BELOIT, WI (WTVO/WQRF)–The players on the Beloit Sky Carp are short on professional experience, but their coaching staff isn’t, especially when it comes to their hitting coach.
Dan Radison is 72 years old. Baseball is his place. It’s always been his place.
“The thing of it is that I have a platform,” said Radison. “I’ve been kind of mostly retired the last few years, but it’s like my wife is a person who helps me see the light, and that’s what I’ve got to do here is help these guys see the light.”
Radison was born in St. Louis in 1950. He was a catcher in the Cardinals’ minor league system for three seasons in the early ’70s. He made it as far as the Triple A level as a player. From there he transitioned to coaching and managing.
He managed seven years in the minors, and he spent ten years in the Major Leagues mostly as a hitting coach. He was the hitting coach for the Padres and the Cubs in the ’90s under Jim Riggleman. He was also first base coach with the Nationals and the hitting coach for the Astros in 2013 working with some of the games’ best hitters.
“I worked with (George) Springer, (Carlos) Correa, (Alex) Bregman. I had my hands on those guys all the time. I spent five years in Chicago around all those guys. I was assistant hitting coach there, so that was (Sammy) Sosa and (Mark) Grace and all those amazing guys. I spent two years in San Diego with Tony Gwynn.”
It’s Radison’s job to take good hitters and make them better.
“My job is to put them on a ladder to climb the building.”
Sky Carp manager Billy Gardner Jr. benefits from having Radison around the team. “To have Dan and his experience, to be able to lean on him and pick his brain, it’s invaluable.”
So what is Radison’s approach to teaching young players the art of hitting a baseball?
“One size doesn’t fit all, but there are some commonalities that fit everybody. So, if they’re balanced and the swing is in sequence, keep the swing in sequence so that they can get a good extension through the baseball. If they get extension, then I’ll get an extension on my contract.”
The Sky Carp are off to a good start at the plate. They’re averaging 4.6 runs per game through nine games. Radison is high on these young hitters.
“This is the most profile players I’ve ever seen. They all have the ability to play in the big leagues.”
“We’ve got a lot of money invested in this team, so I think that I can have an impact here. That’s why I’m here.”
Radison will be in the dugout Tuesday night when the Sky Carp open a six-game homestand against Cedar Rapids.
