The Mets will be interviewing Jeremy Hefner for their pitching coach vacancy on Monday, the Athletic’s Marc Carig reports (subscription required). Hefner, currently the Twins’ assistant pitching coach, is a familiar name to Mets fans, as the right-hander tossed 224 1/3 innings for New York in 2012-13.
This 50-game stint comprised Hefner’s entire Major League tenure, as his career was derailed by a pair of Tommy John surgeries. After pitching in the Cardinals’ minor league system in 2016, he decided to hang up his cleats and pursue a post-playing career as an advance scout for Minnesota. After two years in that role, he became an assistant pitching coach for the Twins in 2019.
Hefner is only 33 years old, almost 49 full years younger than Phil Regan, who worked as the Mets’ interim pitching coach after Dave Eiland was fired in mid-June. Hefner’s youth and knowledge of analytics make him a “conduit” of a coach, in Carig’s words, able to relate to players as a virtual peer in terms of age and recent playing experience, which helps in presenting analytical information in an easily digestible fashion.
One veteran voice who won’t be in the Mets dugout is Terry Collins, as Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that the former manager isn’t a candidate to be the club’s new bench coach. There was speculation last week that Collins could serve as an experienced right hand to first-time manager Carlos Beltran, though Collins will instead remain in his current role as a special assistant within the Mets organization.
Hefner would probably be one of the youngest coaches. Would be interesting to see his impact. In regards to bench coach, since we have Beltrán who’s inexperienced, I’m hoping to see a former bench coach/manager in this position. I have to think of some names.
Waiting for MarlinsFanBase to comment something negative about the Mets…
He has to stop crying over being the lone marlin fan first then the comments will begin until he remember about it again and the crying resumes
Nah, there’s a second Marlins fan out there somewhere.
It’s Jeter
BVW is step by step moving the Mets into the modern ways of managing a ball club.
He is placing great emphasis on collaboration between all the different roles. Placing special emphasis on player development, getting the players to look at management as a partner rather then rival ( think management verses player union confrontations )
As a former players rep. he witnessed first hand the poison that seeps into this type of relationship. He is encouraging the payers to think of management as people who are trying to enable them to maximize their abilities. This will produce a win win result. The players will be able to cash in financially, the team will benefit from increased production resulting in more wins and greater fan attendance.
They will then be able and more apt to pay the market value for players.
The Brooklyn Nets represent this approach. Kenny Atkinson is regarded as a coach who is there to enable each player to reach their individual best. They provide the best working conditions including training facilities and trainers. All of this results in a place where the players want to be.
Expectations: more wins, increased attendance, boost In future free agent signings together with management being pleased with their financial return.
yup
The modern ways of managing a ball club do not include trading your top prospects for a 36 year old second basemen with a PED history saddled by a terrible contract (regardless of Diaz).
You can’t ignore Diaz as he was probably the more important player in that trade. Cano’s contract was/still is untradeable until Diaz became part of the deal.
Taking on a 36yo middle infielder for five years at $20m a year is moving to the ways of a modern ball club? Great analysis.
Let’s give everyone a hug and participation trophy next? I don’t know about a 33 year old coach with 50 games experience and 2 years as an assistant coach. There is something to be said for proven track records instead of computers and binders. Just because the front office doesn’t understand how to use a remote, you shouldn’t go out and hire an cable repair guy. Knowing how to speak the language of analytics doesn’t mean you know how to coach.
Being a fantastic pitcher with a career span of personal success, doesn’t mean you know how to coach either.
Coaches come from all kinds of backgrounds. Success is about what you can get out of others, not what you once got out of yourself.
Hefner is already a known presence in the NY media. He is often interviewed on NY sports radio. The guy is really intelligent. I think he did a great job in Minnesota. This would be a good Mets hire.
Why can’t we keep Regan?
I have not heard anything regarding Regan but it is probably a matter of him not wanting to stay as pitching coach given his age and the constant traveling. I suspect he only took the job in the short term with the promise he would only have to do it for one season. I certainly hope the Mets retain him in another capacity.
Regan did solid work this season, but I think it’s important that they bring in a younger guy who can do the job long term. Regan should definitely be retained within the organization in some capacity, maybe in his old job or a different advisory role.
I like Hefner as a back end starter. Wondered what became of him post-surgery.
Regarding nyfan
This reply is based on the disastrous results of Diaz.
IF Diaz had produced the same results as he did in 2018, is it not probable that the Met would have made the playoffs and even challenged the Braves for division?
As Washington demonstrated, once in the playoffs anything is possible.
Most critics of BVW base their arguments on this, but the fact remains the team improved by 9 wins even with a totally unreliable bull pen.
I am also of the opinion that Cano was a great influence on some of the Latin players such as Rosario. Is he worth 24 million a year for 4 more years? Not in terms of day to day production . yet an elite closer and very affordable young closer would have gone long way to balance it out
Those same individuals conveniently dismiss (or forget) Cano’s second half numbers because they do not support their BVW bashing arguments. Cano was a lot more productive in the second half once healthy. He slashed .240/.287/.360 in the first half (while hurt) and .284/.339/541 with 9 HRs in 148 ABs.
Which means he probably juiced. Bottom line is that Cano should not be batting any where near the top half of the order and should be replaced defensively in close games when possible. His bat is slow and only hits sub 93 fastballs. Once the league figures that out, they will just pound him in and beat him with heat. I wish someone could show his slashes against the heater.
So you have the book on how to get Cano out, but the other teams don’t? That’s interesting
Cano was still productive in 2017 and 2018. I don’t think it’s out of the question that he can still be a good everyday player. I also don’t think it’s fair to firmly judge the deal until we see what Kelenic and Dunn do in major league games.
Everyone also forgets the 36 mil in salary taken off our books in Swarzak and Bruce. It was a gamble and it didn’t pay off this year but we still have a few more years to evaluate the trade.
Also, we have to stop worrying about what we traded to other teams. BVW won the whole MLB draft last year with out of the box thinking. Baty, Wolf, and Allan are just as talented as anyone we traded. Kelenic “could” be a Mike Trout, but he’s likely to be a Buxton, and even more likely to be a bust.
I’m all for this. Bring in Hefner as the pitching coach and keep Regan in an advisory role.
Thanks