The New York Mets wasted little time cleaning out most of their coaching staff once a disappointing 2017 season came to an end.
After their final game of the season, former manager Terry Collins stepped down after the last game of the year and has since been replaced by former Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway.
Having interviewed for the job and not receiving it, hitting coach Kevin Long will likely not stay with the Mets. The same goes for first-base coach Tom Goodwin and bench coach Dick Scott.
Over the past 24 hours though, the Mets have filled two of those vacancies as they start rebuilding their staff.
On Wednesday, New York promoted Pat Roessler to hitting coach after spending the past three seasons as Long’s assistant. The two also worked together with the crosstown-rival Yankees.
Thursday morning saw the team hire Dave Eiland as their pitching coach, as first reported by Marc Carig of Newsday, filling the void left by Warthen’s departure.
The 51-year-old spent the last seven seasons with the Kansas City Royals at the same position, helping the team win a pair of American League pennants while defeating the Mets in the 2015 World Series. He was also the pitching coach of the Yankees when they won the World Series in 2009.
Eiland and Callaway also have connections, both pitching for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the 1999 season.
It’s those pitching minds that will be tasked in combining to help fix a Mets pitching staff — which so much of the team’s success is relied upon — that underwhelmed last season, though much of it had to do with injuries.
The Mets are close to completing their coaching staff, but they still have to find a new first-base coach and bench coach.
