With the generally positive vibes the Mets gave off about the team’s effort, this afternoon’s missive from the team came as quite a surprise.
Remaining in their posts are Dan Warthen as pitching coach, Dave Hudgens as hitting coach.
That is all.
Third base coach Chip Hale is leaving to pursue another coaching position. UPDATE! Hale is now bench coach for the Athletics. The highly-regarded Hale stands a good chance of managing soon, I’d imagine.
But Mookie Wilson, out as first base coach? How can he have done enough damage to make it untenable to keep him around for the 50th anniversary season?
Jon DeBus is out as bullpen coach as well, but both DeBus and Wilson will be offered jobs with the organization.
Ken Oberkfell, this year’s bench coach (and longtime Mets coach and minor league manager), was left off even that list.
The new guys? Ricky Bones as bullpen coach- a guy I wouldn’t mind seeing as pitching coach at some point. Tim Teufel at third base. And the bench coach has yet to be announced.
Something else to watch out for: if Warthen remains in his position, but another person gets organizational oversight of all the pitching, to unify the philosophy.
5 Comments
Strange, especially the knowledgeable, fan-favorite, well-thought of Mookie. What do you think was the reasoning, Howard? Do you think Collins wasn’t consulted, but just told of the changes, or if he participated?
Well, I guess Chip Hale left for greener pastures. a job that might move him closer to a manager’s position. Collins likes Teufel, and Mookie was somehow seen as an impediment to Duda’s improvement, whatever that’s all about. Could it be that Mook wasn’t forceful enough in getting the likes of “superstars” Beltran and Reyes to steal when Collins so directed? Oberkfell, who knows?
Exactly. Look, I think the Mets struggled for years to hold people accountable. I am surprised they felt the need to criticize Mookie, anonymously, on his way out. Don’t know what purpose that served.
Mets are still not a good team with these moves. I just wonder where their loyalty is Obie has been managing in their minor leagues for approx. 16 years and has managed allmost everybody on the current major league roster. Mookie I have no idea what he did wrong as first base coach. It seems the Mets are making moves just to be making moves.
It seems that many managers (those dwindling few who have the power of certain appointments) prefer to pick a bench manager who is an old friend and good company on the long, lonely road trips.