|
|
|
Last week at his blog for ESPN.com, Peter Gammons wrote that 
should hire Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, among other moves, in an effort to help improve for next season.
Today, in the Daily News, Adam Rubin explains why the Mets will not finalize Willie Randolph’s coaching staff until Jaramillo’s contact expires at the end of the month.
Minaya recently told reporters that he is likely to bring back most of the team’s current coaching staff.
For more on Jaramillo, check out this report in the Sporting News from 2004, which, among other comments, reads…
“Jaramillo inspires such reaction because of a never-ending work ethic, complete belief in his players’ ability, adaptability and a method of teaching that is equal parts understanding hitting and understanding players.”
…also, from what i recall, he’s a disciplinarian, father-figure type, especially when it comes to the younger latino players…
Of course, last season, as reported in USA Today, Jaramillo was suspended for his role during Frank Francisco’s chair-throwing brawl with fans in Oakland.
…so, if he ends up in queens, i would suggest not booing him…
…nevertheless, this is a noteworthy maneuver, which will certainly push Howard Johnson back to coaching first base in place of Rickey Henderson…why…well, 1) jaramillo, and Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long, are widely considered the Rick Peterson of hitting coaches, in terms of how they are changing the way the job is done, but 2), and most important, jaramillo and Omar Minaya are close friends dating back to the mid-80s, and, if you recall, jaramillo was a top candidate for the managerial job at shea before it went to willie, which would suggest that jaramillo could be willie’s obvious, some-day replacement, while sitting next to him on the bench all season…ummm, awkward…
 |
 |
RSS 2.0 You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
I’m all for it. I think Hojo has done a good job as hitting instructor. I would feel more comfortable with Hojo @ 1st base than Rickey. Rickey gives me a bad vibe stemming from his behaviour as a player. ie. not always playing hard, being selfish. Hate to see any of this rub off, if it hasn’t already. I am fine with his role of Spring Training Special Instructor.
I’m all for it, but I don’t like the undertones that we have alredy seen from Omar. That underlying buddy-system that he tends to employ when making critical decisions.
Also, Matt, in your tags, you have a typo for Jaramillo. You have him as Raramillo. Maybe Astro (from the Jetsons) was typing.
I rove roo reorge.
I feel the same way. While I love having Hojo as a hitting coach, the Mets need a little extra to keep the playing hard. I’d rather put Hojo at 1st, since Ricky just seems to send players haphazardly. I just hope that removing Hojo from hitting coach doesn’t sour him on the Mets. He’s a guy I want on this team for years to come - even if it’s a minor league coaching job.
If he comes on board, combined with the fall out from how th eseason ended, I cna’t see how Willie could possibly be “complacent” this year!
The sense of urgency and motivation (pride? chip on the shoulder?) that seemed to be missing for much of 2007 (aka the “broed” year!) should be there in 2008! And if it sin’t, Willie won’t be around long.
Jamarillo is not the answer to the teams problems which continue to be pitching.
I am all for picking hin up but HOJO did a terrific job with the guys once down left. If you look at the team results under Hojo and under Down, they are radically different and much better under Hojo.
I suppose a great hitting coach can get the guys confident in working the counts and doing a better job with men in scoring position but ….I will say again, the teams issues are pitching related not hitting.
Get me Dontrelle Willis and Joe Nathan and we will be a much better team than if you bring back Glavine and Shoeneweis and Mota and hire Jamarillo
Agreed. The problem with the Mets was pitching, NOT hitting. I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the role that the Jacket played in this team’s demise. The pitching staff FELL APART. That is the reason that the Mets gave it up this year. I’ve seen NOTHING about what needs to be done in that area. To me, the only reason for bringing this guy in is to have a ready replacement for Willie, who is being blamed, for the bad moves made by Minaya last offseason, and the neglect of the Jacket in letting the pitching staff fall apart this season. The hitting is fine. Hojo deserves to keep the hitting coach job. The question here is what is being done about this pitching staff?
Jaramillo would be a good addition to the coaching staff but I don’t like the idea of him displacing HoJo. The team’s hitting overall down the stretch was not the problem (it was the pitching) and the hitting over the second half improved under HoJo …
Pre-All Star OPS - .752
Post-All Star OPS - .801
It’s also interesting to note that during the second half, the Texas Rangers’ team OPS was just .759! Which is very low for a park like the one they play in. So with park factors added in, the disparity is even greater. Which makes you wonder, did Jaramillo lose his magic touch? Did the players just stop listening to him? Maybe Jaramillo’s magic has more to do with that park in Arlington and good hitters than with special coaching talents? Maybe when Teixeira left, so did a lot of the team’s power?
A demotion for HoJo is no way to reward a job well done. If they bring Jaramillo in, I hope HoJo retains his status, but that may be unlikely.
If they bring Jaramillo in as a possible successor to Willie, I don’t think Randolph will be intimidated by it at all. Nor will it change the way he manages. I think Willie will do a few things differently in ‘08 regardless, Jaramillo or no Jaramillo.
The logic is pretty sound. HoJo did a good job. We could score in bunches, early in the game, but we failed to put games away when we had the chance. How did we do w/ RISP? Does Rudy have a better track record? Texas teams have traditionally hit well. A late season slump may not be a reason to dump on Rudy.
The problem was and is the ability of our starters to work into the 7th inning. It put way too much pressure on the bullpen.
My solution has always been to “Willie-proof” the team. Have the necessary personnel to cover fore his strategical weaknesses.
I would be willing to lose our best 6 prospects to get 2 guys who can throw 200 IP each in 2008. Haren, Blanton, Cain, Santana, Kazmir - guys who consistenlty throw every fifth day and go into the 6th or 7th each time.
Does anyone really want to wait for Pelfrey or Humber to build up to 200 IP? It’s gonna wreck our pen again if we do. May as well write 2008 off as a rebuilding year if you do.
Failed to put games away? Every team fails in that regard from time to time. It just seemed more acute with the Mets because their pen kept blowing lead after lead after lead late in the season.
Fact is, over the second half, the Mets were the third highest scoring team in the NL, behind only Philly and the Rockies. And both those teams play in hitters parks.
I think Jaramillo is a good hitting coach, but I believe HoJo is too, and you need to consider park factors when looking at Jaramillo’s record.
I agree that they’d have to give up all their best prospects to get two high-profile pitchers who can give 200 innings and pitch well. But I doubt Kazmir or Cain can be had this year. And I wouldn’t do it for Haren or Blanton. Maybe only Santana.
I can be patient with both Pelfrey and Humber and I don’t mind a rebuilding year at all.
Is Jaramillo pals with Arod? I don’t know too much about him, aside from having heard about him during our last managerial search.
But could making Arod comfortable should he choose to come here factor in this move?
I truly believe that ARod will only sign for the largest $ amount. Without the Yankees to bid on his services, I wonder how high teams will go if only a few are bidding for him. If we stay out of it, he may not get the number of years he wants. I doubt Boras will go for incentivized option years. he’ll want an early out if he thinks the market will be higher. 8 years, 252 million, opt out after 6? Sounds like what he’ll get. im can’t see a team wanting to pay him until he’s 42.
you hit it on the head arod is going where the money is and boras will have it no other way, and although ultimately the yankees would probably pay him the most if they are in the bidding even if they arent he will still get a ridiculous amount of money i mean were the yankees really in the bidding for zito? probably not but i bet boras convinced a couple of GMs that they were and he hit the jackpot.
[...] Want Rudy Jaramillo MetsBlog cites the Daily News as saying the Mets have interest in Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. His [...]
unless they are wanting to use Reyes decline as an excuse to move HoJo, see the following from MetsBlog on 9/6
“Prior to Rick Down being fired as the team’s batting coach, the Mets hit .268 as a team, .252 with runners in scoring position, while they have reached base roughly 33 percent of their plate appearances.
Meanwhile, since Howard Johnson was hired as the team’s hitting coach, the Mets are hitting .288 as a team, .309 with runners in scoring position, while they have reached base roughly 36 percent of their plate appearances.”
Unless things have changed, Jaramillo doesn’t want to be a manager, just a hitting coach…
Comments from a year ago…
“My heart is in hitting right now,” Jaramillo said. “This is where I belong.”
Quote from the story…
“In Jaramillo’s time as hitting coach, the Rangers have won 16 Silver Slugger Awards, three home run titles, two RBI championships and a batting title. He has worked with three AL MVPs: Juan Gonzalez (who won it twice), Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez”
http://www.wcnc.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/101006dnspojaramillo.6885c9.html
ARod would likely support Jaramillo… If getting Rudy helps ARod come to NY…
See this article from October 2004…
“”In my opinion, he is a Hall of Fame hitting coach and I think anything he does in baseball he can be great at,” Rodriguez said”
“The most important thing for me was that he gained my trust and was as honest as they come. That’s hard to come by in this game. Being under his tutelage as a hitter has been one of the most influential relationships of my career.”
“What makes Rudy great is that he can teach bad hitters, great hitters and average hitters,” Rodriguez said. “He has about five principles he talks about, but then he molds them to the hitter.”
http://northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxMTQmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY1OTkyOTImeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2
I think A-Rod’s priorities for an opt-out/new contract are something like this:
1. Money
2. # of years
3. Legacy
4. Getting out of NY
5. Manager
6. Hitting coach
So while Jaramillo might be a plus, I doubt he would be any real incentive for A-Rod to consider the Mets. I think the odds of A-Rod ever being a Met are almost nil. And frankly, I’m glad.
I wonder if he’d love to stick it to the yankees and succeed in NY.
His problem in NY, not the Yankees. As for the list, its dead on. And I don’t want A-Rod on this team. I want PITCHING!!!
the only problem with the argument that jaramillo had 3 mvps under him (irod, juan gone, and arod) is two of them were more than likely taking roids while in texas, and the 3rd is arguably the most talented players to ever play the game. so im not sure how much of that was bc of jaramillo.
I don’t see how the Mets can make this hire, and still say Willie has autonomy to hire his coaches. If they were going to bring Willie back (and I was on the fence about that), hiring Jaramillo destroys whatever credibility Willie has in the clubhouse.
Jaramillo is a talented hitting coach, and under normal circumstances, I’d be thrilled with the hire, but his relationship with Omar makes me wonder if this can ever work out.
Very good point Metlo. I’m all for bringing Jaramillo on board, I think he would be a great addition to the staff, but once again this is another Omar hire that would undermine Willie and his authority. It seems like we keep on getting back to the same issue here, with Omar bringing in another one of his guys.
Omar is the new Steve Phillips with crap like this.
Oh wait, Phillips at least won a pennant one year. It is very doubtful Omar will ever pull that one off.
Sad to say, all the promise surrounding Omar looks to be going up in smoke. He’s well on track to being another in a long line of failed Mets GMs
Maybe the Mets should hire Walt Jockketty as a special consultant or something to put some heat on Omar and to take over from him. Hey, it’s good enough for Willie right!
Plus we’d actually have a winner, something this organization knows zero about
Well, I think most hitting coaches would look good if they were given these guys in their primes:
He has worked with three AL MVPs: Juan Gonzalez (who won it twice), Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez”
I think even rick Down might have gotten decent production out of them!
You can always poke holes in a guy’s resume. No one is bullet proof. Right guy in the right situation looks like a genius.
Mazzone is a genius because he had Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine.
Peterson is a genius because he had Zito, Mulder, & Hudson
I guess Rube Walker must have been a real genius (Seaver, Koosman, Matlack)
HoJo is a Met. The hitters improved. Rudy is only the answer if you want to have a guy on hand to replace Willie when he faulters. Not a good scenario, as much as I dislike Willie’s style.
The answer is starting pitching. 2 guys who can throw 200 IP in 2008, plus Pedro, Maine & Ollie. I’ll trade 2 guys who are under control for 5-6 years but aren’t seasoned for 1 guy who has 2-3 years left but has matured to Inning eater status.
Danny Haren or Joe Blanton. Anyone who would rather go with the inexperienced pitching we have at AAA rather than one of these two (especially Haren) is absolutely nuts and deluded by … I don’t know what, it can’t be anything we’ve even seen out of the likes of Pelfrey, Humber, Mulvey, Guerra, ect.
And sadly for these reasons, Beane will never make a trade like this with the mets. Because we simply do not have the chips to do it.
But I agree whole-heartedly, we got to eat our vegetables here and either trade the young’uns for an under 30 innings eater we can control for another 2 years or so, or we have just throw a bunch of rookies out there and hope for the best. While the stories of Colorado and Arizona are nice baseball ones, I think trying to emulate that system in New York when there’s a wealth of resources at our disposable is just crazy talk (nor do I think our prospects are half as good as what Colorado and ‘Zona have).
When Jaramillo arrives at Shea, Willie Randolph (or as I like to call him “Little Joe”) may as well pack up his office and see if the Skankees need a 3rd base coach….
Show the man the money. I want him at Shea next season.
This is a joke. First of all neither willie nor omar get fired for the collapse of the team. Now omar wants to bring in one of his buddies to move hojo an ex-met out of the hitting coach role and to undermine willie. the more of these things I hear about omar lowers my opinion of him. He is appearing to be very unprofessional. If he decided to bring willie back, then he has to let willie pick his coaches. Omar is a classic underminer..frankly I am amazed that the wilpon’s will let this guy do whatever he wants. After the greatest collapse in baseball history I don’t want to hear about omar’s autonomy. He doesn’t deserve any autonomy. It looks like we’re in for more of the same garbage in ‘08……