The Mets made it official, naming Howard Johnson to replace the fired Rick Down as hitting coach and Rickey Henderson as the first base coach who will assist in the baserunning and outfield areas.
Manager Willie Randolph wanted Johnson as hitting coach in the interest of continuity.
“He is on our staff and he knows what our hitters can do,” Randolph said. “It’s a good transition. It is the right move for me.”
Henderson worked as a special instructor the past two years in spring training. “I want to be a coach,” Henderson said. “I want to be able to help the players.”
Henderson said this appointment officially ends his playing career, but moments later said he would be a pinch-runner if the opportunity presented itself.
9 Comments
If we get a few more injuries in LF, how many beat writers will question that retirement.
Did Henderson say he’d be a pinch-runner or did he say Ricky would be a pinch-runner?
I’ve always said that “Rickey being Ricky” was 97% act. And it’s a funny act!
“Officially” first base coach and unofficially co-hitting coach is a good compromise…
It gives Willie the chance to save a little face by talking about “continuity” and it gives Rickey the opportunity to transition into coaching in the “on-the-field” role of the first-base coach.
I dig it.
I think the Mets did the right thing selecting Howard Johnson. And I don’t think “unofficially” Henderson is the hitting coach. It remains to be seen if Henderson even has the temperament to be a long term coach or the aptitude to coach anything other than stealing bases. Will the players even understand half of what he says?
No matter what, he at least will be funny and entertaining.
*****
To JK: The players should understand after they get their Henderson-English dictionaries.-JD
good for Hojo., and with Henderson as 1st base coach. i think we may see more aggressive running.
Can anyone tell me the players on the 25 man roster right now? With all the shuffling over the weekend and the AS break, I’ve kind of lost track of who’s up with the big club now. Thanks
John, re: rosters
http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/team/roster_active.jsp?c_id=nym
Praise Jesus! The biggest crisis in Met history is finally over!
Hopefully Hojo teaches more than the “look for a fastball on a 2-0 count” philosophy he used in his career. And to get your bats from the Whitey Herzog lumber company.