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Report: Marlins Hire Tino Martinez As Hitting Coach

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami Marlins have reportedly hired former New York Yankees player Tino Martinez as the team's new hitting coach. Martinez will join the coaching staff of manager Mike Redmond starting next season.

The Marlins had a .244 batting average for the season as a team, which was the worst in the 20 year history of the franchise. Since hitting .268 in 2009, the Marlins have seen the team's batting average decline in every season.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, the pick of Martinez was made by Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria. Redmond's first choice was John Mabry, but he was promoted by the St. Louis Cardinals to be their hitting coach, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

Loria doesn't exactly have a great track record picking coaches. He picked Ozzie Guillen to be the team's manager last season and decided that after one bad season it was time to cut the cord on Guillen, despite owing him more than $7 million.

Redmond is also having problems getting a pitching coach selected, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

Martinez was a career .271 hitter with a .344 on-base percentage and .815 OPS.

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