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Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

bmfc1 Oct 05 2009 07:08 AM

METS ANNOUNCE 2010 COACHING STAFF CHANGES FLUSHING, N.Y., October 5, 2009 – The New York Mets today announced that Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and First Base Coach Luis Alicea will not be returning for the 2010 season. Alomar Sr. will be offered another position within the organization. Hitting Coach Howard Johnson, Pitching Coach Dan Warthen and Bullpen Coach Randy Niemann will return to Manager Jerry Manuel’s staff in the same positions next year. Third Base Coach Razor Shines and Catching Instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. will be part of the Major League staff in 2010 in yet to be determined roles.

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 07:14 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Firing Senior and keeping Junior. Dramatic. I imagine if you polled the fans they'd want the exact opposite changes, as the guys apparently retained are the ones whose roles are most explicit and therefore seemingly most tied (or tie-able) to the disappointing results.

metirish Oct 05 2009 07:19 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Ho Hum , that's all.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 05 2009 07:49 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Well, it opens the Bench Coach position for the the manager of the 2010 SHaMs.

MFS62 Oct 05 2009 07:51 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Edgy DC":1q1y2m0v] I imagine if you polled the fans they'd want the exact opposite changes,[/quote:1q1y2m0v] I'd amagine that if you polled the fans who call sports talk radio stations, they'd want mass executions. Later

metirish Oct 05 2009 08:01 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3rassh45]Well, it opens the Bench Coach position for the the manager of the 2010 SHaMs.[/quote:3rassh45] Guess who is making himself available?

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 08:01 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Joelmon?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 05 2009 08:02 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. Not too surprised. You know, if you had asked me yesterday, I wouldn't have even been able to tell you who the Mets bench coach was. He's been fairly low profile, hasn't he? I don't remember, was he Jerry's pick or Omar's? (I seem to think he was Omar's.) First Base Coach Luis Alicea Perhaps the biggest ho-hum of all. Looks like he's the only one who's completely unemployed right now. Hitting Coach Howard Johnson I figured he'd be back. No surprise there. Pitching Coach Dan Warthen I'm a little surprised that he was retained. Actually, if we had done a pre-announcement poll, my guess would have been that everyone would have been let go except HoJo. Bullpen Coach Randy Niemann Whatever. Third Base Coach Razor Shines and Catching Instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. will be part of the Major League staff in 2010 in yet to be determined roles. I guess one of the two will be the first base coach. Is it possible that Razor will be the bench coach, with Sandy Jr. going to first base? Or perhaps the other way around? Here's my prediction: Sandy Jr. to third base, Razor to first base, and a new hire for the dual role of bench coaching and breathing down Jerry's neck.

themetfairy Oct 05 2009 08:02 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Guess who is making himself available? Gary Carter, I would guess.

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 08:04 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Benjamin Grimm"] Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. Not too surprised. You know, if you had asked me yesterday, I wouldn't have even been able to tell you who the Mets bench coach was. He's been fairly low profile, hasn't he? I don't remember, was he Jerry's pick or Omar's? (I seem to think he was Omar's.)

Willlie's, really.

RealityChuck Oct 05 2009 08:07 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

It doesn't make a lot of sense to fire your batting coach when your team leads the league in batting average and, even with the low number of walks (which may have been a function of players trying too hard*), was sixth in OBA. More homers? Sure, but when your two top HR threats are out most of the season, that's hardly the fault of the batting coach (the team actually ranked fairly high in triples and doubles). There's more of a case with Warthen, but three of his starters were out for most of the season. Having Maine, Santana, and Perez (who, most people forget, was starting to pitch pretty well when he was injured the last time) would have made the team competitive. The main failure was Pelfrey, but there was some surprisingly good pitching from Misch, Figueraro, and Nieve. The other question is who would do better (and is available)? *Baseball is played by human beings, BTW.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 05 2009 08:08 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

I predict: Razor to first base; Sandy Sr. to some figurehead position, Joey Cora to bench coach, where he can position himself to be the next mgr and watch his brother play entirely too much.

MFS62 Oct 05 2009 08:16 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

I would guess that "Catching instructor" Sandy Alomar Jr. will have one job - (To paraphrase Yogi Berra) to learn Josh Thole his experience. Later

bmfc1 Oct 05 2009 08:16 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Tweet from Heyman: SI_JonHeyman #mets planning to bring back feisty '86 hero wally backman in minor-league coaching role. they could use a little spunk. Good!

Benjamin Grimm Oct 05 2009 08:18 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Maybe Wally and Tim Teufel can platoon as Mets manager next year.

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 08:29 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="John Cougar Lunchbucket":emisngia]I predict: Razor to first base; [/quote:emisngia] I can appreciate the Metsian logic behind this move; "There, he will have a different perspective."

Edgy DC Oct 05 2009 08:33 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

If Wally can teach somebody how to have a .400 on-base percentage, he's welcome. If they're looking for someone less embarrassingly volatile than Tony Bernazard, good luck. He got fired from the South Georgia Peanuts for threatening to beat up their neophyte radio broadcaster during a broadcast.

bmfc1 Oct 05 2009 08:39 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Benjamin Grimm":3pja7mae]Maybe Wally and Tim Teufel can platoon as Mets manager next year.[/quote:3pja7mae] Bullet of Cool!

Ashie62 Oct 05 2009 09:06 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Per CBS Sportsline..Florida Marlins are evaluating manager Gonzalez and talking to Bobby V about a job in the organization..Good Lord. Tim Redding is the Schaefer Pitcher of the month so I guess Warten gets a free pass. If Wally Backman is in a 12 step program for booze make him the friggin manager.. Then again, a drunken Backman is Bernazard

Ashie62 Oct 05 2009 09:16 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

ESPN is the "source" on Valentine talks. Fish President samson denies it. The shit has started

HahnSolo Oct 05 2009 09:17 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

How bad must Luis Alicea have been at his job to get canned while these other guys kept theirs?

The Second Spitter Oct 05 2009 09:26 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Or alternatively, they are firing inexpensive coaches to provide the appearance they are proactive, willing to make changes, yada, yada, yada. But let's be honest; you can literally train a monkey to be a 1st base coach.

metirish Oct 05 2009 09:28 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Ultimately I really only care who the head coach is , pitching coach next I suppose.....

Benjamin Grimm Oct 05 2009 09:31 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Triple Dee":3bxmfa51]But let's be honest; you can literally train a monkey to be a 1st base coach.[/quote:3bxmfa51] Well, yeah. But I assume that a first-base coach will be given other non-game responsibilities, like working with infielders, or outfielders, or hitting fungoes, or something. Maybe Alicea sucked at that. Who knows? But as you say, it matters little.

attgig Oct 05 2009 02:31 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

how about bringing in Ricky as a baserunning coach? not sure if he'd be capable as a 3rd base coach, but you never know.

metirish Oct 05 2009 02:39 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Rickey did good work with Reyes when he was an instructor in 06/07 , I seem to remember it being positive ....not sure what happened when he got promoted to first base coach..wasn't back for 2008

Ceetar Oct 05 2009 02:42 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

John Franco has been working with the team. He was there last spring. I wonder how he'd do as Pitching Coach.

MFS62 Oct 05 2009 04:50 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

There has been lots of duscussions here about Razor's decisions, mostly negative. The more I think about keeping him at "another position" the more I think that's like having a cyst, then not removing it, but transplanting it to another part of the body. Later

Rockin' Doc Oct 05 2009 06:34 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Ricky Henderson would be great theatre as the third base coach. I can envision his postgame interview the first time he sends a runner that is thrown out at the plate. Press - "Do you think it was a mistake to test Church's arm by sending Francoeur home in the fourth inning?" Henderson - "Ricky doesn't make mistakes. Ricky would have scored standing up on that play."

The Second Spitter Oct 06 2009 12:26 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Rockin' Doc"] Henderson - "Ricky doesn't make mistakes. Ricky would have scored standing up on that play."

I once pondered the question (admittedly in a mildly intoxicated reverie) whether Rickey would refer to himself in the fourth person whenever he updated his Facebook status?

Valadius Oct 06 2009 05:34 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

This is all cosmetic. Razor Shines is totally clueless.

Edgy DC Oct 06 2009 07:21 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Listen, I've never met a guy from another team who loved his third-base coach. I disagree that Razor Shines is clueless. He's a baseball lifer with respect throughout the league. If he was a bad match for third base coach for the Mets, so be it. If you don't want him on the staff at all, fine. Maybe you're right. But let's not scapegoat him either.

metirish Oct 06 2009 07:35 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Snooze thinks bench coach is likely for Razor. Following up on what Edgy said , I remember Bobby V saying that third base coach was probably in his opinion the hardest place to coach becasue off all that it involves....split second thinking and all that.

Benjamin Grimm Oct 28 2009 02:36 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Marty Noble"] Mets to make decision on coaches Smith, Hale candidates to fill third-base coach need By Marty Noble / MLB.com 10/28/09 2:32 PM ET NEW YORK -- With a number of player personnel moves yet to come, the Mets are nearly finished revamping the staffs with that will work with their players next season. The club expects to appoint a third-base coach shortly, with former Phillies coach Steve Smith and D-backs coach Chip Hale among the candidates. It also is all but in position to announce appointments in its organization that will affect three members of its 1986 World Series championship team. Tim Teufel is to be promoted to manager of the Double-A Binghamton Mets after managing the St. Lucie Mets, the organization's most advanced Class A affiliate, for 3 1/2 seasons in the past five years. Wally Backman, Teufels's other half as the Mets' second baseman from 1986-1988, is to be hired to manage the St. Lucie affiliate. And Mookie Wilson is to return to the organization after a two-year absence to work in the Minor Leagues. A person familiar with those changes and possibilities acknowledged them Wednesday while general manager Omar Minaya was in the Dominican Republic for the opening of the club's instructional league season. The final decisions involving the third-base coaching assignment and the Minor League positions and the announcements are likely to follow the end of the World Series. Smith and Hale were among the men interviewed to succeed Razor Shines, who endured some difficult moments in his only season as the Mets third-base coach. Shines, a close friend of manager Jerry Manuel, is to return to serve as either the bench coach or first-base coach. Manuel said the day after the Mets season had ended that he preferred to bring in a third-base coach from within the organization. But neither Smith nor Hale has a Mets connection, and there is an indication no member of the Mets staff has been considered. Smith, the Rangers' third-base coach from 1998-2006, served in the same capacity for the Phillies in 2007 and '08 before being replaced this year by former Mets third-base coach and Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo. Hale has served as the D-Backs third-base coach in the three most recent seasons. Efforts to contact both candidates Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful. They were said to have been interviewed in Arizona last week when members of the Mets staff were there to monitor the Arizona Fall League and, in particular, Ike Davis, the left-handed-hitting first baseman the Mets now identify as a possible factor in their 2011 season.

Ashie62 Oct 29 2009 05:01 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Per SI.com today..Mets lured Sandy Johnson to unretire and work at the top level of management with Ricci forming a triumvirate under Minaya. Kevin Towers was targeted but Mets don't believe he will leave CA Sports Illustrated feels Minaya and Manuel will be axed quickly if team starts slowly and the Mets would already have new management in place. Johnson was offered a "blank check" to come back. All remaining scouts come back at same pay

Benjamin Grimm Oct 29 2009 05:56 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

The Daily News reporting this morning that Bob Melvin may be under consideration to be Mets bench coach in 2010.

metirish Oct 29 2009 06:31 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Rubin By Adam Rubin Chip Hale is expected to be named the Mets’ new third base coach after the World Series. Hale, 44, spent the past three seasons in that role with the Diamondbacks after six years in that organization as a minor-league manager. The other finalist had been former Phillies third base coach Steve Smith. While the indications have been that the hiring of a third base coach would round out Jerry Manuel’s 2010 staff — with Razor Shines moving from third base to bench coach and Sandy Alomar Jr. going from catching instructor to first base — that may not necessarily be the case. A team insider suggested the Mets may be interested in former Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin as bench coach, although another source said “a bunch of names” are still being considered for a second external hire. The Mets also approached Rangers player development director Scott Servais about the same role with the Mets to succeed Tony Bernazard, but he elected to stay with Texas, a source told the Daily News. Hale signed a contract on Tuesday, the Arizona Daily Star in his hometown of Tucson, Ariz., reported. A 17th-round pick of Minnesota in 1987, the former infielder appeared in 333 games with Twins and Dodgers, hitting .277 with seven homers and 78 RBI in 575 at-bats.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2009 06:53 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Lookin forward to it, Little Buddy!

HahnSolo Oct 29 2009 07:01 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Who's Sandy Johnson and why is he getting a blank check?

metirish Oct 29 2009 07:05 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

If you google the name you will get a hot looking chick......that's not who's coming here though this is our Sandy the saviour http://www.baseballamerica.com/execdb/? ... =johnssa01

HahnSolo Oct 29 2009 07:11 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Wow, he was here 2005-2007 and I don't think I ever heard of him.

metirish Oct 29 2009 07:16 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Yeah he's what one might call a guru.....in what I have read about him over the eyars he is one of the most respected people in the game.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2009 07:22 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

BTW, I like that they're searching high and low for an actual Bench Coach (aka: Interim-Manager-in-Waiting), be it Melvin or whomever, and not just punt the bench coach job to Razor Shines.

Ashie62 Oct 29 2009 07:45 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="metirish":232renbk]If you google the name you will get a hot looking chick......that's not who's coming here though this is our Sandy the saviour http://www.baseballamerica.com/execdb/? ... =johnssa01[/quote:232renbk] Special Asst to the GM Wasn't that the exact job title Costanza had with Steinbrenner??

bmfc1 Oct 29 2009 08:40 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

[quote="Benjamin Grimm":s1wkhhjs]The Daily News reporting this morning that Bob Melvin may be under consideration to be Mets bench coach in 2010.[/quote:s1wkhhjs] Good deal for Melvin, if it happens, since he already has a place in NY and his daughter lives in NY. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Melvin And there's some irony if the Mets hire Melvin and Backman in the same year.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 29 2009 08:47 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Meet Alexi Melvin, daughter of Potential Future Met Interim Manager Bob Melvin

Benjamin Grimm Oct 29 2009 08:49 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

Well! Maybe she can be the bench coach!

metirish Oct 29 2009 08:55 AM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

She's a bit of alright

Vic Sage Oct 29 2009 03:08 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

a redhead... hotcha magotcha!

Farmer Ted Oct 29 2009 04:13 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BO ... SS100_.jpg

metsguyinmichigan Oct 29 2009 09:27 PM Re: Mets Make (Some) Coaching Changes

She looks too serious. Like the kind of girl who you take to a game, and she'd make you buy a Lemon Chill every time the vendor walked by, then would complain that's it too cold, too hard and the little wooden spoon leaves a bad taste in your mouth.