10/23/17

Reese Kaplan -- Is Housecleaning Really Happening?


Every time you think you’ve got this club all figured out they go and do something that makes you think, “Hey, maybe they DO get it after all.”  We had one of those moments yesterday in between our NFL marathon when word came out that the Mets have not chosen existing hitting coach Kevin Long, twice-fired manager with a losing record, Manny Acta, but instead grabbed one of the two most highly sought-after young managerial rookie candidates.  Mickey Callaway makes a ton of sense for this organization and I applaud the surprising and atypical selection.

First of all, this club was supposed to be built upon pitching.  Save for a brief period when they had the luxury of a healthy Jeurys Familia, Addison Reed and Tyler Clippard towards the end of the 2015 season, the bullpen has been a disaster for quite some time.  No matter how good your starting pitchers are supposed to be, the reality of today’s game is 6 innings has become the maximum expectation.  You can’t continually give away 1/3 of the game.  The club just brought in a number of hard throwing if raw relief pitching prospects to go along with some of what has and has not worked in the past.  A guy who worked magic with pitchers in Cleveland seems particularly well suited for this challenge.

Then, of course, there’s the question of the starting pitchers.  Granted, you can’t control injuries (though conditioning, observation and coaching can all help keep starters ready to go every 5 days).  Some people feel that by the time a player reaches the majors he should already know what to do.  Whether we’re talking about hitters or pitchers, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. 

Take, for example, the case of Matt Harvey.  When he arrived on the scene he seemingly retired hitters effortlessly, struck out batters almost at will and exhibited terrific control.  Then came the injuries – the Tommy John Surgery, the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, etc.  It’s only human nature for a person to alter his natural motion to compensate for pain or weakness which, in turn, can result in poor results or further injury.  Too often the previous regime seemed to mishandle injuries and I can’t help but wonder how much was done to aid a pitcher in doing only what he was capable of doing and reinforcing the exercises needed to get him back on track.  If it turns out that a return to form is not possible, how much has been done to reinvent pitchers.  Granted, hard throwers get all the attention, but you can have a long and successful career based upon control, pitch selection and ball movement as well. 

When you look at the injuries that visited Noah Syndergaard, Steve Matz, Zack Wheeler, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman and the aforementioned Harvey, you have to think a fresh approach is needed.  That brings me to perhaps the most surprising aspect of this hire.  Callaway has absolutely no ties to the NY Mets and has worked with one of the brightest minds in baseball in Terry Francona.  Perhaps that decision is Alderson’s acknowledgement to his bosses that the smartest guy in the room is never too old to learn something. 

Now that the managerial selection has been made, the next soap opera will involve the hiring of the coaching staff.  Early indications are that they will ask Kevin Long to stay, but you’d have to question whether or not that’s a good move considering the dynamic of the rejected managerial candidate potentially sabotaging the new guy.  That’s not an indictment of Kevin Long specifically, but just observation based upon many years of making hiring decisions. 

The one area I do expect to see a veteran presence brought into the fold is as bench coach.  Dick Scott was never considered for the managerial job so perhaps for continuity’s sake they will want to foist him off on Callaway.  However, there are any number of other veteran ex-managers around who could help Callaway through his apprenticeship.  Considering how poorly last season unfolded, a complete housecleaning might not necessarily be a bad thing.  When a manager gets to pick his own staff, they should be loyal to him and buy into his program.  Having others forced upon you makes that far less likely to happen and seems a case of damning with faint praise – “We trust you to run the ballclub, just not that much.”

Personally, I hope that Alderson and Callaway approach former colleague Sandy Alomar, Jr. to offer him the position of bench coach.  He’s also very highly regarded in baseball circles, and would probably view the role as a bump up from 1st base coach which he currently holds with the Indians.  After serving briefly in that role for the Indians, they moved him aside for former Astros manager Brad Mills.  Furthermore, the Mets coaching staff has been decidedly Caucasian shepherding a multicultural ballclub.  Having a Hispanic coach in a high position might help with communication to some of the key ballplayers. 

So do you think there will be a great many contract renewals, or do you think they’ll go with a clean slate for 2017? 

22 comments:

Tom Brennan said...

I like this Galloway move a lot. Maybe Jay Bruce sold him on the Mets. Maybe that means Jay wants back here.

Hobie said...

Alomar would be a great choice for bench coach IMO. And yes, Thomas, I think the chances of re-signing Bruce just went up a tad which is important because I don't think Conforto will be back for a while.

I wouldn't mind seeing The Fonz bumping fists with the base runner at 1B either, or Letroy Hawkins in the BP. Pitching coach? Righetti is unemployed now, but Calllaway may well have someone in mind.

While we're fantasizing, how about LaRusso as a GM-in-waiting and I so wish David could be talked into a FO job (player development, etc.).

Mack Ade said...

I would like to think that the Cab move will be the first of many 'cleaning house' moves in the stodgy Mets coaching assignments.

I understand the Mets quietly did not renew Frank Viola's contract. I think they should take a look at Tim Teufel and others in the system.

I would love new thinking here.

What about Dusty Baker for bench coach? You know he has a hardon for the Nats right now and he knows every move each player would bring to the table. Just reversing the W-L of that series would get you to the playoffs.

What about bilingual coaches? The game is so why isn't the coaches?

It's going to be 2018 folks.

Snap out of it!

Mack Ade said...

Hobie -

Please.

No more old Mets coaching on this team.

Leave the past there.

Tom Brennan said...

Change...we need more of it.

Mack Ade said...

The thing I like the most about Cab (will forever be known as this on Mack's Mets) is how much he stresses throwing strikes by his pitches. Not corners. Not pitches that cross the zone and end up in the dirt. Strikes.

I would think, and hope, that he will recognize that the 2018+ rotation should be built around BOTH deGrom and Syndergaard and BOTH should be offered a long term extension without any concern for any future arm problems.

You must roll these two pairs of dice.

Hobie said...

Mack-

Well certainly no Wally, Lenny or Straw. Teufel? ...nah. But Fonz and/or Alomar, there's your Latin presence in IF/C mentoring.

Tom Brennan said...

Make Happy Jose a player-coach? Then you've got your Latin element. me, I think that idea stinks, but let's get them all on the table.

Can Fonzie play 3B? He is healthier than David Wright. He'll only be 44...Wright's back is 65.

Mack Ade said...

Tm -

Jose was such a disruptive force on Rosario in the dugout. His happy go lucky approach kept Amed unfocused.

Out with the bath water.

Viper said...

It seems the "Genius in his own mind" slept on an oxygen chamber and it worked. I like this choice.

Now sign Bruce, Reed, Todd Frazier (if he becomes available) and Lance Lynn. Too much well wishing?

Mike Maddox for pitching coach?

Tom Brennan said...

Yep - Jose, thank you for your service. Let's move on.

Love t get Addison Reed back...him, Blevins, Ramos and Familia would make a fearsome foursome in the pen. Fearsome pens make for formidable teams.

Tom Brennan said...

Read that In a stretch of 62 games with Arizona in 2017, JD Martinez hit 29 home runs, drove in 65 runs, and hit .302/.366/.741 in 232 at-bats. Should Mets try for him? Only 30.

Reese Kaplan said...

Three problems regarding Martinez...like Cespedes, he tends to be injury-prone. Like Cespedes, he's going to be mega expensive. Third, he makes Todd Hundley in the OF look like a gold glover. He was second to worst in the league for defense last year.

I'm not usually enamored of reunions, but Jay Bruce would cost significantly less and has proven to be durable and that he can play in NY.

Viper said...

Reese. JD Martinez is indeed a butcher in the OF for sure. Bat is great but he is a DH.

I would use Bruce in RF but that means Conforto plays CF which I don't particularly like. But if Dominic Smith were to hit 200 again, Bruce could just take over at 1B.

Todd Frazier would be nice on a short contract for the Mets. Fixes the gaping hole at 3B and Flores can just stay at 2B.

Hobie said...

Braves declined RA's option. Hmmmm.

Tom Brennan said...

Viper, if they would take same contract (years, $$$) would you prefer Frazier or Neil Walker at 3B?

Tom Brennan said...

Hobie, maybe RA would like to try for another Cy Young in Quuens.

Viper said...

Reese I would probably prefer Frazier because Walker has been getting hurt lately and is not a natural 3B or have as much power. But either will do if it is a short contract.

Brandon Phillips?

I just don't want to see Dancing Jose or Cabrera at 3B. Get rid of both.

Reese Kaplan said...

Kevin Long was today granted permission to interview with the Nats for their managerial job. His son pitches in the Nats minor leagues, so he may want to go there even if it's just for the hitting coach job. He could reunions te with Murphy.

Reese Kaplan said...

I would prefer Eduardo Nunez to Frazier. I like high average hitters with speed.

David Rubin said...

Reese- Nunez is a disaster in the field. Frazier brings power, on-base % and fielding plus great in clubhouse but will be too rich for Wilpons sadly.

I am sticking to my quest for either Lance Lynn or RA to eat innings, bring back Bruce & Reed and keep filling out the coaching staff with quality guys. In a perfect world Frazier would be a no-brainer, but we are still paying for the Wilpons financial disaster because Selig wouldn't rid the game of his buddies (all pun intended). Sad- McCourt in LA said "at least we didn't need MLB to loan us money to make payroll" - when Frank McCourt can DISS you, and he's right, no more need be said!!

Long indeed interviewed with Nats and wouldn't cost them as much as Baker did which to Washington is far too important, you would think, to a club that not only wants to go to the Series but is losing Murphy, Harper, Gio and 2 others after the 2018 season. You'd think after the money they've wasted over the years they would be willing to spend on getting a top quality manager in...but we can only hope their stupidity helps us out in the Win-Loss column next year!!!

So, to paraphrase Seinfeld, "it's real, and it's happening!!!"

TexasGusCC said...

Brad Ausmus is perfect for Washington: managerial experience; supposedly bright, although he blew the playoffs; has worked with other divas (Inglesias, the king of divas, and Cabrera, Martinez and Anibal Sanchez).