Hall of Famer George Brett Named Interim Hitting Coach For Kansas City Royals

The great Hall of Famer George Brett has been named interim hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Brett, 60, will serve in his new role with Thursday's game in St. Louis.  In a news conference in St. Louis, Brett said he was excited but also apprehensive about his new role.  "I am scared to death right now, to be honest with you, but I'm looking forward to the challenge," he said, adding he hopes to ignite passion for the Royals in the players.

The most popular Royals player ever, Brett led the Royals to a World Series championship in 1985. He is the Royals all-time hit leader with 3,154 during a career that began in 1973. He won the American League batting title in 1976, 1980 and 1990.

 Brett has been the club's vice president of baseball operations since retiring after the 1993 season. But he has stayed involved on the field as well, working with Royals hitters during virtually every spring training since.  But during the regular season he has always been hands-off, out of respect to the club’s hitting coaches throughout the years.

Royals general manager Dayton Moore said, "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."

Brett said he wants to help the players "know what a good swing feels like." and admitted his own frustrations in watching the product on the field.  Brett said "try not to be a ball player they are not. I am sick and tired of watching guys try to hit three-run home runs when nobody is on the base when you are down two runs in the eighth inning."


The Royals started the season hot and even led the American League Central division. But the team's bats went cold and last night's loss to the Cardinals was their eighth in a row.  The Royals haven't scored more than three runs in their last six games. They're near the bottom of the league in runs, walks, homers, RBIs and just about every other hitting metric. 


The Royals are dead last in the American League in home runs with 28 and have hit just two home runs since May 14 — both by 39-year-old backup infielder Miguel Tejada.

One thing is for sure, the Hall of Famer will have his work cut out for him.