Shall the first also be the last?

Published Aug. 5, 2014 11:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

Sometimes, the best man for the job is a woman.

The San Antonio Spurs just hired Becky Hammon as an assistant coach, making her the first female with the title in the NBA. There isn’t a frontrunner to take the MLB torch, but there is unquestionably a woman equipped to don our uniform.

The best MLB coaches aren't necessarily splendid former players. Some of those particular cats cannot relate to men with talents inferior to their own. While having played in the majors may be helpful, it pales in comparison to being able to connect with fellow human beings. I don't discount mechanical know-how, but in the big leagues, men need support as much as instruction or technique.

Here are the prerequisites for making a positive, consistent impact in the career of a baseball player:

1) Knowledge of baseball rules and mechanics
2) The ability to use and communicate that knowledge in a digestible format
3) Willingness to practice trial and error in an effort to uncover the baseball language of the player, then speaking said language
4) Full fledged investment in players, with the subsequent sacrifice of personal time for them
5) Patience and care
6) Ability to play nice with colleagues and evaluate students

Sound sort of like a teacher? I'll bet you remember one of those without a penis.