Mets make several coaching changes.

[NYman15]

"The Mets today announced that Bench Coach Ken Oberkfell, Third Base Coach Chip Hale, First Base Coach Mookie Wilson and Bullpen Coach Jon Debus will not return to the major league club for the 2012 season.

According to Joe Stiglich of the Bay Area News Group, Hale has signed a two year deal to become the bench coach for the Oakland A’s.

Tim Teufel will take over as Third Base Coach and Ricky Bones will become Bullpen Coach. Hitting Coach Dave Hudgens and Pitching Coach Dan Warthen will return to the staff in the same positions next year.

According to the press release, Hale declined an offer to stay so he could pursue another Major League coaching opportunity.

Wilson and Debus will be offered other positions within the organizations."

http://www.metsblog.com/2011/10/05/mook ... ot-return/

I'm a little surprised with some of the moves.

I expected Hale to leave as it's been rumored for a while that he was heading to Oakland. I'm fine with Teufel being the 3rd base coach. He's moved through the levels in the minors and I think he's ready to help out at the major league level.

I'm not too surprised they rather a pitching coach or someone who knows pitching very well in the bullpen compared to Debus. I do like Ricky Bones as the bullpen coach. He's drawn a lot of praise the past couple of year so I like that move.

I'm a little surprised Mookie is gone. Maybe they weren't happy with his teaching of the outfield defense? Not sure, but it sounds like they still want him back in the organization.

I'm a little surprised Obie is gone. I'm curious to see who takes his place.

I think Backman moves up to AAA. He's been moving through the minors as well and so he's now up to AAA after managing AA last year. Someone made a good point ,that I read on Metsblog, that Backman managed both Harvey and Familia in AA and both of them will most likely be in AAA at some point next year so it's probably good to keep them together as he already knows them and has a relationship with them and knows how they pitch. So, that could have played into their decision to move him to AAA, if that happens.

I'm also ok with Hudgens and Warthen coming back. I think Hudgens did a very nice job with the offense this year and I think Warthen will have the pitchers pitching better if they get him better talent.

[NYman15]

This link shows a couple of the beat writers tweets saying that Jim Riggleman and Larry Bowa are candidates for the bench coach position and Mookie Wilson says he'd like to return to the Mets in a different position.
http://www.metsblog.com/2011/10/05/bowa ... with-mets/

[NYman15]

Via wiretap- "Former managers Jim Riggleman, John McLaren, Bob Geren and Larry Bowa appear on the Mets' internal list of candidates to become bench coach, organization sources told ESPNNewYork.com.

Not all of those candidates have yet been contacted, since the Mets only dismissed former bench coach Ken Oberkfell on Wednesday and are still brainstorming candidates, a source added."

Read more: http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z1a2FhLo7u