The Mets are planning to hire Eric Chávez as their next hitting coach, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (on Twitter). The 44-year-old had been slated to join the Yankees staff as an assistant hitting coach, but he’ll instead land the lead position across town.
Chávez is best known for his lengthy, highly successful run in the big leagues as a player. A left-handed hitting third baseman, he broke into the majors with the A’s late in the 1998 campaign and settled in as a regular the following season. Chávez spent more than a decade in Oakland, emerging as one of the game’s best third basemen by 2000.
He posted above-average offensive numbers each season from 2000-07 and was among the league’s best glovemen at the hot corner for much of his prime. Chávez claimed six consecutive Gold Glove awards between 2001-06, and he also earned a Silver Slugger thanks to a .275/.348/.513 showing in 2002. He picked up down ballot MVP support in each of the four seasons between 2002-05.
Chávez’s numbers tailed off by the end of his time in Oakland, but he enjoyed a few productive seasons as a part-time player with the Yankees and Diamondbacks to end his career. He retired from playing in July 2014 and spent a little more than a year as a special assignment scout with the Yankees. Over the 2015-16 offseason, Chávez made the jump to the Angels front office. For much of that time, he worked as a special assistant to then-Angels general manager Billy Eppler. Now the Mets GM, Eppler presumably had a key role in bringing Chávez to Queens.
It’ll be the Southern California native’s first MLB coaching job, save for his two-week tenure with the Yankees. Chávez also spent some time managing in the Angels farm system during his time with Anaheim and has been mentioned as a possible managerial candidate with the Angels and Rangers in years past. He joins pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and base coaches Wayne Kirby (first) and Joey Cora (third) on Buck Showalter’s first Mets staff.
Wise decision for Chavez to take the primary coaching gig. Mets pull a fast one on the Yanks.
Not really a fast one, considering they had to ask permission, and Yankees allowed it. They didn’t stand in the way of Chavez getting a promotion. I don’t want to go so far as calling it a classy move, but good for them for not standing in the way of his career, when they could have.
They almost always allow for a promotion, lots of guys go from being hitting coach to bench coach, etc.
Lol stop! Every team allows to upgrade. Or at least should. It’s a unwritten rule. Nothing classy about this.
Evidently all the Mets had to do is hire Buck for manager now everyone wants to play for the Mets.
Yes. Remember last year when Lindor, Baez and McCann didn’t agree to play for the Mets?
Well Baez didn’t have a choice.
Baez didn’t have a say in the matter.
Deesha
@DeeshaThosar
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2h
To clear the air: Mets were considering Eric Chavez to become their bench coach before deciding he’s a better fit as hitting coach, per sources. The team now intends to name a younger, analytics-driven individual as its bench coach
WAR. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again….
No analytically-driven coach or executive at the MLB level is using WAR to make any decisions.
WAR is a useful stat but you’re probably correct, at a professional level they have their own stats. WAR is largely for fans.
So according to this article Showalter is not allowed to pick his staff of coaches? Eppler put Showalter in a choke hold and forced him to hire Chávez smh
What article?
How do you leap to this conclusion?
I’m thinking you’re a little lost. Kirby worked with Buck for 9 years. He has say in it. Chavez is well regarded in the MLB. Buck knows that. Calm down
I’m not sure where you’re getting this from as the only mention of who may have been the most instrumental in hiring Chavez is speculative:
“Now the Mets GM, Eppler presumably had a key role in bringing Chávez to Queens.”
…and this makes it sound like Eppler was not the main person making the decision.
bvb
You read something entirely different than I read….
Surprised he took the Yankees job while negotiating on the position with the Mets, as that kind of sets the Yankees back. They’ll need to go back to the other candidates, who now know they were the second choice. Usually, you’d let the team know you’re very interested, but that you’re in play for a lead hitting coach position and not sign until that was cleared.
I do remember reading an article talking specifically about this type of situation, referring to the Mets having problems finding a manager. The issue was once they hired a manager, the Mets wold then seek permission to hire coaches from other teams when they had already set their rosters. Doing it so late in the process is frowned upon.
Regardless, a minor issue. Chavez always seemed like a sharp player, so I’m sure he’ll be a good coach.
I suspect this came together very quickly. The Mets weren’t sourcing hitting coaches until they hired their manager. Buck was hired. Chavez then signed on with the Yankees. Showalter decided he’d be a great lead coach, so they approached the Yankees to talk to him. The Yankees could have refused, but they weren’t going to hold him back. They won’t have an issue finding another assistant hitting coach.
It is possible, however, that Chavez would have been better off within the Yankees hitting model that was quite successful in the minors. He certainly knows the MLB hitting side, but he would have had the opportunity to immerse himself in the hitting analytics side, which he could then take to his next team. That’s the model more teams are now embracing. With the Mets, he’ll serve more as an old-school hitting coach.
On the other hand, we really don’t know to what degree Chavez is or isn’t acquainted with hitting analytics, are we?
Dang it — meant “do we?”
He was the 3rd baseman for the Oakland A’s during the moneyball era. He doesn’t know hitting analytics?
I do think this speaks volumes about how the Yankees FO attempts to support & grow their internal talent. Granted, he (Chavez) was not yet internal, and they should have little trouble filling his role, but the Yanks also gave permission for their Asst. GMs to interview for the Mets GM position when that was open, but the Asst. GMs turned down the opportunity.
Not many organizations are that supportive in promoting their trained, skilled employees to advance to other organizations.
If only we could get back to be the same Yankees with acquiring baseball players…… and a manager.
Mets strikeouts boutta skyrocket.
Why? Chavez owned a career 17.3% K rate.
Which would be excellent in today’s game considering league average is now 21%.
If I had to guess, he’s talking about the interview he did after he officially signed with the Yankees as assistant hitting coach. He said that he didn’t care at all for batting average, and thought it was a useless measurement(something along those lines).
Most people who pay any attention to saber metrics agree with that statement.
Stick with Buck
I assume this was the “headline-stealing” hire referenced in other articles?
Seems so, although it falls well short of “headline stealing.” In fairness, there is no news right now, so the bar for stealing a headline is quite low!
@LordD99 This is a good point. Mets are stealing all the headlines right now.
That hire was supposed to be for the bench coach
No that was for bench coach
How do Mets sign a coach under contract with another team??
It’s viewed as a promotion as he’s moving from assistant hitting coach to lead hitting coach. These types of moves aren’t allowed during the season, but they are during the offseason.
Per Jon Heyman, Yankees granted permission to the Mets to speak with Chavez:
https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1479100244948238344
Teams generally allow coaches under contract to take positions with other teams if the new position is a promotion. To not do so would be a very a-hole move.
I’m sure it’s a clause that most coach’s or GM’s have in their contract.
Chavez is “Moving on Up” from the Bronx to Flushing, Queens LOL.
I like this move from the D & 4 Trains to the # 7 Line.
Chavez became a Yankee Hero near the end of his career.
I remember he pinch hit for Arod in a Postseason Game and of course hit the huge Home Run. On second thought it was Ibanez but they both pinch hit for Arod.
I like this hiring, it is very stylish
Best player I ever played against in High school, will be an asset
Bummer. I was looking forward to seeing Chavez back with the NYY organization.
Can I both wish him well and hope the Mets don’t get a base hit all year?
You can’t base a former player’s results on their coaching style. But Chavez is a curious case, indeed. He suffered from social anxiety early in his career and often skipped batting practice late in his Oakland career (possibly due to injury or getting treatment – who knows). But Chavez wasn’t known as a very good communicator or able to make adjustments so we’ll see how this plays out.
He’s the batting coach, not the press secretary.
Greinke has the same disorder and pitched on a (cheating) WS-winning team. He pitches on some of the biggest stages in MLB. Anxiety disorders are strange, they impact people in a variety of ways for seemingly no discernible reason at all; but I doubt it will impact his communication where he’s most comfortable (with other ball players). Plus, I’m sure there is medication to treat such a condition that he can take as a coach.
Nothing interesting here. He was league average as a hitter at best. .261 avg. with 20%K rate, and about 16-17 HR per season. Nothing stands out here.
Why do fans think hitting coaches can be judged on their actual hitting stats? Doesn’t work that way, it never has, and why the heck would it?
Why should a player take instruction from someone whose past results generates nothing more than league average? Would you want your kid to take driving lessons from someone e who wrecks their car every couple of years?
Do you honestly think batting works that way? Just look at who have traditionally been batting coaches; very often not good hitters. Batting is a matter of physical talent, coaching is personality and knowledge. You’re really comparing hitting to driving? One is a rare talent filled with nuances, the other is so basic is barely even a skill. Is the ability to hit a ball successfully the same as the ability to explain how to do it? They’re not remotely close. You are way off base on this…. One thing is rare physical talent, the other is the ability to explain the mechanics to maximize that talent. The two have very little to do with each other.
Somehow, I don’t think the average driver wrecks a car every other year. And, I think the bar is a little higher for major league hitter versus driving instructor.
Greatness at an activity and excellence at teaching that activity are not particularly correlated. Doesn’t mean it never happens, just that the relationship is rather weak.
You’re on mute!
Wait… you’re muting someone over this? Ok.
@ BirdieMan
Eric Chaves had a lifetime 115-OPS+ like Xander Bogaerts and Nick Castellanos and 1 point behind guys like Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte. Damion Easley is a hitting coach with a lifetime OPS+ of 92.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/List_of_current_Major_League_Baseball_coaching_staffs
Take a look at this list of current mlb hitting coaches. You might be surprised to learn that almost none of them have any actual mlb hitting experience…just minor league and foreign league experience.
It’s the same theory in golf, which is another sport where an immense level of precision and timing is required… the best coaches are good players, but nowhere near star level… coaching is a skill set all on its own, and just requires a strong working knowledge, not an elite level of expertise, of what’s being coached
Some of the best coaches in the history of the game were mediocre players or even not players at all. Those that can’t do teach.
Good point, BirdieMan, sort of. When “star” players try to coach sometimes it comes out as, “just do this…” The reality is not every can do it like that – which is why they were a star. It takes other skills like communication and empathy to be a good coach/instructor.
@BirdieMan
If you’re going to post stats, you should at least post them accurately.
His K rate was 17.3%, not 20%. His average was .268, not .261. His 162-game average of home runs was 26, not 16-17.
His career 115 OPS+ is 15 points above the norm, so he was not “league average as a hitter at best.”
Nothing you posted was true.
Welcome to the 21st century, where people post lies in public forums and assume nobody will call them out on it. And if you do call them out, they “win” the argument by blocking you.
You are correct on the batting average, I was wrong. He struck out 1079 times in 5518 at bats, for an average of 19.5%. His 162 game average is irrelevant, because he didn’t play 162 games. He hit 260 homers over parts of 17 seasons, an average of just under 16 per season. Maybe not as bad as I thought, but possibly not as good as you’re making him out to be.
Shut up
It’s bad enough to post erroneous stats. To double down on them is worse. Nothing you posted was true.
Birdieman, Bro, you’re a mess. His career k% rate is 17.3% … he was a good hitter and one a silver slugger. Don’t be a hater because you don’t know baseball. Like at all. Move on, ClownieMan
Chavez has the same career OPS+ as Hall of Famers Gary Carter, Derek Jeter and Robin Yount.
….Bench Coach should be next….and they say a “headline stealing” person……3 people come to mind, Alex Rodriguez, because everything he does becomes a headline…..Chipper Jones….it would be the headline stealer of all headline stealers if Chipper Jones was in the Mets dugout LOL…..or David Wright, Captain America himself…..
David Wright would be an awesome presence in that clubhouse, but I’m going with Bobby Valentine.
BirdieMan is a shill clown. That is all.
With 6 consecutive GG, wouldn’t he be better served as an infield coach? Not to take away from the SS he’s also earned.
Seems like that would be the case, but maybe he has more of an inclination toward instructing on hitting where he was much more gifted at fielding. Sometimes the things we are most talented at it is difficult to train because others don’t have that innate talent. Just postulating, who knows? Maybe it pays more?
He may still instruct the infielders, especially in spring training. But what is concerning to me is, once again, zero hitting coach experience. Fingers crossed.
Turning to the enemy (1973)? I guess I’ll give the Mets a tiny bit of credit for at least trying a new strategy…
Fun fact: There have been two three-peats during the Divisional Era and the Mets are the only team to be a victim of both.
1972-1974 A’s: Defeated Reds, Mets and Dodgers
1998-2000 Yankees: Defeated Padres, Braves and Mets
Yes! Hire a hitter who would consistently swing at balls over his head and bat around .220 all year until the final month of the season when he’d hit like .600 and finish .260
Interesting story. Are you talking about Chavez? Here are his career splits:
March/April: .250
May: .257
June: .267
July: .270
August: .299
September: .265
Given the Mets horrible run of injuries the past few years there is a chance Chavez is the starting 3B by mid-june
Pretty shrewd of Cohen, making Hal an offer he couldn’t refuse — $10 and a new pair of Top-Sider boat shoes.
He’s never been a hitting coach anywhere. I’m sure everything will work out fine.