Former Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes passes away

Former Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes has passed away at the age of 80, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced.

A 2008 World Champion, Lopes served as the Phillies first base coach from 2007 to 2010. He spent 16 years in major league baseball as a player, including 10 seasons with the Dodgers, from 1972 to 1987. Lopes also served as the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000 to 2002.

Lopes, who stole 557 bases during his major league career, was known as a stolen base connoisseur during his time on Charlie Manuel’s staff. Jimmy Rollins, who stole 301 bases with the Phillies while Lopes was his coach, credited Lopes with helping him become one of the best base stealers of his era.

“When Davey got here in 2007. He asked me what my (career stolen-base) percentage was,” Rollins told MLB.com. “I told him it was 79 or 80. He said, ‘We’ve got to get you up to at least 82. That’s four more opportunities to score a run. I thought about it and realized that those four runs could make the difference in games — and a pennant race. Four runs, four wins, in a tight race could get you in the playoffs.”