The second half starts tonight. We’ll be in Loge13 to watch the Mets take on the Reds (El Duque vs. Arroyo).
Lots of personnel news out of Shea today:
– Mets hitting coach Rick Down is fired. Down is the first coaching casualty during Willie Randolph’s regime.
– Howard Johnson is expected to take on most of the hitting coach duties.
– Rickey Henderson is joining the team as a full-time coach. His specific duties have not yet been announced. As the story on Mets.com says:
The coaching job is Henderson's first in the big leagues since his retirement -- a retirement he prefers not to acknowledge -- following the 2003 season. At age 48, he still has designs on playing again. Now, at least, he will be in uniform, No. 24, every day.
– Latings Milledge is returning to the team Thursday. That means either newhan or Alomar Jr. will be sent down. Last week, the rumor was that Randolph would retain Sandy as another catcher on the bench so he could use Castro more often as a pinch-hitter.
– Oliver Perez will be back from the DL by Sunday. Dave Williams will go back down to Triple AAA and get more work.
Welcome back Rickey.
Comments
Rickey thinks he can do a good job in any coaching capacity. Rickey knows how to hit, Rickey knows how to run and Rickey knows how to play the game the right way. Rickey will be a tremendous asset to the Mets.