Wally Joyner leaves Phillies to become Tigers' new hitting coach

According to Jim Salisbury of CSN Philadelphia, Wally Joyner is leaving the Philadelphia Phillies' coaching staff. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal tweeted that Joyner left the Phillies to join the Tigers as their new hitting coach after Lloyd McClendon was hired as the Seattle Mariners' manager.

Sources: Joyner to be #Tigers hitting coach, joining former #Padres teammate Ausmus. @JSalisburyCSN first reported Joyner leaving #Phillies.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 17, 2013

Joyner served as the Phillies'' assistant hitting coach during the 2013 season and was the team's first base coach after Charlie Manuel was fired in August. Joyner was the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres in 2007 and 2008. He served as a roving hitting instructor in their farm system from 2003 to 2007.

As Rosenthal tweeted, Joyner and new Tigers manager Brad Ausmus were teammates in San Diego. They played for the Padres for a combined 7 1/2 seasons, but only spent half a season together as teammates in 1996 before Ausmus was traded to the Tigers.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro praised Joyner's work with the Phillies, saying that he was "overqualified" for his position. It makes sense that Joyner would know a thing or two about hitting. As a player, he hit .289/.362/.440 in 16 big league seasons with 204 home runs and 1106 RBI.

Joyner joins Gene Lamont, Jeff Jones, and Dave Clark on the Tigers' staff. A first base coach has not yet been named.

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