Jason Bere
Current Role: Unassigned
Age: May 26, 1971 (46)
MLB Coaching Experience: Cleveland Indians bullpen coach (2015-17)
With the news that ex-Indians bullpen coach Jason Bere is likely to interview with the Mets for their vacant pitching coach position, it’s time to analyze who he is, what his background is and what he could potentially bring to the organization.
A former top prospect, Bere spent 11 seasons pitching for five major league teams, including both Chicago clubs, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Cleveland, where he finished his big league career in 2003. After reaching the majors as a 23-year-old in 1993, he found quick success, posting a 24-7 record with a 3.64 ERA across his first two campaigns, even earning an American League All-Star nod in 1994.
From there, however, it was anything but smooth sailing. Tommy John surgery limited Bere to 11 games in 1996 and 1997 and he simply was never the same pitcher again. When all was said and done, Bere had accumulated 71 wins and 65 losses and posted a 5.14 ERA with 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings.
Following his final professional season in 2005 with Triple-A Buffalo, Cleveland scooped Bere up and deployed him as a special assistant to the baseball operations department, a role he held for nine seasons. The job description reads similar to that of Mets minor league pitching coordinator Ron Romanick, as Bere evaluated the organization’s hurlers within the team’s player development system and assisted the major and minor league coaching staffs during spring training and the regular season.
He departed Cleveland after not being considered for their pitching coach position, which was ultimately given to Carl Willis. However, he has been in touch with new Mets skipper Mickey Callaway for New York’s vacant pitching coach position.
