Monday, October 05, 2009

Red Light Shakeup

FLUSHING, N.Y., October 5, 2009 - "The New York Mets today announced that Bench Coach Sandy Alomar Sr. and First Base Coach Luis Alicea will not be returning for the 2010 season. Alomar Sr. will be offered another position within the organization.

Hitting Coach Howard Johnson, Pitching Coach Dan Warthen and Bullpen Coach Randy Niemann will return to Manager Jerry Manuel's staff in the same positions next year. Third Base Coach Razor Shines and Catching Instructor Sandy Alomar Jr. will be part of the Major League staff in 2010 in yet to be determined roles."
In a related move, the Mets have announced that replacing Shines as third base coach will be a New York City traffic light. Runners will have to adhere to the light, which will be showing red, yellow, or green at various and random times. But the club feels that the traffic light, which can't see which runners are where because it is a traffic light, will have just as good a success rate as Shines. Furthermore, the traffic light will not have a salary, and will only require maintenance costs and a replacement light bulb or two. The light will don uniform number 64 for the upcoming season.

8 comments:

Schneck said...

"Hitting Coach Howard Johnson, Pitching Coach Dan Warthen and Bullpen Coach Randy Niemann will return to Manager Jerry Manuel's staff in the same positions next year."

You know they don't say that these positions are necessarily with the Mets. Thus, the following dialogue:

Jerry: Hey HoJo. Where's Niemann? He's late again? We can't afford these problems during these buy one Big Mac get one free promotions!!
HoJo: I don't know, skip. He didn't call.
Warthen: I need a small fry and a large shake!!

Aidan G. said...

What happens if it's on yellow? Wouldn't Pagan be too confused to know what to do?

Hazeleyes said...

Wishful thinking.

I like HoJo as much as the next fan but seriously, the team did not hit so well this season. Not sure that he should be back in that role.

As long as Manuel is manager, though, it doesn't matter. He is not right for this team.

I am already discouraged.

number15 said...

yellow light means it's your call. red light means run back to 2nd. green light means don't bother touching the base as you round 3rd.

The Metmaster said...

Hazeleyes: The Mets led the NL in batting (tied with LA at .270) The Mets led the league in batting with RISP. Even with the crummy lineup they got hits. The problem was that without power it took 9 or 10 hits to score 2 or 3 runs. The Phillies, playing in that bandbox, could have 5 hits and 6 runs on the board. I was down on Hojo early on, but there was not a lot he could do with the caliber of hitter the Wilpons left him with. Warthen on the other hand is the decision I just don't get. The Mets staff walked the entire population of Queens this season. Wilpon cited his great work with Pelfry and Maine. Maine was injured and Pelfry was last seen dribbling oatmeal down the front of his jersey.

The Metmaster said...

Did you all read Newsday today? First of all, when was the last time you agreed 100% with Wallace Matthews? (the article claims that the real problem with the Mets is Jeff Wilpon) Secondly, while we are on the subject of the Wilpons, they were denied any restitution from the agency handling the Madoff fraud because they not only got all their money out of the scheme before it collapsed, but it appears they made money off it! Real money, not the phony baloney figures on the last statement. They took out more than they put in. So one must ask, why did they file a claim at all? Any losses they suffered were fictitious. Little guys lost everything; principle and the fictitious earnings. If you believe the article, the Wilpons were trying to ding the system for the phony earnings. They already made a profit on the scheme. That profit was the stolen money from the poor saps who went down with the ship. I'm not a rich man, but I am ethical. I guess I'll never be a rich man.

Trash Man said...

Wouldn't it be great if on the Mets Annual Apology Day (the day after the season ends), they would actually makes some real changes, rather than fire an assistant coach or two to appease the angry mob.

DyHrdMET said...

does the traffic light come with the walk/don't walk sign (you know the newer ones they have with the countdown to the yellow light). some of these Mets may need the left turn arrow though (remember the coach at 3rd has responsibility for at least 2 runners that are past 2nd base).