Royals fire hitting coach Pedro Grifol, name Dale Sveum as replacement

By May 29, 2014, 3:20 PM EDT
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Kansas City ranks dead last among AL teams in home runs, slugging percentage, OPS, and runs scored, and today the Royals fired hitting coach Pedro Grifol and replaced him with former Cubs manager Dale Sveum.

Grifol took over as hitting coach in July of last season after George Brett stepped down from the job and ends up lasting less than a year, which is nothing new for the Royals. Sveum is their sixth hitting coach since 2012 and shifts over to the new role from third base coach on manager Ned Yost’s staff.

For whatever it’s worth: Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star reports that Grifol was technically reassigned rather than being fired.

Anthony Rendon fan interaction video looked into by MLB

Associated PressMar 31, 2023, 8:02 PM EDT
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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OAKLAND, Calif. – Major League Baseball is looking into a video circulating on social media that appears to show Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon grab a fan by the shirt through the bleacher guardrails after Thursday night’s game in Oakland, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Rendon looks to have grabbed the fan’s shirt near his chest through the bars of the railing and exchanged words with him before appearing to take a swipe at the bill of the man’s ballcap and walking into the tunnel.

Angels spokesman Adam Chodzko says the team has no comment. The Angels do not play Friday, but the club expects Rendon to address the video Saturday in the clubhouse before the game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland.

The video shows the fan, dressed in A’s colors, approach the railing as Rendon turns toward him from the tunnel walkway below. Rendon then appears to grab the man’s shirt and ask him what he just said, accusing the fan of calling him a derogatory term before swiping at his ballcap.

The A’s won the game 2-1.