There is a degree of frustration surrounding the New York Mets. The internal expectations were that they would be a freight train to the postseason, a juggernaut that would not stop until October. However, as the Mets have hovered around .500 all season, it is fair to say that the train has yet to leave the station.
After 23 games, the team has made a move reminiscent of their crosstown rivals. Hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater were fired following a 6-5 loss to the Cardinals.
The Mets have fired hitting coaches Chili Davis and Tom Slater tonight. Hugh Quattlebaum (minor-league hitting coordinator) and Kevin Howard (farm director) will take over, respectively.
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) May 4, 2021
New York Mets not wasting any time making changes
It was clear that something needed to be done regarding the Mets’ offense. They rank dead last in the National League with 76 runs scored, barely over three per game. Although they rank fourth in on base percentage, they are 12th in slugging and tenth in OPS. Add in the struggles of prized acquisition Francisco Lindor, and it was time to review the process.
It is also worth noting that Davis and Slater were holdovers from the Mickey Callaway era in New York. Rojas inherited both coaches, and presumably will have the opportunity to find a hitting coach that more closely adheres to his philosophy. That is, provided he survives the season himself.
This is the type of move that had not been seen since the days when George Steinbrenner ruled the Bronx with an iron fist. He was known to fire managers, coaches, and members of the front office at the drop of a hat in his younger days, infamously firing and subsequently hiring Billy Martin four times. His firing of beloved Yankee icon Yogi Berra 16 games into the 1985 season set off a long standing grudge where the venerable Berra refused to return to Yankee Stadium.
While these moves are not of that magnitude, it speaks to the expectations surrounding the Mets these days. In previous years, Davis and Slater would have had the chance to guide the lineup through these struggles. But there is a mandate to win, and win now. The time for patience is over.
The New York Mets channeled the ghost of George Steinbrenner in firing their hitting coaches. With sky high expectations, the time for patience is over.