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Hitting Coaches Axed

Johnny Lunchbucket May 03 2021 09:46 PM Chili Davis, and Tom Slater whacked

Donnie promoted?

G-Fafif May 03 2021 09:46 PM

[tweet]https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1389425610209087493[/tweet]

G-Fafif May 03 2021 09:55 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

[tweet]https://twitter.com/stevegelbs/status/1389427914203176961[/tweet]

G-Fafif May 03 2021 10:00 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Zack Scott says it's about process.

G-Fafif May 03 2021 10:02 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Official release: FLUSHING, N.Y., May 3, 2021 — The New York Mets have announced tonight that the club has relieved hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater of their duties, effective immediately. The club has named Hugh Quattlebaum the team's new hitting coach and Kevin Howard the new assistant hitting coach. Both will be in St. Louis on Tuesday. Quattlebaum, 42, joined the Mets organization this offseason as the minor league director of hitting development. He had spent the previous three seasons with Seattle. Quattlebaum was the Mariners' minor league hitting coordinator in 2018–2019 and was the assistant hitting coach with the Major League team during 2020. Prior to working with the Mariners, he was coaching and consulting in Southern California. Quattlebaum was drafted by Detroit in the 25th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft from Amherst College (MA). He spent four years in the Tigers (2000–2002) and Orioles (2003) minor league systems. Howard, 39, joined the Mets this year as the organization's director of player development. He spent the previous six seasons in Cleveland's organization, including 2019–2020 as the minor league hitting coordinator. Howard played professionally for 12 seasons, playing in the Reds, Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, Mariners, Padres, Blue Jays and Cardinals organizations before spending the final two years of his playing career in Independent ball. He was originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2003 First-Year Player Draft by Cincinnati. Howard earned a bachelor's degree in Business Management from the University of Miami, where played collegiately for three seasons, winning a National Championship in 2001. Davis was in his third season as the Mets hitting coach and Slater was in his fourth season as the team's assistant hitting coach.

G-Fafif May 03 2021 10:14 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Zack Scott's between-the-lines explanation sounds like “Chili was old and set in ways we didn't believe in.”

G-Fafif May 03 2021 10:16 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Scott throwing around “support system” a lot. Quite a buzzword.

Johnny Lunchbucket May 03 2021 10:22 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Not impressed with the journos softball questions. Took all the time until Lennon got on to get an interesting question

LWFS May 03 2021 10:33 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Zack Scott's between-the-lines explanation sounds like “Chili was old and set in ways we didn't believe in.” Danced around saying it in soundbite-y fashion pretty admirably, what with the "everybody has strengths and weaknesses" thing.

G-Fafif May 03 2021 10:55 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

I kind of inferred “Donnie” was the manifestation of some sort of power of positive thinking pep talk from Chili, a la Tug going nuts after Grant told the boys the front office still believed in them. Perhaps it was a larger cry for help.

G-Fafif May 04 2021 12:08 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Lennon attempts to put pieces together, albeit from the same abundance-of-caution distance at which all media is operating (really cuts down on the ol' One Met Said). Mets general manager Zack Scott used a lot of global language late Monday night and into Tuesday morning to explain the sudden firings of hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant Tom Slater after only 23 games. Organizational vision. Support infrastructure. Philosophical process. Nonsense. It would have been more honest to mention the true culprit here: Donnie Stevenson. And if you're looking for a real person, maybe even the badly slumping Francisco Lindor, the $341 million shortstop who rightly has the ear of owner Steve Cohen, the new mayor of Panic City. Because once prominent Mets such as Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo started crediting some shadowy, presumably fictitious hitting guru for the club's offensive turnaround over the weekend in Philly, that pretty much signaled the end for Davis and Slater, the previously respected hitting coaches who were actually in charge of the offense. To say otherwise just isn't being entirely truthful. If that had been an inside joke, fine. But to trumpet "Diesel Donnie" — as Alonso referred to him after Sunday's ESPN broadcast — so publicly was at the very least disrespectful to Davis and Slater, greasing the skids for the late-night axing following Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Cardinals. I asked Scott if something profound had happened over the weekend, maybe a reason why the players abruptly decided Mr. Stevenson now was more integral to a two-game winning streak where the Mets banged out 17 hits Sunday night and batted .325 (25-for-77), along with a remarkable .429 (9-for-21) with runners in scoring position. But the GM didn't see the timing of the decision as significant. "I'm not sure I'm completely understanding your question," Scott said. "I mean, I think you'd have to ask the players about ‘Donnie.' But I guess the one thing I'll comment on is, obviously we had a lot of hits. The last couple of nights scored some runs. I think that should highlight that this isn't about recent results. This is about the process behind the scenes. "And whether we were not hitting with runners in scoring position or knocking 17 hits, it's not about that. It's too early to be overreacting to small samples of results." Tell that to Cohen, who pledged before the season these Mets (11-12) are going to make the playoffs. And to Lindor, who again looked lost at the plate Monday night, going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts that sunk him further into an 0-for-21 hole that has appeared 10 times worse. Lindor whiffed badly in his first two at-bats, swinging wildly at Adam Wainwright curveballs, and stranded six more runners, a rapidly escalating body count that should require his removal from the No. 2 hole until he gets well down below in the order. It may be only 23 games into the season, but Lindor isn't even hitting his weight (.163) and has only two extra-base hits in 86 at-bats. We expect Lindor to pull himself out of this nosedive, of course. But "early" is of little consolation to him, and Cohen surely doesn't want to see Mr. Smile, the face of his franchise, miserable each night. With that in mind, I also asked Scott if Lindor's struggles had a direct effect on the removal of Davis and Slater. The GM didn't say no. "I mean, not specific to Francisco, I guess the way I look at it is we know players are going to struggle," Scott said. "What someone in my position needs to think about is our infrastructure and our support system in place, when they do struggle. Is it the best that it can possibly be? Because when the players struggle, that's when they need the support more than ever. "The assessment was it needed to be better. We need to be providing these guys more support, a higher level of support. It's not that they weren't getting any support. They obviously were. But it's just an effort to improve how we go about things to take it to the next level." As much as Scott tried to downplay the results as a factor, do you think Davis and Slater would have been canned if the Mets were 18-5? Or Lindor was producing like the MVP candidate Cohen thought he paid for? No way. You don't mess with success for the sake of organizational vision. Scott now has his better fits in new hitting coach Hugh Quattlebaum and assistant Kevin Howard, two actual names you can find in the media guide. But if the Mets don't straighten themselves out before long, don't be surprised if you hear more about Diesel Donnie again, only next time he'll be driving the bus over manager Luis Rojas.

Benjamin Grimm May 04 2021 04:56 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

I'll have to check IMDB to see in which movie Groucho Marx played a character named "Hugh Quattlebaum".

Lefty Specialist May 04 2021 04:58 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Yeah, the 'Diesel Donnie' business was the end of the road. You're basically humiliating your hitting coach on national television. Don't know if any hitting coach can fix Lindor right now. And Rojas doesn't have the guts to bat him 7th or 8th. Maybe they should hire Jacob deGrom as hitting coach. He does pretty much everything else.

MFS62 May 04 2021 05:33 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

=G-Fafif post_id=62947 time=1620100806 user_id=55] Zack Scott says it's about process.

I say it's about fucking time.



From SNY:

In the month of April, their .667 OPS ranked 25th in baseball, and their 71 runs entering Monday ranked dead last in baseball. With runners in scoring position, the Mets' team OPS entering Monday was .582, which was also dead last, and their .208 average was ranked 29th, in front of only the Rays.

Later

Benjamin Grimm May 04 2021 05:46 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

If I was writing the back page headlines: CHILI TO GO

batmagadanleadoff May 04 2021 05:47 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Why don't the Mets hire someone to give the hitters pointers on pointing to the sky better?

Johnny Lunchbucket May 04 2021 05:48 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Like I noted above I was shocked that nobody until Lennon asked about Donnie -- even he didn't ask "What's so great about Quatllebaum?" I agree the Mets under Rojas seem determined to make the same mistakes over and over, and a change will probably be good. All the lip service to Chili, and the guy worked remotely last year. Obviously Lindor looks awful and desperately needs something. Ceetar will disagree with this but this is also a situation where the reduced access to these guys and manipulative press approach really hurts us fans.

Edgy MD May 04 2021 06:35 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Thoughts on the Firing: 1. Chili is a respected and well-liked baseball figure, who has gotten some plum jobs working with outstanding young hitters in well-resourced organizations, but he sure seems to leave his assignments on cloudy terms. 2. Best Jamaican coach in Mets history. 3. Best savory coach in Mets history, as opposed to Cookie Rojas, who was the best sweet coach in Mets history. 4. Apparently cutting a guy loose after midnight isn't really such dirty play at all. Just don't do it on the west coast. 5. I conflate Kevin Howard with Kevin Morgan, who left the organization after a million years around the time Kevin Howard was coming in. Howard going from farm director to batting coach seems like a weird lateral move, but he was the hitting director in the Cleveland organization. I know this because I just looked him up, because I conflate him with Kevin Morgan. 6. I agree that the Mets offensive philosophy was bolluxed, but I can't remember the last time I didn't think that. 7. I'm only half buying the thesis that the "Diesel Donnie" phenomenon in some way precipitated or even triggered this. I can see connections, but I'm missing a lot of the dots. 8. Sometimes a solid team-wide "approach" is not so much a product of a coach so much as having a veteran everyday guy in your lineup, over 30 who has been in the league for 10 years and knows the pitchers. Maybe he isn't the best hitter in the lineup, but the others learn how to think ahead, get the edge, and execute situationally by watching him. Maybe the Mets need a Bartolo Colón of hitters. I'm not saying they should replace J.D. Davis with Pablo Sandoval, but yes, maybe that's exactly what I'm saying. And maybe that's not the worst idea, but I have to say, re-reading it, it sounds like it's pretty close to the worst idea. 9. I fret that turnover trauma will delay the process by which this offense will become the machine it needs to be. I fear change and I fear lack of change. 10. It'd be a shame if Rojas really has the talent to do this job, but the Carlos Beltran situation just ended up launching his career too soon. But he's got to be on the hot seat now. Bonus: Just go out and score 16 runs for deGrom tonight and make the Mets look like geniuses.

Willets Point May 04 2021 07:19 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Benjamin Grimm wrote: If I was writing the back page headlines: CHILI TO GO CHILE GONE CARNE I DON'T WANT MY BABY BACK, BABY BACK

batmagadanleadoff May 04 2021 07:27 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Willets Point wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: If I was writing the back page headlines: CHILI TO GO CHILE GONE CARNE I DON'T WANT MY BABY BACK, BABY BACK The Daily News went with "Chili Cooked ".

Valadius May 04 2021 07:30 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Midnight Massacre.

Ceetar May 04 2021 07:40 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Like I noted above I was shocked that nobody until Lennon asked about Donnie -- even he didn't ask "What's so great about Quatllebaum?" I agree the Mets under Rojas seem determined to make the same mistakes over and over, and a change will probably be good. All the lip service to Chili, and the guy worked remotely last year. Obviously Lindor looks awful and desperately needs something. Ceetar will disagree with this but this is also a situation where the reduced access to these guys and manipulative press approach really hurts us fans. I don't disagree with this necessarily, I think the media would've had a better sense on the clubhouse-Chili relationship had they seen any of them together in 20 months. Also they seem as a whole defensive of Chili Davis, as they seem to be with all firings that they didn't themselves write about already. And, this is an aside but an important one, getting themselves vaccinated AND grilling the Mets on when they're going to get 85% goes a long way towards restoring that access. They can bitch and moan all they want (Howie's mentioned not being in the clubhouse for the Donnie thing at least three times that I've heard and I haven't listened all that much) but there's one big clear obstacle and they're NOT picking at it. Anyway, I dislike this being phrased as disrespectful to Davis to talk about Donnie, I thought it was/is a fun little gimmick and I hate to see that sort of personality, like it or not, shut down due to some sense of decorum. Let's have some fun here. Also Lennon suggests that it was part of the signal that it was time to fire them, but making up a fictional hitting coach to the media, and/or firing a hitting coach BECAUSE of that gimmick, is bad process. I didn't like Davis, and I get that Cohen/Sandy just got 'here' so it's hard to just shove everyone out the door and replace them, but they probably should've. But maybe they would've had time if they'd hired a GM instead of a creeper or two. or three. As for Lindor, could he have been involved? Either explicitly or not? Either way, I think a change of hitting coach helps him just from the mental reset it might give him.

Edgy MD May 04 2021 08:04 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Good takes everybody. Funny that, when an executive goes, it's always the best or the worst news for his or her surrogate. Either you're getting the big job, or you're out with them. Tough break for Slater. [FIMG=250]https://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMjAw/z/uq0AAOSwJppdUd8J/$_57.JPG?set_id=880000500F[/FIMG] [FIMG=250]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51dkZ4XtQvL._AC_.jpg[/FIMG] [FIMG=250]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41EHQyhwNsL._AC_.jpg[/FIMG]

smg58 May 04 2021 08:39 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

The core of the lineup had done mostly very well (one month notwithstanding) on Chili's watch. As far as different philosophies go: a big problem with Alderson's GM tenure was that he was preoccupied with maximizing fly balls while his team played home games in one of the parks that rewarded that approach the least. Van Wegenen had said that he wanted to change that approach, and while I had doubts initially about Davis, I think he was one of the few things van Wegenen did right.

Centerfield May 04 2021 09:03 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

What was Chili's philosophy anyway? Going oppo and using the whole field is definitely a philosophy I stand behind.

Edgy MD May 04 2021 09:32 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

I do too, but even if I didn't, it's suicidal to ignore half the field in an age of extreme shifts leaving the opposite field so utterly undefended. Its really maddening to hear Gary Cohen, late in a game, say something along the lines of "And now Dominic Smith is coming up — he's 0-for-3 tonight but he's hit the ball hard twice tonight, but gotten robbed by the shift." That's not the goal. And being successfully defended against with an open and obvious alignment change that you didn't adjust to isn't being robbed. It's poor planning and a just outcome.

G-Fafif May 04 2021 09:32 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

[tweet]https://twitter.com/joelsherman1/status/1389601818024550400[/tweet]

Marshmallowmilkshake May 04 2021 09:53 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Chili was in a tough spot for being one of the last men standing from the Brody/Mickey era. I get that managers and GMs want their own guys in there. And when the $341 million guy isn't hitting, it becomes easy to make that change.

Ceetar May 04 2021 10:07 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Chili's approach, as I understand it, was to avoid fly balls, and just make 'solid line drive contact'. That's how you end up with a billion RISP and a bottom of the league power numbers. When it takes lucky HBP, pitchers losing command, and 3 hits to drive home more than one run, you tend to strand a lot of guys. Hit it hard in the air, good enough for Ted Williams, et al, good enough for the Mets.

Edgy MD May 04 2021 10:12 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Is there any source for believing Chili's approach was to avoid fly balls?

Ceetar May 04 2021 10:34 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

quotes from his hiring. I haven't found one since. “For me, trying to hit the ball in the air doesn't work,” Davis told The Athletic in his first spring training with the Mets in 2019. “With the way pitchers are pitching you these days or changing the way they pitch you, that might work for a while, but what happens when it stops working? To me, a line drive is always the objective of a swing — trying to hit the ball hard, trying to square the ball up with a line drive. You allow yourself for misses.

kcmets May 04 2021 10:41 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Can't get much more straight-from-the-horses-mouth than that lol. Good luck to Chili, I'm sure he'll land on his feet somewhere else in baseball.

TransMonk May 04 2021 10:41 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Didn't Davis work remotely last season? If so, I wonder what differences there might be now that he is physically with the team.

Ceetar May 04 2021 10:47 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

[TWEET]https://twitter.com/Joelsherman1/status/1389601818024550400[/TWEET] I don't know how much 'originated with Alderson' matters, if everyone agreed. nonetheless, sounds like they actually fired him a week ago.

Fman99 May 04 2021 11:00 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

I have this image in my head where Chili is walking away and Lindor runs after him with a box of produce, like Genco's dad did for the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II after the young Don got sacked.

G-Fafif May 04 2021 01:11 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Chili has his say with Mike Puma. ST. LOUIS – Chili Davis had a “weird feeling” that his job as Mets hitting coach was in jeopardy last week. That sense dissipated somewhat in recent days, as the team started to show life at the plate with consecutive solid games against the Phillies. Then came Monday night, a third straight game in which the Mets scored at least five runs, in a loss to the Cardinals. Afterward, Davis was summoned to manager Luis Rojas' office and informed by acting general manager Zack Scott he was fired. Davis' assistant, Tom Slater, was also fired. “The one thing I can say is I gave it everything I had,” Davis told The Post as he prepared to depart for New York on Tuesday to collect belongings before returning home to Arizona. “I put in the time, I put in the hours, I worked my ass off and wherever I went I gave it what I had and what I know and I just hope that whatever I left with these guys, I hope they take it and use it to become good players because there is a great group of guys here. A great group of guys.” The Mets entered the day 29th in MLB in scoring, averaging 3.23 runs per game. Francisco Lindor, who before the season agreed to a $341 million contract extension, has produced a .494 OPS and gone hitless in his last 21 at-bats. Scott, in his late-night news conference with reporters to announce the changes, mentioned none of those numbers, but indicated the Mets are moving in a more analytical direction focused on process and preparation. Hugh Quattlebaum was promoted from minor league director of hitting development to replace Davis. The assistant hitting coach's position was filled by director of player development Kevin Howard. The 61-year-old Davis said he “probably” would still be the Mets hitting coach if Lindor was producing to his career numbers. “But I think Francisco Lindor is going to hit,” Davis said. “He's kind of in one of those funks right now where your focus isn't there and maybe there is a little bit of in-between or doubt or whatever you call it, mentally. I have been there. The ball comes out of the hand and you don't differentiate fastball from curveball or whatever and you are just firing. You are hoping to get a hit instead of knowing you are going to get a hit.” Over the weekend Mets players, most notably Pete Alonso, referred to Donnie Stevenson, a fictional coach who had helped get the team fired up offensively. Davis chuckled at the mention of Donnie Stevenson and admitted the fictional character probably didn't help his cause. “The players were having fun and I know they didn't mean any harm,” Davis said. “It was a fun time for them, but it probably didn't help. People were just trying to loosen up as a group and it worked that night. They went out and put some runs on the board. I am all for them enjoying the game.” Davis, who also served as a hitting coach for the Athletics, Red Sox and Cubs, said he was never told by the front office that he needed to change anything in his approach to the job. “I did it the way I know how and each year the game changes, you get a lot more analytical people involved,” Davis said. “You try to use the information they give you to help the players, to inform the players, but I don't think anybody tried to change me. I've had success with good players and not-so-good players in the approach I have taken with them. It's more of a personal approach.” Davis, whose contract runs through this season, said he will enjoy the time at home and see if there is another opportunity for him in baseball. “I still have a lot to give to the game,” he said. “I might be a little old school for some people, but my thing here was to try to teach hitters how to game plan and take a plan to the plate, execute the plan to understand how pitchers pitch them, situations and all that.” https://nypost.com/2021/05/04/chili-davis-had-weird-feeling-before-being-fired-by-mets/

Edgy MD May 04 2021 01:26 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

=Ceetar post_id=62986 time=1620146094 user_id=102] quotes from his hiring. I haven't found one since. “For me, trying to hit the ball in the air doesn't work,” Davis told The Athletic in his first spring training with the Mets in 2019. “With the way pitchers are pitching you these days or changing the way they pitch you, that might work for a while, but what happens when it stops working? To me, a line drive is always the objective of a swing — trying to hit the ball hard, trying to square the ball up with a line drive. You allow yourself for misses.

Thanks.

Centerfield May 04 2021 01:28 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

=Ceetar post_id=62986 time=1620146094 user_id=102] quotes from his hiring. I haven't found one since. “For me, trying to hit the ball in the air doesn't work,” Davis told The Athletic in his first spring training with the Mets in 2019. “With the way pitchers are pitching you these days or changing the way they pitch you, that might work for a while, but what happens when it stops working? To me, a line drive is always the objective of a swing — trying to hit the ball hard, trying to square the ball up with a line drive. You allow yourself for misses.

It's hard to argue with that philosophy. For what it's worth, line drives are hit in the air.



I don't see why hitting philosophies need to be all or nothing. Why not swing for the fences early in the count, or with two outs and no one on. But if it's bases loaded and the entire team is on the pull side, maybe take one the other way? I guess hitting at the big league level present day is so hard that maybe players can't just switch their approach. But you know, I've been watching baseball for a long time, and the good players used to be able to do that.

LWFS May 04 2021 01:36 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Some still can. Harper. Trout. Hell, Piss Missile went about as "opposite way" as a guy with his power can go all the damn time during his breakout season. To my main purpose... Lefty Specialist wrote: Don't know if any hitting coach can fix Lindor right now. And Rojas doesn't have the guts to bat him 7th or 8th. There was an interesting bit of business from Harold Reynolds on MLB Network last night, tucked in among the there's-no-respect-for-the-veteran-coaching-voice and telling-guys-to-go-the-opposite-way-to-break-a-slump-is-verboten old-man grumbles. He led a side-by-side comparative dissection of Lindor's swings from this season and a varying selection of plate appearances from 2015-2019. Unless he's cherry-picking, it seems Lindor's got his hands lower/more lax during the latter-day swings, giving himself too much to do/less time to get properly into the load portion of his swing, and making almost every swing rushed or late.

Ceetar May 04 2021 01:39 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

some good players do that, others don't. Some just drive the ball to one side anyway, and still succeed. Line drives can be caught be infielders, fly balls can't. That's mainly the difference. It's not a novel thing, the harder you hit it, the less time fielders have to field it, unless you hit it RIGHT AT them, which is why it tends to be better to get a little lift. And even if don't square it up necessarily, a fly ball can land in front of an outfielder for a hit, but no line drives land in front of infielders for hits. And then there's the double play thing. We'll never really know what Chili's day to day process was. But if it doesn't mesh well with the front office, then he shouldn't be there, even if the Mets were 15-2.

Centerfield May 04 2021 01:45 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

=Ceetar post_id=63013 time=1620157195 user_id=102] some good players do that, others don't. Some just drive the ball to one side anyway, and still succeed. Line drives can be caught be infielders, fly balls can't. That's mainly the difference. It's not a novel thing, the harder you hit it, the less time fielders have to field it, unless you hit it RIGHT AT them, which is why it tends to be better to get a little lift. And even if don't square it up necessarily, a fly ball can land in front of an outfielder for a hit, but no line drives land in front of infielders for hits. And then there's the double play thing. We'll never really know what Chili's day to day process was. But if it doesn't mesh well with the front office, then he shouldn't be there, even if the Mets were 15-2.

Wow. I read and understood and agreed with every word you wrote.



2021 is some crazy shit.

bmfc1 May 04 2021 02:40 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Apparently, Pete is sad and the players are unhappy. Here is a summary of Pete Alonso's comments today from Tim Healey: [BLOCKQUOTE]Pete Alonso is not happy with -- and does not understand -- the Mets' decision to fire hitting coaches Chili Davis and Tom Slater last night, he said during a video news conference. He said players were not informed by the Mets of the decision before the Mets announced it publicly. Alonso said he cried at his locker after players learned of the news via the internet. Acting GM Zack Scott spoke to players today and gave the same non-specific explanation he offered to the media last night. Players, unhappy, spoke up. "They know how we feel," Alonso said.[/BLOCKQUOTE]

G-Fafif May 04 2021 02:43 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

[tweet]https://twitter.com/timbritton/status/1389675761326596099[/tweet]

Johnny Lunchbucket May 04 2021 03:14 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

And I cried watching Alonso being the worst hitter in the league last year but I got over it

Fman99 May 04 2021 07:40 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Here's another reason why taking four extra days to do everything bites you in the hiney sometime. This move would have made more sense before the three straight games where the hitters all, you know, got hits and drove in runs. If it happens after the 1-0 loss on Friday in Philly, coming off of three straight games scoring less than two runs, that's when it's logical.

Edgy MD May 04 2021 07:51 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: And I cried watching Alonso being the worst hitter in the league last year but I got over it Alonso can still make this a tearjerkingly happy ending by leading his team to a World Championship and then voting Chili a full World Series share, dedicating his World Series MVP award to his mentor and friend.

Ceetar May 04 2021 09:31 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

=Fman99 post_id=63051 time=1620178824 user_id=86] Here's another reason why taking four extra days to do everything bites you in the hiney sometime. This move would have made more sense before the three straight games where the hitters all, you know, got hits and drove in runs. If it happens after the 1-0 loss on Friday in Philly, coming off of three straight games scoring less than two runs, that's when it's logical.

a lot of those hits were Philly-fielding aided too though. But I think it does lend credence to Sherman's source that it was already decided but the new guys needed to clear Covid protocol (so not vaccinated then?)

Johnny Lunchbucket May 05 2021 09:39 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Sherman does some reporting and you start to understand things. did anyone share this yet? https://nypost.com/2021/05/04/inside-mets-chili-davis-firing-and-the-origin-of-donnie-stevenson/ Scott had observed hitting meetings — to Davis' annoyance, a source said — and what emerged in the front office's belief was a lack of individualized plans, mechanical adjustments and authoritative instruction in the meetings. Scott had been meeting with his subordinates about making a change. Alderson had been thinking similarly. Then after last Wednesday's 1-0 loss to the Red Sox in which the Mets had two hits, 15 strikeouts and were at one run in 18 innings with one ineffective, indecisive at-bat after another against Boston, the duo met and found themselves in unison. Manager Luis Rojas was not in simpatico. But he was outnumbered and outranked. Davis had lost hitting coach jobs with the Red Sox (where Scott worked) and the Cubs because of the old/new conflict. Scott wanted to see if Davis had grown to embrace modern devices/strategies. So, he attended some hitting meetings — think a principal observing a teacher in a classroom. Scott did not see enough. Modern players have grown hungry for individual mechanical and statistical analyses, and many players seemed to be gravitating toward the analysts for help rather than the hitting coach.

Edgy MD May 05 2021 10:13 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

That's pretty clarifying. I suspect Rojas' defense was more about loyalty to his crew than in believing in the the process that was unfolding. At least, I hope so.

Johnny Lunchbucket May 05 2021 10:27 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Loyalty to the crew, and maybe also the emotions of his players who probably don't really know what is best for them

Ceetar May 05 2021 10:55 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

I'm glad Rojas feels empowered to speak up to his bosses who didn't hire him, but it doesn't paint him as long for this role either. It's that last that's key. 'gravitating toward the analysts for help' If Pete Alonso is asking guys like me for help over Chili Davis, that's not good.

Lefty Specialist May 05 2021 11:50 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Some still can. Harper. Trout. Hell, Piss Missile went about as "opposite way" as a guy with his power can go all the damn time during his breakout season. To my main purpose... Lefty Specialist wrote: Don't know if any hitting coach can fix Lindor right now. And Rojas doesn't have the guts to bat him 7th or 8th. There was an interesting bit of business from Harold Reynolds on MLB Network last night, tucked in among the there's-no-respect-for-the-veteran-coaching-voice and telling-guys-to-go-the-opposite-way-to-break-a-slump-is-verboten old-man grumbles. He led a side-by-side comparative dissection of Lindor's swings from this season and a varying selection of plate appearances from 2015-2019. Unless he's cherry-picking, it seems Lindor's got his hands lower/more lax during the latter-day swings, giving himself too much to do/less time to get properly into the load portion of his swing, and making almost every swing rushed or late. And one would think that a hitting coach who's working his ass off would pick up on that sort of thing.

G-Fafif May 10 2021 10:32 AM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Donnie Stevenson seems as recent as Mettle the Mule, but Ken Rosenthal offers an addendum to dazzling if brief career of the hitting approach coach who was not so long ago the talk of the town. Donnie Stevenson was Pete Alonso. Multiple sources confirm it was the Mets' first baseman who fired up his fellow hitters on May 1 before they faced their former teammate, Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. The Mets won 5-4 on a go-ahead homer by Michael Conforto in the top of the ninth inning – the first victory of a 7-2 run that has vaulted them to the top of the NL East. “Donnie's been great helping the team,” Alonso said afterward, describing “Stevenson” as a “nice new hire,” “great hitting/approach coach” and all-around savior. “Donnie really helped us today.” Alonso, in assuming his alter ego, wore a hat and sunglasses to the hitters' meeting, then delivered the most basic of messages, according to some in attendance: Let's stop over-thinking things. Let's just go out there, stick to our strengths and let it rip. The meeting, according to one attendee, lasted about four minutes. The players did not even talk about Wheeler, laughing, clapping and hooting instead. The results of Alonso's attempt to loosen up a tight club were impressive – the Mets scored four runs in seven innings against Wheeler, matching the most he has allowed this season. Two days later, after a 6-5 loss in St. Louis, the team fired hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater. But the emergence of “Donnie” had nothing to do with those moves. As Joel Sherman reported in the New York Post, team president Sandy Alderson and general manager Zack Scott had decided to make a change even before Alonso transformed himself into “Donnie.” Alonso, in fact, was among the Mets most upset by the firings, and admitted to crying at his locker after hearing the news. He also was emotional in two subsequent conversations with Scott, sources said. https://theathletic.com/2577809/2021/05/10/rosenthal-pete-alonso-behind-a-mets-mystery-the-red-soxs-unsung-hero-nick-madrigal-the-anti-2021-hitter/

Willets Point May 10 2021 01:19 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

This season is really weird.

kcmets May 10 2021 01:35 PM Re: Hitting Coaches Axed

Someone tweet Uncle Steve and tell him we need a Donnie Stevenson Bobblehead Night! #lgm #ygb #ymdyf