Braintrust

[Guest AG/DC]

Name that staff.

Position	2008 Guy	2009 Prediction	2009 Preference
Manager	Jerry Manuel	Jerry Manuel
Bench Coach	Sandy Alomar, Sr.
Hitting Coach	Howard Johnson
Pitching Coach	Dan Warthan
First Base Coach	Ken Oberkfell
Third Base Coach	Luis Aguayo
Bullpen Coach	Guy Conti
Catching Instructor	Sandy Alomar Jr.

[Benjamin Grimm]

For whatever it may be worth, this was Jerry's coaching staff with the 2000 White Sox:

Coach Position
Nardi Contreras Coach
Wallace Johnson Coach
Von Joshua Coach
Art Kusnyer Bullpen
Bryan Little Coach
Joe Nossek Coach

Here's 2001:
Nardi Contreras Coach
Wallace Johnson Coach
Von Joshua Coach
Art Kusnyer Bullpen
Joe Nossek Coach
Gary Pettis First base
Gary Ward Hitting

And 2002:
Nardi Contreras Coach
Don Cooper Pitching
Wallace Johnson Coach
Art Kusnyer Bullpen
Joe Nossek Coach
Gary Pettis First base
Gary Ward Hitting

And 2003:
Don Cooper Pitching
Bruce Kimm Coach
Art Kusnyer Bullpen
Joe Nossek Coach
Rafael Santana Coach
Greg Walker Hitting
Gary Ward Hitting

[Guest AG/DC]

Position	2008 Guy	2009 Prediction	2009 Preference
Manager	Jerry Manuel	Jerry Manuel	Jerry Manuel
Bench Coach	Sandy Alomar, Sr.	Sandy Alomar, Sr.	Davey Johnson
Hitting Coach	Howard Johnson	Howard Johnson	John Olerud
Pitching Coach	Dan Warthan	Bud Black	Orel Hershiser
First Base Coach	Ken Oberkfell	Tim Teufel	Wally Backman
Third Base Coach	Luis Aguayo	Ken Oberkfell	Buddy Harrelson
Bullpen Coach	Guy Conti	John Franco	Ed Glynn
Catching Instructor	Sandy Alomar Jr.	Sandy Alomar Jr.	Jerry Grote

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Did the Pads whack Black?

I like the DJ selection, course they won't do it.

[Guest AG/DC]

A Blackwhacking is part of my prediction.

[Gwreck]

I predict Warthen will be retained.

[Frayed Knot]

Most likely to be back = Warthen
Least likely to be back = Aguayo, Conti

[Benjamin Grimm]

="AG/DC":22g7fl3v]A Blackwhacking is part of my prediction.[/quote:22g7fl3v] Don't managers usually get fired within a day or two of the season ending? I think it's pretty rare for teams to wait much longer than that. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'd think that any managers who haven't been canned yet are a good bet to still be around in the spring.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 12:45 PM

Checking the news, there's actually been a recent announcement that he would be retained for 2009, but I wanted an outlier in my predictions and unfortunately it's locked in. How 'bout y'all?

Benjamin Grimm Oct 09 2008 12:58 PM

I tried filling out the chart, but I couldn't come up with any meaningful predictions, other than the guys who are already there. I don't know of any up and coming coaches in the organization, and I don't know who Jerry, if it's his choice, trusts and respects. So instead of a full chart, I'll just toss in a few guesses/preferences: I'd like to see Frank Robinson as the bench coach, Ken Oberkfell at third base, and John Stearns at first. Dan Warthen can remain as the pitching coach. I guess I'll keep HoJo too. The Mets certainly did plenty of hitting this past year. I don't know how much you can blame the coach for the timing of the hits being a bit off. I'd also make room on my coaching staff for Edgardo Alfonzo if I could. Bullpen coach? I have no idea.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 01:06 PM

Fun predictions are as useful to me as meaningful ones.

metsmarathon Oct 09 2008 01:16 PM

the one knock against hojo is that the mets didn't do a terribly good job, i don't think, of hitting situationally. maybe that got better as the season went along, or got worse after he got here, but that'd be the one thing i'd like to see the team do a better job of.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 01:35 PM

I don't know that the season featured less situational hitting by the Mets than by other teams. I think if David Wright hit one more situational sacrifice fly, then the season would have no such knock.

metirish Oct 09 2008 01:38 PM

Manager - Manuel Bench - Oberkfell First Base - Alomar Jr Third Base - John Stearns Hitting Coach - Moises Alou Catching Coach - Kelly Stinnett Pitching - Wharten Bullpen Coach - Bruce Berenyi Bullpen Pitcher - Juan Lopez will be retained.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 01:41 PM

First openly gay uniformed personnel ever?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 09 2008 01:45 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Oct 09 2008 02:04 PM

Super Seventies Special Hitting: Lee Mazzilli Pitching: Jon Matlack First Base: Felix Millan Third Base: Del Unser Bench: Rusty Staub

sharpie Oct 09 2008 01:53 PM

Wouldn't Santana be in a Super '80's special?

DocTee Oct 09 2008 06:22 PM

Manager - Manuel Bench - Leo Mazzone First Base - Gary Pettis Third Base - Stearns Hitting Coach - HoJo Catching Coach - Alomar, Jr Pitching - Orel Hershisher Bullpen Coach - Jack Morris Bullpen Pitcher - ???

metirish Oct 09 2008 07:55 PM

I'm just being a dick DocTee , the Mets though do have Juan Lopez #56 listed as the bullpen pitcher.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 08:03 PM

A second vote for Orel! But some other choices there give me the funk. Leo Mazzone as bench coach but not pitching coach? And why bring back Pettis?

DocTee Oct 09 2008 08:38 PM

I've long advocated Orel as GM...no way Omar adds a potential rival to the staff. Pettis was with Jerry in Chi-Town. I started to write Mazzilli, but didn't want to copy JD, and was too lazy to erase the whole word... figured an Italian-American should get some play this weekend., and -illi became-onne.

AG/DC Oct 09 2008 08:43 PM

With great respect, I don't think you advocating makes Orel a rival. Jerry's got what --- a four-year contract? His best bet to get another one is based on him hiring the most talent underneath him.

DocTee Oct 09 2008 08:46 PM

]With great respect, I don't think you advocating makes Orel a rival. I almost made a comment along those lines before posting but figured what the hell... Very true, and very funny.

metirish Oct 15 2008 01:58 PM

FWIW Ken Davidoff today says that the Nationals are interested in Randolph as either their bench coach or third base coach. ] Here's a duo of National League East events that could happen -- without dramatically stretching reality -- in the next year: 1. The Nationals get off to a poor start in 2009 and fire manager Manny Acta, replacing him with their third-base coach Willie Randolph. 2. The Mets miss the 2009 playoffs and fire manager Jerry Manuel, replacing him with Acta. Midweek Insider has learned that the Nationals, who fired five coaches upon the conclusion of the 2008 season, are interested in hiring Randolph as either Acta's bench coach or third-base coach. Randolph is due $2.25 million from the Mets in 2009, but friends say he is anxious to get back to work, as he very much wants to manage again. He'll probably wait out the Seattle and Milwaukee situations, to make sure he doesn't miss an opportunity to interview for a managerial opening. Randolph has interviewed with the Brewers twice and enjoys a strong relationship with Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin. If those teams choose other managers, Randolph might very well join the Nationals. And that would be a situation fraught with irony. For during Randolph's three-plus years leading the Mets, it was Acta who served as his greatest threat. Acta coached third base under Randolph in 2005 and 2006, and everyone knew Acta was Omar Minaya's hire, rather than Randolph's. When Acta left the Mets to manage Washington, he maintained such a good relationship with the Mets that team officials have often lined up to hug him prior to Mets-Nationals games

(Merged from Nats Coaches (split from Baserunning), 10/15/2008)

[Guest AG/DC]

Checking the news, there's actually been a recent announcement that he would be retained for 2009, but I wanted an outlier in my predictions and unfortunately it's locked in.

How 'bout y'all?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I tried filling out the chart, but I couldn't come up with any meaningful predictions, other than the guys who are already there. I don't know of any up and coming coaches in the organization, and I don't know who Jerry, if it's his choice, trusts and respects.

So instead of a full chart, I'll just toss in a few guesses/preferences:

I'd like to see Frank Robinson as the bench coach, Ken Oberkfell at third base, and John Stearns at first.

Dan Warthen can remain as the pitching coach. I guess I'll keep HoJo too. The Mets certainly did plenty of hitting this past year. I don't know how much you can blame the coach for the timing of the hits being a bit off.

I'd also make room on my coaching staff for Edgardo Alfonzo if I could.

Bullpen coach? I have no idea.

[Guest AG/DC]

Fun predictions are as useful to me as meaningful ones.

[metsmarathon]

the one knock against hojo is that the mets didn't do a terribly good job, i don't think, of hitting situationally. maybe that got better as the season went along, or got worse after he got here, but that'd be the one thing i'd like to see the team do a better job of.

[Guest AG/DC]

I don't know that the season featured less situational hitting by the Mets than by other teams. I think if David Wright hit one more situational sacrifice fly, then the season would have no such knock.

[metirish]

Manager - Manuel

Bench - Oberkfell

First Base - Alomar Jr

Third Base - John Stearns

Hitting Coach - Moises Alou

Catching Coach - Kelly Stinnett

Pitching - Wharten

Bullpen Coach - Bruce Berenyi

Bullpen Pitcher - Juan Lopez will be retained.

[Guest AG/DC]

First openly gay uniformed personnel ever?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Super Seventies Special
Hitting: Lee Mazzilli
Pitching: Jon Matlack
First Base: Felix Millan
Third Base: Del Unser
Bench: Rusty Staub

[Guest sharpie]

Wouldn't Santana be in a Super '80's special?

[DocTee]

Manager - Manuel

Bench - Leo Mazzone

First Base - Gary Pettis

Third Base - Stearns

Hitting Coach - HoJo

Catching Coach - Alomar, Jr

Pitching - Orel Hershisher

Bullpen Coach - Jack Morris

Bullpen Pitcher - ???

[metirish]

I'm just being a dick DocTee , the Mets though do have Juan Lopez #56 listed as the bullpen pitcher.

[Guest AG/DC]

A second vote for Orel!

But some other choices there give me the funk. Leo Mazzone as bench coach but not pitching coach? And why bring back Pettis?

[DocTee]

I've long advocated Orel as GM...no way Omar adds a potential rival to the staff.

Pettis was with Jerry in Chi-Town.

I started to write Mazzilli, but didn't want to copy JD, and was too lazy to erase the whole word... figured an Italian-American should get some play this weekend., and -illi became-onne.

[Guest AG/DC]

With great respect, I don't think you advocating makes Orel a rival.

Jerry's got what --- a four-year contract? His best bet to get another one is based on him hiring the most talent underneath him.

[DocTee]

]With great respect, I don't think you advocating makes Orel a rival.

I almost made a comment along those lines before posting but figured what the hell...

Very true, and very funny.

[metirish]

FWIW Ken Davidoff today says that the Nationals are interested in Randolph as either their bench coach or third base coach.

] Here's a duo of National League East events that could happen -- without dramatically stretching reality -- in the next year: 1. The Nationals get off to a poor start in 2009 and fire manager Manny Acta, replacing him with their third-base coach Willie Randolph. 2. The Mets miss the 2009 playoffs and fire manager Jerry Manuel, replacing him with Acta. Midweek Insider has learned that the Nationals, who fired five coaches upon the conclusion of the 2008 season, are interested in hiring Randolph as either Acta's bench coach or third-base coach. Randolph is due $2.25 million from the Mets in 2009, but friends say he is anxious to get back to work, as he very much wants to manage again. He'll probably wait out the Seattle and Milwaukee situations, to make sure he doesn't miss an opportunity to interview for a managerial opening. Randolph has interviewed with the Brewers twice and enjoys a strong relationship with Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin. If those teams choose other managers, Randolph might very well join the Nationals. And that would be a situation fraught with irony. For during Randolph's three-plus years leading the Mets, it was Acta who served as his greatest threat. Acta coached third base under Randolph in 2005 and 2006, and everyone knew Acta was Omar Minaya's hire, rather than Randolph's. When Acta left the Mets to manage Washington, he maintained such a good relationship with the Mets that team officials have often lined up to hug him prior to Mets-Nationals games

[Guest AG/DC]

Yeesh, that could go in the coaches thread, but how could anybody watch that 2008 season and think that the problem with the Nats was Acta's coaching staff?

His opening day starting rotation had 26 wins total in 2007.

Perez 8
Chico 7
Redding 3
Bergmann 6
Lannan 2


(Merged from Nats Coaches (split from Baserunning), 10/15/2008)

[metirish]

Would you please put it in the coaches thread , I don't have such powers.


(Merged from Nats Coaches (split from Baserunning), 10/15/2008)

[metirish]

Randolph wanted in Colorado as Hurdle's bench coach.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Daily News reports this morning that HoJo, Warthen, and Alomar Sr. will return.

Oberkfell, if he doesn't return, would resume minor league managing.

Meanwhile, Art Howe is out as a Texas Ranger coach.

[MFS62]

Of all those coaches Manuel had with the white Sox, the one I always felt would become a Mets player was Joe Nossek.

Maybe a spin off thread would be players who you felt would be "perfect" Mets but never were.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

="Adam Rubin":2xgadno4]Razor Shines and Randy Niemann are headed to the Mets� coaching staff, the Daily News has learned. Shines, a longtime minor-league manager and former third base coach with the White Sox, more recently had managed in the Phillies organization at Clearwater. He will coach third base. Clearly, he goes back to the Sox days with Jerry Manuel. Shines, 52, appeared in 68 major-league games with Expos from 1983-87, primarily at first base. Niemann has served as the rehab coordinator for pitchers in Port St. Lucie. He will succeed Guy Conti as bullpen coach. Conti, among the longest-tenured Mets employees, will remain with the organization. In addition to Howard Johnson, Dan Warthen and Sandy Alomar Sr. staying in their current roles, Sandy Alomar Jr. will remain in the bullpen and work with the catchers. Ken Oberkfell and Luis Aguayo have been re-assigned within the organization. Oberkfell is expected to manage Triple-A Buffalo. The first base coach position is the lone vacancy remaining.[/quote:2xgadno4]

Frayed Knot Oct 23 2008 02:24 PM

Razor Shines is in my all-time baseball names Hall of Fame -- great to have him abordick.

AG/DC Oct 23 2008 02:41 PM

Give him a lifetime contract. Anybody want to visit a White Sox forum and find out what his rep was in Chi-town?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 23 2008 02:58 PM

Razor Shines! This is better than Don Hahn coming back to be outfield coach, probably

RealityChuck Oct 23 2008 05:29 PM

="Frayed Knot":2j1f4sag]Razor Shines is in my all-time baseball names Hall of Fame -- great to have him abordick.[/quote:2j1f4sag]We definitely need a sharp, bright coach at third base. Benjamin Grimm Oct 23 2008 05:32 PM I just discovered that he was in the UMDB as "Ray" Shines. I was wondering where he got the nickname, but as it turns out, his given name is Anthony Razor Shines. Now I'm wondering where he got the middle name. metsguyinmichigan Oct 23 2008 06:03 PM Anybody else surprised that Oberkfell got shipped back? Benjamin Grimm Oct 23 2008 06:12 PM I think I'd rather be a Triple A manager than a big league first base coach. You don't get to visit the nicer cities, but you do have more responsibility. metirish Oct 23 2008 06:19 PM Yeah I think if he were to stay with the Mets then I would have hoped he would be the bench coach , I think as an in season replacement it was OK to have him of first but I can't imagine it was the track he wanted. metirish Oct 24 2008 07:35 AM Randy Niemann in 2007. Benjamin Grimm Nov 14 2008 02:01 PM ="Mets press release":3kcfdzka]FLUSHING -- Manager Jerry Manuel completed the New York Mets' coaching staff today by naming Luis Alicea the team's first base coach. For the last two years, Alicea was the first base coach for the Boston Red Sox. Luis also was a manager in the Red Sox Minor League system for three seasons. He directed Lowell (A) of the New York-Penn League from 2004-2005, Greenville (A) of the South Atlantic League in 2006 and Peoria of the Arizona (A) Fall League, also in 2006 Luis, 43, a native of Santurce, PR, played in the Major Leagues for 13 years with the St. Louis Cardinals (1988, 1991-1994 and 1996), Boston Red Sox (1995), Anaheim Angels (1997), Texas Rangers (1998-2000) and the Kansas City Royals (2001-2002). He compiled a .260 batting average with 47 home runs and 422 RBI in 1,341 games. Primarily a second baseman, he also saw action at the other three infield spots and in the outfield during his big league career. Luis, a switch hitter, experienced his best season in the majors with the Rangers in 2000, establishing career highs with a .294 bating average, 139 games, 85 runs, 159 hits and 63 RBI. In 1992 with the Cardinals, he ranked fourth in the National League with 11 triples. In 1995, Alicea hit .270 and was the Red Sox regular second baseman, helping them capture the American League East Division crown. Luis was St. Louis' first round pick in the 1986 First Year Player Draft. He earned first team All-America honors at Florida State University in 1986. Alicea joins Dan Warthen (pitching), Howard Johnson (hitting), Sandy Alomar, Sr. (bench); Razor Shines (third base), Randy Niemann (bullpen) and Sandy Alomar, Jr. (catching instructor) on the Mets coaching staff.[/quote:3kcfdzka] John Cougar Lunchbucket Nov 14 2008 02:25 PM Jerry's obviously been reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's TEAM OF LIGHT HITTING INFIELDERS