6:38pm: New York will name Dave Eiland as its next pitching coach, according to Carig (Twitter link). Eiland had held the same position with the Royals since the start of the 2012 season, but Kansas City decided not to retain him into the future. The ten-year MLB veteran also previously served as the Yankees’ pitching coach.
3:31pm: The Mets are expected to promote Roessler to become the team’s hitting coach, Puma of reports on Twitter. Ricky Bones will remain as the bullpen coach, he adds.
9:55am: Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports that there will be some continuity on the coaching staff, as assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler is finishing up a two-year deal to return to the Mets. Roessler’s responsibilities with the team “will expand,” per Ackert, though it’s not clear if he’ll simply step into the hitting coach vacancy created by Long’s departure. Ackert does note that Roessler turned down an opportunity within the division to be a big league hitting coach last winter.
9:33am: Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets that first base coach Tom Goodwin is unlikely to return to the team as well. Like Carig, he’s also heard that Long isn’t likely to return. Puma notes in another tweet that the Mets could bring Tim Teufel back as an infield coach and possibly as a replacement for Goodwin.
7:31am: After being passed over for the Mets’ managerial vacancy, hitting coach Kevin Long is now unlikely to return to the team in 2017, reports Newsday’s Marc Carig. The organization had reportedly promised a 2018 job to Long even in the event that he was not named the successor to Terry Collins, but Long’s contract expired at the end of October and he’s yet to sign a new one.
Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post presented one alternative opportunity for Long yesterday, reporting that he’s in the running to become the division-rival Nationals’ new hitting coach. Long also interviewed for the managerial vacancy in D.C., though he came up short to another well-respected coach who is getting his first managerial opportunity: longtime Cubs/Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. George A. King III of the New York Post reported over the weekend that Long could also return to the Yankees, for whom he served as the hitting coach from 2007-14. King suggested that Long could potentially be a managerial candidate there, but could also return to his old post as the hitting coach in the Bronx as well.
The Mets, of course, figured to have a new-look coaching staff under first-time manager Mickey Callaway even in the event that Long had been retained. As Carig notes, the only coach that is under contract beyond the 2018 season is third base coach Glenn Sherlock, so Long’s reported departure could put the Mets on the lookout for a number of replacements at key coaching positions, including pitching coach, bench coach, bullpen coach and first base coach.
Kevin Long Riding the NY Merry-go-round!!
If he signs with the Yankees? Plot twist.
In the battle of Long jokes,
I admit I finish in last place
Actually it’s a ten way tie for last place.
quite the long list.
YES! FINALLY
(ASSIST by majorflaw!)
But seriously you guys are talented writers.
Long would be proud.
Just like the Mets in 2018!
i’m guessing you mean “unlikely to return to the team in 2018” not 2017
He probably won’t be coaching the remainder of this year so technically it’s accurately stating the obvious.
He’s Long gone
How Long did it take you to come up with that one? Anyways, in this site’s ongoing pun contest, this was a Goodwin for you.
“How Long did it take you to come up with that one?”
Easy. It took a Long time.
Q: As a hitting coach, does Kevin favor the Long Ball?
p.s. If a team hires Kevin Long as hitting coach and Chris Short as pitching coach, they’ll have the Long and Short of it all.
With HOF Johnny as Bench Coach.
Being a Mets fan must be frustrating. The organization seems constantly to be fixing mistakes set in motion by the organization – frustrating cycle.
It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the organization rolled out an essay contest giving fans the opportunity to detail how they’d coach in a certain position. The lucky winner gets a 1-year contract in a key coaching position with a club option for 2019.
How I Would Coach The Mets in ALL Positions
by Gomez Toth
I would distract the other team by having the owner’s daughter ride around the field in a cart pulled by a mule. The end.
How I would coach the Mets:
Wrap each player carefully in bubblewrap after each game. Then place them in storage, only to be removed in time for the national anthem of the next game..
How I would coach the Mets:
1-Fire Sandy and hire a GM who is in touch with today’s game and players.
2-Tell Jeff and Fred: put real money in the team and stay AWAY.
That’s what Mark DeRosa was hoping would happen.
I think he’ll come back to the Yankees, more likely as the hitting coach though. Just a hunch
It’s a Long shot, but ya never know.
He’s been playing the Long game all this time.
My hunch is he goes to the Nats since he has a good relationship with Murphy.
Long story short, I bet the Yankees Long for the opportunity to bring him back as hitting coach but for low Long?
How Long is this going to go on for? Long going elsewhere is a Goodwin for us.
Blah
Best of luck to Eiland with his new gig.
Mets were rumored to be in on Eiland for a while…
I’m surprised it took Long to get a deal done.
Wasn’t Ricky Bones rumored to be joining Alex Cora in Boston???
Mets should make Long the Bench Coach. He’s not getting the Yankees manager job. Yankees are obviously hiring A-Rod to manage
Wow Showman. I’m glad that I am that far away from Flushing to not catch Mets dillearium.
The Long and Winding Road