After losing out on the managerial position, the Mets fear they may lose Kevin Long as hitting coach.
This became even more of a possibility Monday when it was reported by Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post that the Mets have granted the Nationals permission to speak with Long.
Washington relieved manager Dusty Baker of his duties last week and are set to interview Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez for the position as well.
Original post – Oct. 23, 2:52 p.m.
With the Mets hiring Mickey Callaway to be their new manager, this leaves the team with eight days to try and entice hitting coach Kevin Long to stay on as the hitting coach or in some other capacity. According to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports, the Mets do indeed want to retain Long in his current role.
This should come as no surprise. During his tenure as hitting coach, the Mets have seen Long do great work with Mets players. Yoenis Cespedes went from a slugger in Oakland, Boston and Detroit, to hitting like an MVP candidate. Neil Walker went from being neutralized by left-handed pitching in Pittsburgh to a threat at the right-hand side of the plate. Jay Bruce had a resurgent season setting a career high in homers. Overall, Long has had a positive impact on most of the Mets players that he has coached.
That’s also why he should be a hot commodity this offseason. Also noted by Heyman, there are many teams with hitting coach openings this winter. That list includes the Washington Nationals, who could prove to be a draw for Long. Not only would that present him the opportunity to once again work with Daniel Murphy and other terrific Nationals players like Anthony Rendon and Bryce Harper, but it may also present him with the opportunity to one day coach his son.
The left-handed pitcher Jaron Long was originally an undrafted free agent signed by Long’s old team, the New York Yankees. Last year, he signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals splitting time between Double and Triple-A. While not considered to be much of a prospect, the notion of potentially spending more time with his son could well be enticing for Long. It may also be a draw to join an organization who stands the best chance of beating up on the team who passed over him for manager.
Ultimately, the Mets have the task of building the strongest possible coaching staff around someone who has never managed professionally. Ideally, that coaching staff would include Kevin Long. For that to happen, the Mets will have to act fast and do all they can do to entice him to come back after leaving him at the altar.
