Mets will promote Pat Roessler to hitting coach, and that’s a good thing

by Brian Erni November 01, 2017 0 Comments

Pat Roessler will become to team’s new hitting coach, says Mike Puma, citing industry sources.

Mets will name Pat Roessler as the new hitting coach and Ricky Bones will remain as bullpen coach, according to industry sources.
— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) November 1, 2017

Roessler joined the team as its assistant hitting coach prior to 2015, and has served in the role for the past three season. He will receive a two-year deal.

Why do I like this? It’s simple: familiarity and consistency.

The reason Kevin Long was so beloved by the organization and its players is because he not only had a philosophy that Sandy Alderson agreed with (patience and power), he has a very open line of communication with the guys in the room. This offseason, Jon Heyman pointed to Long being accepted by A-Rod, a notoriously tough critique of hitting coaches, when both were with the Yankees as an example of just how good he was at building a rapport with players.

Those are just some of the reasons the Mets didn't want to let Long go. But since he has decided to pursue another job, in Roessler – or “Six,” as the players call him – the Mets get the next best thing. He's someone who knows the dynamics that already exist in the clubhouse. He knows how organization wants their hitters to go about their at bats, and worked right alongside Long while he worked some of his magic, like when he helped unlock the hidden power in Daniel Murphy’s game. He also has experience bringing younger players along (he was director of player development in the Yankees system from 2005-2014), and that experience should serve him well as the Mets expect to lean heavily on two young players in 2018 with just a handful of Major League at bats under their belts, Amed Rosario and Dom Smith.

Hitting coaches usually are on the fans’ minds when the team’s bat goes cold. But the most integral job they have is to offer encouraging advice and constructive insight in a way that doesn’t turn the players off. To do that, he has to be meticulous in his preparation and intimately familiar with each player on the roster. By staying in house with Roessler, the Mets get those qualities and more. I think it’s the right call.