The Mets have fired hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater, Tim Britton of The Athletic was among those to report. Minor league hitting coordinator Hugh Quattlebaum will take over for Davis, and farm director Kevin Howard will succeed Slater.
New York made this decision in the wake of a 6-5 loss to St. Louis that dropped the team to a disappointing 11-12. A mediocre offensive performance has played a role in the Mets’ slow start, as their hitters currently rank 17th in the majors in wRC+ (96). Prized offseason pickup Francisco Lindor, whom the Mets acquired from the Indians and then signed to a 10-year, $341MM extension, has slumped over the Mets’ first 23 games. Likewise, outfielder/first baseman Dominic Smith has fallen flat after an excellent showing in 2020, as has $40MM free-agent signing James McCann.
Of course, it’s debatable how much blame Davis and Slater deserve for the above players’ struggles. It’s also worth noting J.D. Davis (who went on the 10-day injured list Monday), Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso have all gotten off to great starts. Regardless, the Mets are taking their coaching staff in another direction in hopes of breaking a four-year playoff drought.
In Davis, the Mets are saying goodbye to a former big league slugger whom they hired before 2019, when Mickey Callaway – not Luis Rojas – was their manager. Prior to that, Davis worked as the hitting coach for the Cubs, who relieved him of duties after the 2018 campaign. Slater joined the Mets’ staff as their assistant hitting coach a year earlier than Davis.
Good Chili’s ground ball approach is beyond archaic
Has he spoke out against elevating the batter ball angle? He made implications likely regarding Bryant and that approach after being let go as a Cubs’ coach a few years back.
I’m not questioning your point, just asking more out of curiosity as someone who does not follow the the Cubs or Mets(other than MLBTR articles).
Say what you want about the other players, but Lindor is not the superstar that he was made out to be. He’s great with the glove and has a massive personality, but as a hitter he is what he is – .824 career OPS whose numbers have steadily declined for 3 years. The Mets gave a ridiculous contract to someone who isn’t nearly as good a hitter as Xander, Real superstars don’t rely on hitting coaches.
The Mets will see what a waste of 341 million is at the end of the year when their fielding only shortstop hits .220
Why does one pay way over 300 mil 10 years for a college level hitter?
Um, excuse me? My guy YAZ routinely relied on Ted Williams. Every batter needs an eye on them for help. The best still listen to their trusted coaches. That’s what gets them there and keeps them there.
‘College level hitter’ lol
Lindor isnt in the Trout/Soto tier of hitters, but hes still an allstar level hitter lol
Allstar level hitter for his position.
These massive contracts are idiotic. Lindor and others are proof.
Calm down, Lindor will be fine.
No he is not.
I’ll believe it when I see it. So far he’s not even as good as Jose Reyes.
@johnk – If teams are giving these contracts out can you imagine what the owners themselves are making in profit every year. Let the players make their money and get their fair share. One thing I know is that if the players made less money all these team owners still wouldn’t reduce the prices for the fans anyway they’ll just pocket it. (This may not pertain to you but it does to many who comment on this site)- It surprises me how many people side with employers (owners) more than with employees (players) meanwhile they themselves are employees. “If they’re giving it – take it”
So far he’s not as good as Amed Rosario.
I have felt for years that Lindor is overrated but the exaggeration in this thread is out of control. College level hitter? No one believes that, not even the person who said it
Not worth the contact, IMO, but he is clearly above average in every aspect of his game
Joeyrocafella: Lindor may be fine but that contract is gonna be an albatross from hell.
115 OPS+. 15% above average. But hey, rant on.
The minute Lindor started believing he was really a power hitter, his game went to hell. It’s his approach, and he began it with Cleveland. He let the superball fool him into thinking he has skills he doesn’t, and consistently outsmarts himself in at bats. But hey: CHARISMA!
YAZ was constantly adjusting his stance, approach and swing so obviously whatever advice he got from his hitting coaches didn’t help for very long.
Ted Williams was a Red Sox hitting coach? Don’t think so. Sure he gave Yaz advice on hitting now and then, but as far as actually relying on the team’s official batting coach? He didn’t rely on York or Doerr, and by the time Pesky took over it was basically the end of Yaz’s career.
Buck Showalter is getting ready for the Mgr job when Sandy fires Rojas
Buck should be coaching the Mets. Rojas is trash
He brought in E Diaz in a non-save situation which was a blowout an inning earlier. Diaz was not ready to go and strained his back trying to pitch. Without an off day Monday, this qualifies as a bone head move. Bring in Buck!
We all know who is the father of Rojas, for that reason alone he’ll be given ample time to straighten things out before he loses his job security.
First of all, it was a 4 run game, lots of closers pitch in non save situations, second he had plenty of time to get loose. And third, had he brought in familia and he gave up 3, Diaz would have been brought in, and all Mets fans would have complained, why not start Diaz in the 9th.
No reason whatsoever to have brought in Diaz. Agreed
I agree. 23 games into a 162 game season. Let’s pull Smith from a game and trade him the moment he strikes out again. ( I am being sarcastic). Go ahead and jump off the ledge to oblivion after a loss, why don’t you. There is some talent there. OMG. The Mets are only a half game out of first in a division where every team is underachieving. This isn’t football, baseball fans.
Hindsight is 20:20. The cranks and complainers never let facts or consistency get in the way of criticizing every move. They are especially stupid when they criticize managers who make the right moves, the moves that give the most likelihood for success, and it fails. They’d rather see dumb moves that happen to work.
@bob In that 4/22 game at the Cubs,
– Diaz had not pitched for 4 days.
– In what way was he not ready? He wasn’t injured.
– It was a 4 run lead, not a blowout. 4-0.
– Closers often pitch in non-save situations. Diaz has had 8 appearances out of 11 total this season that were in non-save situations. 3 of his last 4 appearances after that game were non-save opportunities. Not many save opportunities as the Mets closer this season.
– Diaz was not injured in that game. He pitched on the 25th, 28th, 1st and 2nd since then. He has appearances in 4 of the next 8 games the Mets played after that game.
Not seeing how bringing him into the game was a boneheaded move. Or are you being sarcastic?
I agree. I don’t mind skipping your closer with a 4-run lead, just to save his arm. But once the guy is warmed up, there is not a lot of difference between a 3-run lead, which you automatically bring in your closer, and a 4-run lead. I think you just bring him in to nail down the win, especially a win where you mounted a good comeback.
I sure hope
Talk about beyond archaic. Why not bring back Bobby Valentine while we’re at it?!!!
Good move by the Mets. When you have the Mets announcers pointing out problems in hitters swings such as Lindor’s rear end flying out, it is time for the hitting coach to go. It sure looked to me that Chili ran the Red Sox and Cubs offenses into the ground.
I felt the same when I heard Keith Hernandez talk about the hot mess that is Lindor at the plate.
Fire the hitting coach. What a joke.
The Farm Director is the new hitting coach? It’s sounds to me that the Mets are really disorganized.
What’s new?
Well, y’know, Chili hasn’t gotten a single hit all season…
Just went to the Mets cards game today, glad to know they were fired directly after my presence
NL Least
I noted this below. None of the teams in the NL East have looked particularly good. Poor defense, bad bullpens, bad baserunning, mental errors, etc. I feel like the Mets-Phillies game from Sunday night summed up the play for the division. The Miami Marlins are the only team with a plus run differential. It would be quite funny if the Marlins ended up winning the division. I certainly don’t expect that. One of the better teams will pull away, but the division has been underwhelming so far.
It is pretty funny considering so many said that this would be the best division in baseball. I knew that wouldn’t be the case considering these last few years, but even I’m shocked of how bad it is right now.
The only real shock is how putrid the Braves have been. The Phillies and Mets have always been offseason darlings only to fall by the wayside. The Nationals won the whole thing in 2019 by peaking at the right time. The Marlins have been bad, but they’re young and improving so they could go either way.
The Braves are usually the best team by combination of competence (2018) and just being good (2019,2020). Everyone on that team just decided to stop hitting or are hurt. They’re probably the best guess to right the ship, but a WC team isn’t coming out of the East this year.
Where’s @metsfan22 your team is awful!!!!!
Lol not it’s not.
Lol, I wouldn’t be bragging about anything. Y’all got a lower W% than the Pirates.
Yeesh. The only good Pirates I know having a good SZN is Tyler Anderson, Bryan Reynolds, and Rich Rod. Mets have Degrom and Stroman and a few bullpen dudes….NL East is quite bad. Im biased but I feel like the Nats doing the best rn
Maybe not awful but bad…..you can trash my Nats but rn the Mets are bad maybe a new hitting coach does the trick
95 to 103 wins.
Better than the Dodgers!
It’s an absolute joke of a division.
Luis Rojas is way over his head
I’d also turn the lights out on the Mets offense.
What took them so long? This crap keeps up and Rojas is history. He is totally in over his head.
Because you can’t fire the players !
About time! Enough of these old-school, “back in my day” players who know nothing about sabermetrics and algorithms! That is the key to success today, and Chili Davis just wasn’t in tune with that.
Boy I can’t wait until the teens and 20-somethings of today get to be 40+ and have the next generation consider them idiots without a clue also. I might be a crazy old grandpa by then, but it’ll still make me chuckle.
I’m in no rush for that to happen as it means I’ll 20+ years older.
I mean, you still have to hit a round ball, with a round bat, squarely. Ain’t a damn metric in the world that can help you with that part.
Algorithms? I hope you know that algorithms existed long before computers.
That’s my response to the folks complaining about the shift. That’s been around forever. it is only in the past 2-3 years that the writers have noticed it. Heck, even when I played softball 50 years ago, everyone on the team shifted. It just wasn’t organized.
It was called the Williams shift against Ted that’s how long its been utilized
Next is rojas.
Over/Under by June 1st
A – Rojas fired
B – Villar does his usual thing prompting Mets fans to want him out (like every team he played for previously)
C – Other Mets fans on MLBTR ask MetsFan22 to stop making predictions
D – All of the above
I don’t see Rojas making it the full season either. Offensively a lineup with Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto, and Jeff McNeil should not be this terrible
McNeil has got to get back to being a contact hitter and shorten his swing!! He has fallen in love with trying to hit for power and thats not his strength clearly
McNeil: last 7 games 364/481/545. Back out a 3 for 20 start, and he’s 271/375/396.
He’s a victim of small sample size.
fingers crossed!!
So is Chili? Lol
you are absolutely right I’m not sure what this love is for just wanting to hit the ball out all the time? what’s wrong with being a slap hitter who sprays the ball everywhere and hits for average. everyone what’s to hit to 30 or more instead of embracing what got them to the league and improve on it and not sell out for power which is exactly what McNeil does. he was his best when he first came up.
i dont so either. feel like hes not watching the same games we are. his use of the bullpen is very bad constantly using Castro, familia, and may like we don’t have other options and they are gonna be overworked fairly fast. as well as his lineup construction and placement of players on the field. Smith is a 1st baseman don’t care how good he hits no business out there. villar can’t throw from 3rd and pillar or almora needs to be in center everyday. nido needs to play more to give mccaan a break because he’s not an everyday player.
I’m not particularly familiar with the overall hitting approach of the Mets, but league wide, April saw the lowest batting average since 1968, fewest runs scored since 1992, and the most strikeouts in history.
Analytics are ruining the game.
You’re blaming analytics for pitchers getting dramatically better than they used to be.
They’re now approqching, to even topping, 100 mph regularly, but learning to throw many fewer FB to highten the impact when they do unleash. What you’re complaining about is the result of that and the shift, not anything hitters are doing really
Pitchers are not dramatically better than they used to be. The game has just been altered to make it appear as such. If anything pitchers don’t actually exist anymore. The men on the mound that just throw it as hard as they can with little control are not pitchers, they are throwers.
I take that back. There are still some great pitchers that have pinpoint control and don’t attempt to beat the radar gun on every pitch. But they are few and far between. Especially in the bullpens.
It’s a nuanced answer. There is more velocity today than at any point because starting pitchers are designed for five-and-fly. That allows them to give max effort. Other pitchers who in the past would be starters are now in the pen, going shorter distance, which allows them to throw harder. It also means almost all of them lack the development required to turn a lineup over three or four times. If we got out our mythical time machine and pulled someone like Tom Seaver forward to today, he’d be able to give max effort all the time because he wouldn’t be expected to throw 8 or 9 innings each time out. He’d also have access to all the technology to refine his spin rates even more and he’d be facing hitters who have no interest in going the opposite way. He’d likely tear apart most of the hitters.. He also would have greater experience at turning over lineups so he’d have the advantages of his generation with the advantages of this generation, but time machines don’t exist, so hitters are safe! I don’t meant this as a knock on most of today’s starters. They work with what they are given. If Seaver came along today, he’d do the same,
Insightful post.. Although I am not usually a conspiracy theorist I just cannot stop wondering if the speed guns haven’t been re-calibrated a bit, Not sure how they could do that universally, but the overall uptick in velocities is just too sudden to be explained even by all the solid arguments you and others present.
@darkstar61
Yes, I am blaming analytics for “pitchers getting dramatically better than they used to be.”
All the available information that we have now like velocity, spin rate, horizontal and vertical movement, tunneling, etc. and the results that correlate directly to that data influence how pitchers train, how they prepare, what grips they use, how hard they throw, what pitch they make in what count, an so-on. (It’s not isolated to pitching; this is also true for every other part of the game like hitting, defense, roster, etc)
The data and its interpretation; (i.e, analytics), is dictating how the game “should be played to maximize wins” and the result is just plain boring. Games today are simply not as fun to watch as they used to be; and yes, analytics is the single most responsible factor.
“Maximizing wins” is the whole point of the game. Always has been, always will be. To act as though this hasn’t always been the case, is just plain silly.
Enjoying the beauty of the sport is actually the whole point of the game.
Not from the owners collective point of view… and like all other businesses, baseball follows the Golden Rule – the guy with the gold makes the rules.
Cam
“Maximizing wins” is the whole point of the game.
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I think it is the casual fans that are more concerned about data than the real fans. If the RS play .600 this year, I couldn’t give a rat’s a$$ how they get there. If Dalbec has an .800 OPS at the bottom of the lineup, it won’t matter to me whether it is with a .200, 200 Ks and 35 HRs, or if it is with a .250 140 Ks and 25 HRs.
I think we are mixing aggregate stats with specific situations. For example, I don’t care if the .300 hitter drives in the winning run or the .200 hitter drives in the winning run. Winning is everything. How do players perform in the moment the game is on the line? If the .200 hitter consistently outperforms the .300 hitter in those moments, simply put, I want him to be the guy who is coming up!
You want the .300 hitter up every time over the .200 hitter. It’s a 30% chance of success vs a 20% chance. The .200 hitter doesn’t magically become better than the .300 hitter due to situation.
Do you have information about the shift defense impact overall?
You haven’t studied probability and statistics. Don’t confuse major league batters with dice. Yes, you bet on a 5 (1-4,2-3,3-2,4-1) over a 4 (1-3,2-2,3-1) because the theoretical probability is higher. Batters are not dice. Their success rates are a complex conditional probability calculation with many factors altering their chance of success. It’s not as simple as rolling the dice.
Cosmo2
You want the .300 hitter up every time over the .200 hitter.
====================================================================
Without context, that is completely wrong. Carew had a 30-point average advantage over Mantle. Would you prefer Carew or Mantle down by one run in the 9th with two outs?
@Cam
Yes, I realize that maximizing wins is the primary purpose of a team; that’s not my point. My point is that modern analytics have determined that the way in which teams maximize their wins has resulted in an increasingly boring sport to watch.
When all is said and done, what ultimately matters is if we, the fans, enjoy the product MLB is selling us. And right now, I, among many, many others, don’t very much.
The analytics have to work on both micro and macro levels. In game situations are the micro level, whole season picture is the macro level. It is a balance or you overuse players, especially pitchers. Sometimes you have to be OK with failure because the smart player learns something from the experience. You would rather have failure due to “just missing” than failure because of physical or mental fatigue.
@saddude I thought you were being sarcastic. Guess not. Look folks, a baseball Luddite.
“Lets go back to the days before video and play the way the game was intended. No more of this using data to get better as an athlete. Just use your natural ability.”
“And for God’s sake, don’t try to maximize wins. Lose more exciting games!! That is what your fans really want.”
@Cosmo2
But but but, I thought batting average is an outdated stat?
Ugh. Just ugh.
Sadler
teams maximize their wins has resulted in an increasingly boring sport to watch.
============================================================
The funny part about this is that the complaint use to be exactly the opposite. That HRs were exciting and that we should change the game to encourage more HRs. Now we have more HRs, and folks are still complaining.
That said, the HR thing is still true. No one in the world would show up to watch me slap the ball to the opposite field. Some folks that weren’t even playing, would stop by to watch our 3B hit shots that Reggie Jackson would admire.
Past that, my only concern is winning. Watching Verdugo drive the ball down the LF line is beautiful. Watching Bogaerts rifle one over the Green Monster is beautiful. And there is no such thing as a dull win.
@Cosmo2
I guess I got you on that one. Didn’t I?
You’re acting as if advanced statistics are something that came around the last few years when in reality, its been over a half decade since teams started to use advanced stats. Branch Rickey was the inventor of OBP and hired a statistician in the 1940’s. Moneyball simply just made it popular.
Mets are 1game under 500 without carrasco lugo and syndergaard out while also hitting the worst they’ll hit all year. And they have played like 23 games. Relax guys. They should pull away with the division soon.
The NL East is starting to look like the NFC East. 82-80 may just be enough to win the division
Dude, compared to you Ted Lasso looks like pessimist
deGrom pitching best of his career, carrying team ERA to #5 in MLB, while offense ranks 29 of 30. Sure, keep thinking Carrasco, Lugo & Thor are exactly what NYM needs unless he really does bring the hammer of the Gods. Is ATL going to keep pitching at a team ERA of 30 of 30 MLB teams when Fried/Soroka come back?
Correct. The overly optimistic commenter seems to think only the Mets will see improvement while ignoring the rest of the teams. Everyone has injuries. Go talk to the White Sox for a reminder!
But those other teams’ players aren’t on the Mets, so they’re trash. Unless they get traded to the Mets, then they’re all-stars.
Right!
Hitting wins games.
Blue Jays are over .500 in a better division with very little from Hernandez, Springer, no Pearson, Yates…
Relax, your Mets aren’t as good as you think.
The Mets are better than the bluejays.. please stop… again it’s been 23 games. The dodgers have lose like 7 out of 10…, wait till the the allstar break and I promise you all the Mets hatter will be gone…
MetsFan22
again it’s been 23 games.
======================================================
And a month ago, it was -0- games, and you were in here every day acting like the Mets didn’t even have to show up to win the WS.
95 to 103 wins
Better than the Dodgers.
The Mets definitely have upside, but you can argue the other teams in the division do too. Also the Braves, Nats and Phillies have had significant injuries to their lineup. Carrasco, Lugo and Thor don’t magically make the Mets start hitting. The Mets will surely improve, but I think it’s fair to say they aren’t the powerhouse so many claimed. They can definitely still win the division, but they aren’t scaring anyone.
I think they are a powerhouse. I don’t think you could judge them by 23 games. The dodgers are 3-7 the last 10 games. The Mets will be fine by the ends of the year.
You’d think they’re a powerhouse even if they lost 100. The Dodgers’ run differential is +45, the Mets’ -12.
95 to 103 wins…better than the Dodgers.
I doubt that any team will pull away soon. Injuries played a huge part of the win-loss record in April.
They going with Donnie?
who the hell is that? I saw that press conference
This is an Alderson Decision…
He’s HOMER HAPPY
Sandy is long in the tooth and needs to step down and retire!!
With first knowledge as I was at the game, I see why they were let go. Most of the fireworks came from Big Meat Pete and a few contributions from others. Some of the others looked like they forgot how to swing a bat or they were swinging wet paper bags.
Who’s hitting and who’s not? Lindor, McCann, Villar, and Almora are the ones not hitting, and they are all new.
@JoeBrady I don’t think it’s as simple as that. McNeil is struggling at the plate, but he always struggles early. Nimmo started red hot, but slumped before the injury. Conforto struggled quite bit out of the gate, but seems to be coming around in the last few series. As a whole, the Mets offense has struggled, but so has the majority of the league.
I’m not sure it is fair to say the Mets offense has struggled. Alonso, Davis and Nimmo have done very well. Conforto has been ‘okay’, and McNeil sub-par, but both have done well over the past two weeks.
The guys that the FO brought in have a .544 OPS.
Are the Mets desperate enough to offer “future value” for anyone on the Cubs roster?
Ahh, yes, the ol’ blame-it-on-the-hitting-coach tactic. When that fails, you fire the manager,
Glad to see the Mets employing George Steinbrennerian ideas from the 1970s that even he abandoned eventually. Bottom line, the Mets have underplayed their potential for several years. Their defense in the OF is bad. The supposedly great NL East division, proclaimed to be the best in the game, along with the Mets, have shown themselves to be mediocre. You can try claiming the NL East was just beating up on each other, but viewing the teams play it’s clear they all are flawed. Playing opponents outside the division? The Mets are now 2-7. They’re not a bad team but they’re also not a good team. They spent $40M on a back-up catcher, and $345M on a good defensive SS whose best hitting days are behind him. Luckily “Uncle” Steve has a lot of cash to burn, because he’s burning it.
I’d like to know how the Mets hitting coaches have ‘changed’ what Lindor and McCann have done in the past?
Lindor has been on a slide for 2 years and McCann had part time success the last 2 years. Remember, after McCann’s breakout year, Chicago even went and acquired a STARTING catcher.
Lindor has been fed a steady diet of up and away fastballs when hitting lefthanded (his weak side).
The entire team, outside of Lindor, has been looking better at the plate the past few games.
Having watched every game, including most of the preseason games, they appear to have made adjustments. Alonso started the season swinging at first pitch sliders but has been laying off them and going the other way.
Conforto started off ice cold but got it going in Philly. McNeil ended 2020 in a slump which lasted all spring and into 2021. He appeared to get homer and pull happy. He isn’t hitting any gap line drives and only started getting some 2 strike hits the last few games.
Are you going to blame Davis for Nimmo’s hot start and JD Davis’ torrid early run? How about the recent stretch of Alonso’s multihit games? The whole team seemed to get ‘iced’ right out of the block when the season didn’t start as scheduled (Nationals/Covid) and then had days off every couple of games due to rain and travel.
The bottom line is that hitting sucks all across baseball and umpires are calling 15-20 balls as strikes per game, most off the plate outside. Pitchers are throwing more fastballs up in the zone and hitters need to adjust to both pitchers and umpires.
The point is also the Chili is, in the eyes of the Mets, incapable of fixing those preexisting problems. Lindor’s hard hit metrics have been trending down, sure, but this year his swing is a hot mess and I don’t see any evidence Chili Davis is doing anything about it.
At this point I think Chili might be welcomed at the airport by Detroit Tigers fans if he were to replace Coolbaugh. The only thing opposing pitchers are afraid of when facing Tiger hitters is getting sand kicked up in their face from the sudden and intense gusts of wind kicking up at the plate as Tiger hitters swing widely at pitches in the dirt
At least in the Tigers case, they are a rebuilding team and they don’t have hitters expected to lead the league. The Mets were crowing about how great their offense was.
I have to call you on that. The Tigers are a team that has not had any plan of even putting forth a team, just take advantage of Tiger fans as they are taken for granted like the MLB monopoly treats most of it’s fans….for YEARS.
A rebuilding team, would have hired someone of value to trade and provide at least an iota of entertainment. There has been no investment in the teams’ future.
Rebuild is an excuse.
deGrom will also serve as hitting coach on the days he doesn’t pitch.
Fire everyone. Hire whoever. At some point, the hitters are gonna have to put the bat on the ball.
Long overdue.
Mets won’t turn it on until the second half of the season, which may be enough to win the division.
Meanwhile…back in Detroit…. isn’t it AMAZING?
HOW CAN A TEAM HAVE ONLY ONE HITTER BATTING OVER .218?
How is that even possible?
Fans s/b feeling pretty disrespected…..
Move over NY.
It’s the AMAZING TIGERS!
James McCann’s career ops is under .700 so why is anyone surprised he’s not hitting he never really has.
This is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic and a knee jerk reaction to the Lindor failure and Arenado bomb who should have been traded for as 3B was the need not SS. The fish rots from the head and Cohen erred badly in bringing Sandy and Luis Rojas back. Fire them next! I smell Panic City. LOl Mets
So … Chili today, Sandy tamale?
Sandy is a huge fraud Hans Christian Alderson’s The Emperor’s New Clothes. He calls himself the Maverick which is his book title which he ripped off from Bill Veeck who was the true Maverick.
I knew Bill Veeck and his Family and Sandy is no Bill Veeck. I take umbrage at this.
Hopefully Rojas is next
Rojas is THE problem with this team. The mediocrity will continue until he’s gone.
Sandy Alderson is the real problem with the Mets and that is obvious. He exudes Wilpon failure combined with plain bad baseball ideas that are outdated and wrong. He’s no Frank Cashen and not a forward thinking leader which is what is needed.
This is one of the things I like about the Mets. They’re entertaining whether they win or lose. That said, we have no idea what transpired behind the scenes with Chili Davis. However, this does seem like a “do something” move. And one wonders if it wasn’t ordered by Cohen. The best thing about the Mets continues to be Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling and the team colors.
Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling were ’86 Mets so they are the creme de la creme along with the ’69 & ’73 Mets. It’s been all downhill since. Fortunately I enjoyed those 2 Championships.
I like the Mets’ broadcasts as well and I’m not even a fan of the Mets.
So far chili davis has been fired as the mets, cubs and red sox hitting coach, Im no brain surgeon but maybe teams should stop giving him that position.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
Panic move. That’s what happens when you have an owner who listens to the nitwits on Metzmerized (which has without question the dumbest comments section among MLB team blogs). This is the same Steve Cohen who signed off on a crapload of off-season moves.
You can say that again
And again
Boomers trying to learn the internet.
I think what he’s trying to say is it’s a panic move.
Are you sure? I don’t think he meant it.
Hey, how are your dodgers doing????
Dodgers 17-13
Mutts 11-12
Any other questions?
Patience must not be a virtue appreciated with the Mutts. Their solution to a problem has always been to fire someone. Players got hurt so they fired the training staff.
Frankly, didn’t think the hitting has been all that bad considering they played a lot of early games in cold weather and vs. a number of good pitchers.
NL East is up for grabs this year. Wouldn’t be shocked if the top dog is barely above .500 at the all-star break. It’s, a win-a-few-lose-a-few and just stay close division.
Agree Lou but all these games they are losing now will cost in “a win-a-few-lose-a-few and just stay close division”
So Patience can cost you the division by your own words.
This move his a warning to Rojas. Cohen about to clean out the last of Brodie’s boys. Surprisingly, Mets 3B coach is till hanging on too. DiScarcina originally was Callaways bench coach.
DiSarcina is actually a Terry Collins guy from their Angels days. He was the one Player who sort of had Terry’s back after the team mutinied and they fired Collins as Manager who was replaced in season with current manager Joe Maddon.
How many guys have been thrown out at home this year? Change is coming all around. I liked Davis and thought he had mentored the young players very well and kept them positive. I blame the new players for this one, not the ones Davis had worked with the past 3 years.
Zack Scott worked with Chili in BOS. This change was going to happen – it was only a matter of time.
Incidentally, the two replacements have been parked at “the alternative site” this entire time. Now that the “alternative site” is no more – minor league season begins TODAY, they make their move.
Howard (new hitting coach) is an analytics guy, Hefner is an analytics guy, Rojas was the analytics guy when Callaway was manager. This is likely the only change happening in-season.
As an engineer and a long time baseball and Mets fan analytics have their place but so does common sense. Guys have a great spin and ground ball rate but their ERA in the MLB for 5 years is over 6 so lets run him out there. I am tired of all this analytics stuff.
If Arenado doesn’t get a fourth strike he never hits that HR, Mets win 5-2, and Davis and Slater are employed for at least one more day.
They should have fired Rojas too and brought back Beltran. if Cora can get his job back, no reason Beltran shouldn’t too. Great baseball mind, would be a great presence for Lindor too. Clearly, Rojas is way over his head with this job. He’s absolutely horrendous in game manager.
They just had to fire their GM. They are said to have had a toxic workplace. They can’t hire Beltran back, simply because they have to play if safe for a while. Anyone they hire will be vetted pretty hardcore. Meanwhile, I think it’s hilarious that we’re even talking about a manager change, considering all I heard from Mets fans was how you might as well give them the championship before the season began. Can’t pitch deGrom everyday and Lindor has been declining, and that 300 million just started (Lol). In classic Mets form, this thing will go off the rails again, and we’ll all have another laugh.
They certainly can’t afford MORE strikeouts so I don’t see an approach like most teams working.
Chili Davis belongs on the Halo staff with Joe Maddon & Co. Used to love watching him hit at the Big A!!
The guys bringing down the stats are Lindor, McCann, Villar & Almora. Those are all new guys. I’m an agnostic on Davis, but this feels a little blaming the hitting coach for some poor acquisitions.
And can anyone tell me why Almora is on the team? Pillar is okay as a backup CF. Do they really need a backup to the backup CF? He has 10 ABs after 23 games and is 0-6 as a pinchhitter. If his primary value is a PH, and he has very little hitting ability, why is he on the team?
I was okay with the NYMs signing him as a backup CF. And I was okay with signing Pillar as a backup CF. But you absolutely cannot have two backup CFs if one is a weak hitter and one is a bad hitter. Either get a real hitter as a true #4 OF, or use the roster spot for another RP.
At least they have the balls to fire someone. The Dodgers don’t fire anyone, because they don’t want any hurt feelers……..
And here I thought it might have something to do with them being the most successful franchise in baseball.
Most hitters today are basically un-coachable. They don’t like making adjustments that would take away from their HR totals. Situational hitting, moving runners over, hitting against the shift, are all things today’s players want no part of. The hitting coach always gets the blame for player’s struggling.
Chili will end up in Cincinnati where they will put him on spaghetti.
Now this is the kind of comment I come here for.
Running a marathon while farting like a champion.
I love my Mets, but they are most definitely flawed. The offense has been for the most part pathetic, they have no outfield defense to speak of, and as long as they keep running Familia and Diaz out in late inning situations they will keep undoing what the starting rotation has accomplished.
Could this team win the division? Certainly. Could it finish last (again)? Absolutely. Nothing is ever certain in baseball; that’s why they play the games. You just never know. This season so far just goes to show why winning the offseason really doesn’t mean a thing. What matters much more is how the team comes together and plays ball. Outside of deGrom and Nimmo there hasn’t really been anything to impress me so far.
They’re only 23 games in. I think it’s way too early to say that they could be a last place team. Firing the hitting coaches at this point is a good thing since there is a sense of urgency which hopefully lights a fire underneath the offense.
As a long time Mets fan who loves Jacob deGrom I think the Mets need to make a bold decision.
Extending Lindor was a big mistake; I and many others said it on this site.
The Mets need to hit the reset button; Trade deGrom and package Lindor and a good chunk of his salary for some young talent. At least deGrom will have runs scored for him as the Mets will never make the playoffs as pointed out above by 5decadeorange&blue who’s reasons I agree with.
Like him I have been a Mets fan for 5 decades.
That would be, imo, an awful, awful move. Then NYMs easily have enough talent to make the playoffs.
Well Joe, easily? Lets just see that’s the fun part.
I say not easily to even make a wild card spot and will not advance beyond that if they do.
Secondly Mets brand? What brand? Dysfunctional? Bad Management?
You don’t have to do a full tear-down because there will be enough talent left to be competitive while you rebuild at the same time and guys like Alonso and Smith will still be young enough.
If you don’t what’s your rotation next year?
Thor and Stroman will be gone
Carrasco injury history
Walker is a stop gap
Peterson is an OK 4 or 5
Bullpen still sucks…
Fortune Favors the Bold!
So where is this great talent? Certainly can’t compete with Dodgers, Padres, Braves, Cardinals and that’s just the NL
Canosucks
So where is this great talent?
=============================================
DeGrom, Alonso, and Lindor are all AS-level players
McNeil, Davis, Smith, Conforto, Nimmo, Stroman, and Walker are all well above average players.
That should be a well above .500 team. And if they get into the playoffs, I would match DeGrom, Stroman, and Syndergaard up against almost any 3-man rotation.
There are times to quit and rebuild, but this team has too much talent to do so. And imo, it is not close.
That is just silly trading Lindor (while eating salary) and deGrom at this juncture. If you go that route, you might as well move everyone and go into full teardown/rebuild mode and destroy the Mets’ brand.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia says it shouldn’t be a problem
Can you say scapegoat?
Sounds like Cohen is trying to be the new Steinbrenner.
I would like to see Buck take over this club. After what almost happened on Sunday pinch hitting a pitcher for a pitcher then asking him to bunt Was May to tired throwing 10 pitches that he could not bunt.
This is the move you question?
First reason: Walker probably has probably more at bats this season than all full time relievers in MLB.right now. Not Starters that converted over to relievers.
Second Reason: Mays career batting is 3AB 3SO in 2015 when he was a starter for the Twins. Also im willing to bet that May hasnt picked up a bat since becoming a full time reliever.
Third Reason: Outside of for jokes, how many relievers do you see even take batting practice? Bunting is not the easiest thing.
Fourth Reason: 9th inning is coming up and for whatever reason majority of coaches in not all with anything short of a blow out dont have their setup man carry their 8th into the 9th inning, but choose to bring in their closer. Personally with a 4 run lead i would have had Familia out there as Diaz got in work the day before and was not needed which is a whole other question..
Should i keep going on why you replace may for a pitcher pinch hitter?
With all of this bickering going on I think we’re missing the most pertinent question here: will the name “Quattlebaum” fit on the back of his uniform?
How many pitchers has Quattlebaum ever faced? (Facepalm)
Squattlebaum.
What happened to all the people saying the NL East had like 6 playoff teams in it?
Meanwhile everyone out in California knows that the Padres and Dodgers are the only teams that matter in the NL.
Maybe the tigers should hire them they can’t do worse than they already are
Alonso’s Donnie Stevenson nonsense was so funny he got chili Davis fired. What a fool.
When will mlb retract this franchise. Joke to mlb
Everything has changed now that Steve Cohen owns the team.
Why are you bringing up the Marlins?
Did Steve Cohen tell his staff, ”I want a new hitting coach, hitting coach, hitting coach. Chiiiiiii-l-iiiiiiii’s no longer hitting coach. Chili can’t be the hitting coach.”
So let me understand this:
Mets fire the long time switch hitting major leaguer who can relate to players from both sides of the plate. He has also mentored McNeil, Alonso, Conforto, Davis, Nimmo and Smith for three years.
McNeil competes for batting titles but got home run and pull happy. That’s why teams shift against him now.
Alonso has lead the MAJORS in homeruns since he arrived and is constantly making adjustments to get out of funks.
Smith hit .388 against curveballs last season and became one of the toughest outs in 2020.
Davis raked two years ago, dropped off last year (as many did), but had rebounded to only hit .400 this year.
Nimmo is developing into an on base freak while LEARNING to be a run producer. He’s only in the top 10 in about 4 categories this year.
Comforto has gotten better each of the past 3 years and was breaking out last week.
So who do we bring in? A guy who spent 4 years struggling in A ball who retired at age 25 because he couldn’t hit pitchers in A ball.
He’s also the guy who has been the hitting instructor for the MARINERS the past three years. Someone please go look up all the success those home grown hitters have had since 2018 and then compare them to the homegrown success of Mets hitters. Please tell me what Seattle hitter has improved since 2019?
I think they have one guy capable of hitting over .250 and no young player is doing ANYTHING all star worthy.
I hate this move. Bringing in new philosophies and tinkering with stances and hands is going to have a catastrophically bad effect if guys are thinking in the box instead of reacting.
Oh and just for the record, the Mariners, his old team, were NO HIT today.
IT’S AMAZING! How can a team have only batter over .218 at the time of this article? How is that even possible?
Move over NY!
It’s the AMAZING TIGERS!