Dante Bichette: “The Tug Of The Family Was Too Much”

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

You remember how tough Bob Apodaca had it in his final days as Rockies pitching coach? Remember the celebration when he finally wasn’t pitching coach anymore?

How about the skewering that Carney Lansford took on his way out as hitting coach? For that matter, why isn’t Jim Wright the recipient of more adulation these days? If we’re going to be so results based, even with little or no knowledge of the actual process or what might be different about the process from one coach to the next, we should love Wright, right? Right? And we should probably have spent more of this season crushing Dante Bichette, because let’s face it, this season was lampooned by a lack of offense before it was by the bullpen or Walt Weiss‘s lack of a temper or anything else.

Anyhow, I am glad Bichette didn’t become the target of such ill-considered criticism. And after today, we know that he’ll never have the priviledge; Bichette is calling it quits as hitting coach after only one season at the helm, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

Here are the quotes from Bichette in the Denver Post, where Troy Renck first reported the story:

“The tug of the family was too much. I have unfinished business at home…“…It is a grind. I have done it as a player but it’s been 10 years. I probably miscalculated the time involved. My wife spent money on 251 hotel rooms this year trying to see me and see our boys. The tug of being home is just too much.”

I’m sad to see Dante go for a number of reasons. It was nice to see him back in a Rockies uniform alongside his buddy Walt Weiss, and he seemed to be set up for success if he wanted it. I’m also sad because I never figured out what his stance was on caps; was he for them? Against them? All I know is he had the intimidation factor working for him with that skull cap/silver goatee look.

Successful or not, it was fun to have an all-time great member of the franchise back in the fold for a year, and now hopefully it is on to great times with the family for Dante Bichette.