When Alan Cockrell lost the Rockies’ hitting instructor position after a five-month stint during the 2002 season, he headed 63 miles down Interstate 25 to take over as boss of the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox offense. Four years later, his drive to succeed and continuing sobriety brought him back to his former job.
“It wasn’t one thing; it was a series of events that occurred in my life that I had to take care of and control,” said Cockrell, sober since April 26, 2003.
“As I did that, everything started to fall in place. My life was more enjoyable, and that’s when I started to have aspirations to be a big-league hitting coach again.”
Cockrell was picked out of a field of 13 candidates. Glenallen Hill, a minor-league manager for the Rockies, was promoted to the first-base coaching position. Cockrell confronts a specific challenge: making the Rockies a better situational hitting team.
“It’s about committing to a game plan,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “I think (Cockrell) gives our hitters the best competitive advantage. We need to find a way to make up five games to get to .500 and 10 games to get in the mix.”
Working heavily in Cockrell’s favor is the relationships he has established with nearly every player on the Rockies’ roster.
“He’s an encourager,” outfielder Matt Holliday said. “And it’s not one way or the highway.”
Added Todd Helton, “He will instill some toughness in this offense.”
Footnotes
The Rockies remain optimistic they will soon re-sign infielder Kaz Matsui. … Outfielder Dave Roberts is the only free agent Hurdle has spoken to directly, another sign of the team’s serious interest. … The club picked up the $5.5 million option on Jason Jennings’ contract.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders contributed to this report.
Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
