Mets Add Another Coach While At Winter Meetings

The Mets are keeping busy in Orlando interviewing several candidates for a few remaining open positions on the coaching staff including that of first base coach, hitting instructor and bullpen coach which has just been filled..

According to Adam Rubin of ESPN New York, the Mets will hire Jon Debus as bullpen coach, succeeding Randy Niemann in that role, according to an organization source.

Debus served as Terry Collins’ coach with Orix in Japan. The men had a longstanding previous relationship with the Dodgers.

Debus served as the Dodgers’ bullpen coach for one season, in 2005 under Jim Tracy.

In other coaching news, Rubin also reports that Moises Alou is not a candidate for hitting coach or any other coaching position, according to a team source.

The Mets already interviewed Andy Van Slyke for the hitting coach position on Monday, and today Don Long was interviewed according to the New York Post.

Long had been the hitting coach for Pittsburgh the past three seasons, and has also worked for the Phillies and Angels.

It was Jason Bay who actually recommended to the Mets that Long be interviewed for the job, crediting Long for helping him become a better hitter when they were together at Pittsburgh.