BRADENTON, Fla. – John Mallee won the job before the decision was made. When the Astros were searching during the offseason for a hitting coach to pair with a young club loaded with prospects and mid-level pros who had yet to peak, Mallee strode into his interview filled with inside information. He had a vision for where he could take Astros hitters, building off 10 seasons spent with the Marlins, including a 2010-11 stint as hitting coach. “He was the most prepared by far,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. Mallee got the gig. He hasn’t looked back. As soon as Mallee, a Chicago native, joined the Astros, he linked [...]