996 with the Rockies. His first hit was a double off Atlanta left-hander Tom Glavine on Sept. 10.
Sports
Rockies release hitting coach Cockrell
- Sports
-
-
Kickapoo girls race past Joplin
Annie Armstrong poured in 21 points to lead the Kickapoo girls to a 65-28 victory over Joplin on Thursday night in an Ozark Conference basketball game at Missouri Southern’s Young Gymnasium.
-
Report: Patriots TE Gronkowski has ankle surgery
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle Friday.
-
Spurs’ Ginobili to return Saturday against Nets
Manu Ginobili will return to the San Antonio Spurs’ lineup on Saturday in New Jersey after missing more than a month with a broken left hand.
-
NCAA denies UConn waiver request
The NCAA has turned down the University of Connecticut’s request for a waiver that would allow its men’s basketball team to play in the 2013 national championship tournament.
-
Cheever is ultimate blue-collar snowboarder
As a World Cup snowboardcross racer, Jonathan Cheever has taken his share of spills over the years.
-
District wrestling tournaments begin tonight
Neosho’s wrestling lineup will have a different look when the Class 3 district wrestling tournament begins at 6 p.m. today at Carthage.
-
Hillsdale women stop OCC
Visiting Hillsdale Free Will Baptist handed Ozark Christian a 68-47 loss in women’s college basketball on Thursday night.
-
Quapaw completes 12-0 run through Lucky '7' Conference
Quapaw High School girls basketball coach Rod Graves expected the 2011-12 Wildcats to compile another successful season.
They haven’t been a disappointment. -
Pitching holds key for softball Lions
Pitching is the main question Missouri Southern must answer as the Lions open their softball season today in Abilene, Texas.
-
Late board work carries Lions past Pittsburg State
Pittsburg State displayed its offensive rebounding muscle during Wednesday night’s game at Missouri Southern.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Obama Scraps Birth Control Mandate
US Airmen's Killer Sentenced to Life in Germany
Raw Video: Deadly Blasts in Syria
Romney Slams President Obama at CPAC
Gingrich: Pres. Obama 'waging War on Religion'
Navy Names Ship for Gabrielle Giffords
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
