Richard John Down was a Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 hitting coach, formerly for the New York Mets

New York Mets

The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

. He formerly was also the hitting coach for the Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

, Red Sox

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

, Angels

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...

, Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

, and the Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

.

Down never made the majors as a player, making it only to AAA ball (1971 and 1973). Rick Down later went on to coach at the University of Las Vegas from 1979-1984. Rick went to professional baseball from 1985-88 as a special assignment coach and roving hitting instructor for the Angels organization. He returned to the Yankees organization in 1989, beginning the season as the club’s roving minor league hitting instructor before being promoted to manager at Triple-A Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

 for the final 16 games of the season when Bucky Dent

Bucky Dent

Russell Earl "Bucky" Dent , is a former American Major League Baseball player and manager. He earned two World Series rings as the starting shortstop for the New York Yankees in and , and was voted the World Series MVP in 1978...

 was named manager of the Yankees. In 1990, his Double-A Albany

Albany, New York

Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...

 club was at a 24-21 mark when he was promoted to manage Columbus in June after Stump Merrill

Stump Merrill

Carl "Stump" Merrill is a former manager in Major League Baseball who served as manager of the New York Yankees in and...

 was named Yankees manager. From 1990-92, he guided Columbus to 3 consecutive International League Western Division Titles and 2 Straight Governor’s Cup Crowns. His Clippers set a franchise record with 95 wins in 1992. Down’s Columbus team was in first place in 385 of 391 games while he was manager. He later became the hitting instructor for many major league clubs.

Career highlights

• In 2002, the Yankees hit 223 home runs, second most in the American League and second highest single season total in franchise history.
• The Yankees led the majors in batting average in each of his first two seasons as a hitting coach (1993–1994)...In 1994, the team's batting average of .290 was the highest Yankees' average since 1936 (.300) and the highest in the majors since Boston hit .302 in 1950.
• Helped guide the 2000 Dodgers to a franchise record 211 home runs.
• Led the 1996 Orioles to a then major league record 251 home runs in his first season with the club.
• From 1990-1992, he served as the manager of the Yankees' Columbus (AAA) team of the International League...Led the 1992 club to a 95-49 record and a Governors' Cup Championship...The 95 victories were a franchise record and were the most wins in the IL since 1960, when Toronto went 100-54.
• In three seasons at Columbus, he directed the Clippers to three straight International League West Division titles and two straight Governors' Cups...In three years, he won 242 games and had a winning percentage of .619.
• Compiled a 122-273 record (.309 percentage) in six years as a minor league manager.
• Spent seven seasons in the minors as an outfielder...Hit .257 with 33 home runs, 247 RBI and 54 stolen bases in 745 games...Was placed on Montreal's major league roster on September 30, 1971. Rick is currently an advance scout for the San Francisco Giants.

Career timeline

• 2008: San Francisco Giants Advance Scout
• 2005-2007: New York Mets Hitting Coach
• 2004: New York Yankees Coordinator of Instruction
• 2002-2003: New York Yankees Hitting Coach
• 2001: Boston Red Sox Hitting Coach
• 1999-2000: Los Angeles Dodgers Hitting Coach
• 1996-1998: Baltimore Orioles Hitting Coach
• 1994-1995: New York Yankees Hitting Coach
• 1993: Venezuelan Winter League - Aragua Tigers Manager
• 1993: New York Yankees Hitting Coach
• 1992: Venezuelan Winter League - Aragua Tigers Manager
• 1992: Columbus Clippers (AAA) Manager
• 1991: Venezuelan Winter League - Aragua Tigers Manager
• 1990-1991: Columbus Clippers (AAA) Manager
• 1990: Albany Yankees (AA) Manager
• 1989: Columbus Clippers (AAA) Manager
• 1989: New York Yankees Minor League Roving Hitting Instructor
• 1985-1988: California Angels Special Assignments Coach & Roving Hitting Instructor
• 1979-1984: University of Nevada-Las Vegas coach (?)
• 1978: California League - Stockton (A) coach (?)
• 1977: Northwest League - Bellingham (A) coach (?)
• ????: Florida State League - West Palm Beach (A) coach {?)

Current