Hensley Meulens is a “strong frontrunner” to become the next bench coach for the New York Mets, though the team is not confirming any new hire decisions at this time, tweets Andy Martino of the SNY Network. Jennifer Mercedes of La Vida Baseball (via Twitter) is hearing that the Mets and their newly-hired manager Carlos Beltran are ready to tab Meulens in the role now. This level of scuttlebutt often leads to an announcement from the team, though Martino suggests nothing official is imminent.
Meulens has made the rounds the past couple of seasons as a new manager candidate, and he would come to New York highly-regarded after a defining career on the coaching staff of the San Francisco Giants. He spent the past two seasons in the same role he’ll potentially man in New York, serving as bench coach to Bruce Bochy. He was Bochy’s hitting coach from 2010 to 2017, during which time the Giants won three championships. Beltran, of course, crossed paths with Meulens during his short stint in a Giants uniform in the 2011 season.
The Marlins reportedly offered Meulens a role on Don Mattingly’s staff, with whom Meulens was a teammate for parts of five seasons from 1989 to 1993 as a player with the New York Yankees. Meulens was also in conversation with the Giants about their open managerial position before being informed recently that he was no longer in the running.
Joey Cora, Fredi Gonzalez, Jerry Narron, and Terry Collins have also been named at various times as potential candidates to assume the role of Beltran’s right-hand man. Meulens has less managerial experience than some of the other candidates listed, though he did manage the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic in 2013 and 2017. Along with his many years under the leadership of Bochy, Meulens would presumably provide plenty of insight and guidance for the Mets’ rookie skipper.
When Beltran gets suspended for his role in the astros mess the Mets have a built in replacement
Was going to say the same thing
I think he gets fired before opening day.
So stupid
Uh, Beltran was a player, he might actually even be looked on as a victim, as the Astros management and front office were well aware of what went on. This isnt on the players, this is on management and brass
but is he a clearer frontrunner than Eduardo Perez was for managerial job?
Hopefully he isn’t just a puppet by the wilpons.
Are they going to buy metal trash cans or plastic?
Whatever ones cheaper
Should be strong frontrunner for Astros manager job
This is a bad time of year
Would be very smart move, given allegations against Beltran in addition to there being no guarantee Carlos delivers as manager. Meulens has coaching experience something Carlos does not, so it could be a fail safe if things don’t work out.
Excited bam bam may finally get his shot at being the head coach
What has he accomplished to warrant a shot? And being a terrible hitting coach doesnt count.
What has any of these coaches done. Hes at least paid his dues not like all these other 1st time coaches. No hitting coach is gonna fix the Giants. Not even powell could.
Bam bam doesn’t deserve a shot, he was mediocre as a giants coach. I’m glad he didn’t follow botch as the Giants manager.
I ask this sincerely: why do so many say that Meulens was such a terrible hitting coach? During his tenure, Posey raked, Belt was the same mercurial hitter he is today but with higher BA, Crawford
had his best years with the bat, Panik peaked under Bam Bam’s tenure…Pence’s swing (an oxymoron in and of itself: Pence’s “swing”) offered solid results. I am not sophisticated enough as a fan to evaluate a coach’s skill set.
Why was he so “bad?”
giantsphan12,
Meulens would be fine choice for Mets bench coach.
As for the commenters here, if you consider motive and agenda – Mets bashing – you’ll have answer to your question, understand why those posts make no sense.
.
Oscar Azocar was a better hitter.
Another stinking ex-Yankee, after Beltran and Shreve, and then a burnt Betances. Here comes Ellsbury!