Coaching Career
Returns for his seventh season as Yankees hitting coach in 2013...the Yankees have led the Majors in runs scored in three of his six years with the club (2007, '09-10) finishing second in 2011 and 2012, and 10th in 2008...The 2012 Yankees hit a franchise-record 245 HR, leading the Majors and surpassing the previous mark of 244 HR set in 2009...became the first club in baseball history to
homer in at least 131 different games...had nine players with at least 15 HR, tying the 2005 Indians and 2005 Rangers for the Major League record...In 2011, the Yankees led the Majors with 222 HR and 627 BB, ranked second in runs (867) and OBP (.343) and third in extra-base hits (522)...was the only lineup in the Majors with three players each topping 110 RBI (Cano, Granderson, Teixeira)...In 2010, the Yankees had seven players score at least 70 R, one shy of the franchise record (eight in 1939)...the 2009 Yankees featured a franchise-record five players with at least 25 HR and a franchise-record nine players with at least 65 RBI...Guided a Yankees oense in 2007 that led the Majors in runs (968), hits (1,656), HR (201), RBI (929), batting avg. (.290), slugging (.463), OBP (.366) and total bases (2,649)...marked the most runs for the franchise since 1937 (979)...also featured the AL MVP (Rodriguez), three Silver Sluggers (Jeter, Posada, Rodriguez) and four of the AL's top-15 averages...Joined the Yankees at the Major League level after serving three years as the hitting coach with the Yankees' Triple-A Columbus affiliate (2004-06)...before joining the Yankees organization, served as the hitting coach with the Triple-A Omaha Royals (2002-03) and Double-A Wichita Wranglers (2000-01)...was named the Northwest League's "co-Manager of the Year" after leading the Spokane Indians to the league title in 1999...made his professional coaching debut at Single-A Wilmington in 1997.
Playing Career
Was originally selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 31st round of the 1989 First-Year Player Draft and played in their system for eight years from 1989-96 as an outfielder...Led Class-A Eugene in 1989 in almost all offensive categories, including games played, at-bats, runs scored, hits, doubles and RBI...ranked eighth among all Northwest League hitters with a .312 batting average in his rookie season...Missed most of the 1994 season after undergoing surgery on his left wrist.
Personal
Named a second-team All-American and first-team PAC-10 in 1989 at the University of Arizona... a three-year letter-winner, Long graduated with the Arizona record for most
extra-base hits in a game (five) and ranked in the top 10 in several single-season statistical categories: third in extra-base hits (41), tied for seventh in doubles (23), eighth in multi-hit games (30), ninth in total bases (162) and tied for ninth in runs (80)...Resides in Scottsdale, Ariz., with his wife, Marcey, daughter, Britney, and sons, Tracy and Jaron ... Authored a guide to hitting, Cage Rat, which was published in 2011... also produced an accompanying instructional video
