Colorado Rockies: Former hitting coach Art Howe in ICU with COVID-19
According to multiple reports, former Colorado Rockies hitting coach Art Howe is in the ICU due to COVID-19.
KPRC, Houston’s local NBC station, was first to report that former Colorado Rockies hitting coach Art Howe is in the ICU with COVID-19.
Howe, 73, is best known for being the manager for the Houston Astros from 1989-1993, the Oakland A’s from 1996-2002, and the New York Mets from 2003-2004. His final season in Oakland was the season of “Moneyball,” for which he was portrayed (rather negatively and he wasn’t happy about it) by the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
Before he joined the A’s as manager to replace future Hall of Famer Tony La Russa, Howe was the first base and hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies under the late Don Baylor for the Rockies 1995 season, in which they reached the playoffs.
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Under Howe’s tutelage as hitting coach, the Rockies offense improved from an OPS+ of 88 to 94. More importantly, though, the Rockies improved in each of these categories.
- Runs: 4th in the NL to 1st
- Hits: 5th to 1st
- Home Runs: 2nd to 1st
- Batting Average: 5th to 1st
- On-Base Percentage: 5th to 2nd
- Slugging Percentage: 3rd to 1st
- OPS: 4th to 1st
After he last managed for the Mets in 2004, he joined the coaching staff of the Rangers, and later, he became a studio analyst for the Astros on AT&T SportsNet Southwest.
While Howe is in the ICU, he did speak to KPRC via phone and said that while he has seen small improvements in his health since being admitted to the ICU on Tuesday, he has not gone the necessary 24 hours without having a fever that would require being released to his home.
He said that he first felt symptoms on Sunday with chills and he got tested. Two days later, he found that he was positive and he went into isolation. However, by Tuesday, he was not feeling any better and therefore, his wife called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. He said that he was feeling “total fatigue” and a loss of taste.
“That’s the thing. My tastebuds still aren’t there,” said Howe to KPRC. “I know I should eat but nothing at all makes you want to eat.”
We here at Rox Pile wish Howe a continued recovery and hopefully, he can return to his home here soon.