The coaching assignments...

Now that the Mets (notice I did not write Jerry Manuel) have picked their coaches, and assigned them, I am wondering what reasoning went behind the decisions.

Dan Warthen, is the new pitching coach, having served in that function, with 3 major league teams, and was most recently the Mets' AAA pitching coach. That decision makes sense.

Luis Aguayo was a minor league development guy.

Ken Oberkfell was the Mets' AAA manager, and as Matt Yallof, of SNY, said yesterday, Oberkfell won the Louisiana manager of the year award, beating out professional managers in the NBA and NFL, as well as a minor league manager of the year.

Sandy Alomar Sr. was Randolph's original bench coach, and, in my opinion, was horrible at it, eventually being replaced by a former AL manager of the year, Jerry Manuel. Sandy was most recently Randolph's 3rd base coach, and was widely criticized, for numerous decisions, with many sportswriters wondering why Alomar retained his job.

Therefore, reward someone who is widely criticized, and openly questioned, with the 2nd most important on the field position, the bench coach. Alomar becomes Jerry Manuel's back-up, if Manuel is thrown out of a game, or if Manuel decides to leave the bench during a game, to change the diaper of his starting shortstop, who was having a tantrum in the Met clubhouse, after being removed from last night's game, after reporting tightness in one of his hamstrings. Brilliant move to make Alomar the bench coach. He failed at the position once, and was lucky to retain his job, so let's make him the second in command.

The first time Alomar was replaced as bench coach, he was replaced by a "manager of the year" in Manuel. You just promoted a "manager of the year" in Oberkfell. Why isn't he the bench coach ?

The next choices are first-base coach, and third-base coach. Which is more important ? Third base. In many major and minor league games, I have seen the field manager sometimes function as the third base coach. Decisions are made by the third base coach that affect the determining factor within every game, the ability to score runs. Your choices are a "manager of the year" within your own organization, or, Luis Aguayo. Oberkfell, should be the bench coach, but, isn't. At least, he could have been made the 3rd base coach, but wasn't. That went to Aguayo. Why ?

The first base coach is the least important of the available positions. Just think of how many people have asked, "Why was Tom Nieto fired ? (He was a former Yankee catching instructor, and one of Willie's guys, who was originally hired by the Mets, as a catching instructor) What does the first base coach do, besides receive the shin guards from the hitter who just walked or singled, and is now standing on first base ? What could Nieto have done to get fired ? So, give the job with the least responsibility to your AAA manager, a former AAA and Louisiana manager of the year ? Why ?

Looks like the Mets are making one baffling decision after another this week ? Will they ever learn ?