Former Padres Slugger Hired As Assistant Hitting Coach For The Chicago Cubs

Former Padres slugger, Rob Deer, has been hired as the assistant hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, according to Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Deer will assist ­­current hitting coach James Rowson with improving the Cubs’ dreadful offense.

Deer was at one-time a roving hitting instructor in the Padres’ minor league system.

The hitting coach and assistant hitting coach model is something Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer instilled in San Diego before departing to Chicago, although current Padres general manager Josh Byrnes was the one who hired both Phil Plantier and Alonzo Powell as hitting coach and assistant hitting coach respectively.

Hoyer adopted this model from the St. Louis Cardinals who won the World Series in 2011 under the prototype.

Deer, 52, and Cubs manager Dale Sveum were teammates with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1986-1990.

Padres fans may remember Deer as a Padre where he help lead the Padres to a 1996 National League West division crown.

Deer only played in 25 games with the Padres and batted .180 with four home runs and 9 RBIs.