The Mets officially announced their coaching staff for the upcoming season, which included a few new faces in the mix. Hensley Meulens will be the bench coach, confirming previous reports that Meulens was the favorite for the job. Jeremy Hefner’s role as the new pitching coach was made official after news broke of his hiring two weeks ago, while Tony DeFrancesco will join the staff as first base coach.
Meulens has spent the last two seasons as the Giants bench coach, and the previous eight years as the club’s hitting coach. That long stint in San Francisco included a brief period working with Mets manager Carlos Beltran, who played for the Giants over the last two months of the 2011 season. The 52-year-old Meulens has long been considered as a potential manager himself, and was seen as a potential heir apparent to Bruce Bochy, though Meulens wasn’t hired after being interviewed by the Giants this fall. Meulens also reportedly came close to joining the Marlins’ coaching staff this offseason, though he will now work in New York for the second time in his professional career — Meulens’ first five seasons as a player were spent with the Yankees from 1989-1993.
DeFrancesco has managed the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate for the last two seasons, and also interviewed for the big league managerial job before Beltran was hired. DeFrancesco has spent the majority of his 28 seasons as a coach and manager at the minor league level, though he also worked as the Athletics’ third base coach in 2008 and briefly served as the Astros’ interim manager in 2012.
Beyond the new hires and Jeremy Accardo’s promotion from pitching strategist to assistant pitching coach, the rest of New York’s staff will return to their roles from the 2019 season. The returning group includes hitting coach Chili Davis, assistant hitting coach Tom Slater, third base coach Gary DiSarcina, quality control coach Luis Rojas, and bullpen coach Ricky Bones.
You’re talking 3 pretty highly regarded baseball guys; DiSarcina, Muelens and DeFrancesco. Seems like some high quality choices.
Bob, I agree with your statement but the lack of managerial experience in that dugout has to be concerning for Mets fans. Beltran is a savvy guy but it seems these rookie managers aren’t always ideal for teams in win now mode. Cora was the exception.
I wouldn’t put the Mets in win-now mode. It’s more of well… let’s try to win now, maybe. That has more to do with the Wilpons refusing to spend.
That is the silliest comment in a site full of them
Its 100% accurate, if they ponied up the money to fill the actual holes on the roster they could be win-now.. but just like last season they just want enough relevance to put people in the sits and make it look like they care about winning.
Boone has worked out pretty well.
Let’s not forget muellens coached the Netherlands team in wbc! And has been under Bochy for the last however many seasons soaking up experience.
I’m genuinely confused as to why Meulens, who had less than 600PA in MLB with a .lifetime .200 BA and minus WAR could be a hitting coach for eight seasons.
You must confuse easily.
Really great logical response, but alas, I suppose it’s the best you can do.
Eh that’s the case for a lot of successful coaches. You dont necessarily need to be a great hitter or great pitcher to be a good coach. What Meulens does bring is a wealth of experience as the right hand man to one of the best managers of our generation in Bochy. He’s also bi-lingual and has the experience of having played overseas in Japan. He’s got a great reputation in Major League Baseball, hence the reason he was so sought after and had the amount of managerial interviews that he did.
Was he a good hitting coach though? The Giants were pretty bad offensively for pretty much his whole tenure.
He’s actually quint-lingual. Speaks 5 languages!
Those who can’t coach!
And some of the most successful managers in history were very mediocre players, back up catchers, reserve middle infielders, etc.
Managers are entirely different – most are catchers who know pitching and are the only player on the field who has the entire game in front of him.
I have two words for you: Charlie Lau.
Lau originated a groundbreaking, radical philosophy of hitting – I’m not aware of Meulens doing anything even similar to Lau. MLB has the occasional groundbreaker, but the rest are hired on the basis of cronyism.
Yeah. I really like these guys. I do worry a little bit about team chemistry after so many changes. The Mets were really hot in the 2nd half of 2019.
@VonPurpleHayes ….I’m assuming you’re a Met’s fan, first of all, but I really wouldn’t worry too much.
In regards to team chemistry, I think Beltran is the perfect leader for these guys. He had ample time, after his first few seasons, to learn various team building techniques under quality leaders and motivators like Tony Pena, Phil Garner, Willie Randolph, Jerry Manuel, Bruce Bochy, Mike Matheny, Joe Girardi, Jeff Bannister, and AJ Hinch..
That is an extremely versatile group of coaches, just about covering the entire spectrum. Beltran learned from the strict and older school guys, to some new-age, player friendly managers. Needless to say Beltran has been around the block, and I believe that experience will serve him extremely well as a coach.
Beltran has also spent the last year as a special assistant to Brian Cashman in New York. He spent this past season preparing for his coaching future, staying around the game, and broadening his knowledge of how a great front office and coaching staff is ran. Boone works extremely well with his collective staff, and he delegates alot of responsibilities to his assistants. Then, collectively, he takes everything into consideration, and makes the final calls. That’s how a manager can and will stay successful, and Beltran has witnessed this first hand.
Another fact that will serve Beltran well is how he played pretty late into his career. Ultimately, he ended up spending his last few seasons as a player/coach helping his fellow teammates and working with younger players serving as an excellent mentor. He already has experience helping guide players that are 10-15 years younger than him, and dealing with this younger group of players that don’t always follow the supposed unwritten rules of baseball, the new “millennials.”
Add in the fact that he was handpicked by their GM as being “his guy,” and Beltran is perfect for this job. The players respect him, he has always been a great teammate, and he has always been a student of the game, consistently absorbing as much knowledge as he could.
With one heck of a staff assembled, the Mets are in EXCELLENT HANDS!! Beltran, Meulens, Chili, and Hefner can be the next coaching staff that gets the Mets to the playoffs. Now, it is just up to Brodie VW to surround Beltran and his staff with enough talent to get the job done..However, in regards to free agents, hiring Beltran can only help NY attract guys, guys will definitely want to play for him..
Again, I definitely wouldn’t worry as a Met’s fan, but as a fan of the Braves, it does worry me a bit…lol
Really well written.
But the Marlins
Marlins allowed him to pursue the Mets job because it was a pension position, while the Marlins couldn’t offer him that.
Correction: The Marlins WOULDN’T off him that.
What does George Miller do all afternoon? Eve of the Winter Meetungs and no articles for four hours.
Have you ever seen a buffet spread and open bar at a billionaires’ party?
I think Beltran is surrounded by a pretty solid staff overall. I like the Meulens and Hefner hires, and retaining Davis was also a good move.
Yes, all excellent moves by BVW, he has assembled one heck of a staff..As a Braves fan, it has me a little worried, Beltran, Meulens, Chili, and Hefner will definitely be a force for NY. It is one of the best assembled 1st year staffs I have seen in a good bit of time..It reminds me of a younger, superior version to the Braves staff of Snitker, Weiss, Kranitz, and Seitzer. Although, the Braves also have defensive guru Ron Washington on their side, but there is only one Ron Washington, so you cannot fault the Mets staff for that..lol
Yes, there is a big difference in experience, but the Mets staff should work out alot like how the Braves staff works. Snitker and Beltran oversee all decisions, while maintaining & commanding their players respect, and having their players give their absolute all for them.
Weiss and Meulens both act as the smart and savvy #2’s helping inform their manager on all in-game decisions. Both should be just as important as Beltran and Snitker themselves, and will act as the driving force behind their success…
Seitzer and Chili are just two versatile and awesome hitting coaches which players love to work with and swear by..Both help their managers with match-ups, and in-game hitting substitutions..
Then, finally, you have Kranitz and Hefner which are both masters of utilizing sequencing, altering pitch percentages to maximize their pitcher’s arsenals, making seemingly minuscule mechanical adjustments that help their pitchers maintain a higher level of consistency, and both seem to help get the most out of their pitchers by making adjustments not only during the off-season, but their pitchers trust them enough to make adjustments mid-season as well. Hefner tremendously helped alot of the Twins pitchers that came through there, the same way Kranitz has for Atlanta. Now though, Hefner will have the lead, be more empowered, and that should only help Hefner and the Mets pitching staff reach new levels of success..
I still don’t understand why a position coach on a mediocre team with poor hitting has generated so much offseason hype. Glad the Meulens watch is over.
Those who can’t do teach. Meulens can’t be blamed for the Giants ineptitude with the bat
Those who can’t teach repeat tired, stupid jokes about people who can.
Anyone else remember him a Bam Bam Muelens, former Yankees super prospect.
I couldn’t hit for beans, so I was a pitcher for 8 years in a men’s summer league. One of my teammates who was in his College and High School County Hall of Fame used to ask for my hitting advice because I was a good observer. You see a lot coaching first base and I was often asked for feedback from other players. Those who can teach, do.
Moreno fell in live with CJ WILSON, ALbert Pujols and JOsh Hamilton after watching them on TV playing in the 2011 World Series.. So, he went and way overpaid for them. This Year, Moreno fell head over heels for Cole. Based on that, look for Arturo to make a splash.
I’m glad that Bam Bam got a bench coach job. Many of us in SF, if not a great majority – myself included – wish him the very best!!
Well now, that’s the best news out of the Mets’ camp in quite some time.
I do like the fact that the Mets rewarded their longtime AAA manager with a chance at the top level. He knows the players that have come up through the system and should give Beltran valuable input. Not thrilled with bringing in a very inexperienced pitching coach, especially from outside. Meulens seems to be very highly respected, so willing to give him some time. Mets now at least have a couple of fall back options if Beltran can’t handle it.
I have little doubt you will quickly change your tune about Hefner, the Mets are truly lucky to have him. It will not be long before he likely ends up as a manager, so enjoy him while you have him, but he is truly an up and coming coaching stud. The Mets, and their pitching staff will GREATLY benefit from Hefner..
I wish the Mets would have hired Meulens 10 years ago !!!!!!