Cubs Hire New Hitting Coach Rudy Jaramillo

As temperatures dip, daylight saving time ends, and the Bulls look to jump-start their season, this can only mean one thing for Cubs fans: look to next year. Though a tiring and frustrating ritual, we have in some ways grown to expect the hustle and bustle in the GM's office come late October. Next order of business: new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. ESPNChicago.com reported today the Cubs have signed former Texas Ranger hitting instructor Rudy Jaramillo to a three-year deal on Tuesday for an estimated $2.4 million. The Cubs will officially introduce Jaramillo this afternoon at a Wrigley Field press conference.

Jaramillo comes from a Rangers ball club well known for its ability to produce runs over the past decade. In his 15 years as the Rangers hitting coach he has produced 17 Silver Slugger award winners and has also worked with current Cubs Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley. Cubs GM Jim Hendry is excited about the signing, saying "Rudy Jaramillo is widely regarded as the premiere hitting instructor in the game," and added that it "is a strong statement from our new owners, the Ricketts family, and we thank them for allowing us to move quickly to fill this important role with the best in the business."

It's no secret that the Cubs offense underachieved through most of the 2009 campaign. As the saying goes, on paper, the Cubs are a top-tier offense. On the field in '09, they simply were not. Injuries, mental meltdowns, and a general lack of consistency contributed to a disappointing effort at the plate that produced the 22nd ranked offense in the Majors.