News: Nieto officially 1st-Base Coach
As Marty Noble alluded to last week at MLB.com, the Mets officially named Tom Nieto as the team’s first base coach today.
Willie Randolph, on Nieto’s new position…
“Tom is a knowledgeable baseball man and I know he will do a great job for us…
“He has experience on the bases and we will have the added bonus of having him the dugout between innings so he can interact with the players more, especially our catchers Brian Schneider and Ramon Castro.”
Nieto, on his new position…
“I am looking forward to the change. Every year I managed in the minors I coached third, so being on the bases is nothing new. Also being on the bench will help me assist the catchers with the game management.
“I think it is going to be an ideal situation.”
In an interview with WFAN at the end of last season, Mets GM Omar Minaya noted that Nieto had done a ‘great job’ as the team’s catching instructor, while also pointing out that he was initially invited to the organization by Randolph.
