Mets Hire Cliff Floyd As 1B Coach

With Bob Geren being named Terry Collins' bench coach to for the 2012 season, the Mets are still in need of a 1B coach.

Wally Backman should have been a solid consideration for that position (bench coach), but the more we progress under the Sandy Alderson dictatorship, the more I realize that Backman being among the finalists for the Mets manager's position last year was nothing but a stunt to placate the Mets fan base. Bad idea Elvis. This isn't San Diego or Oakland (although with the hiring of Geren, Ricciardi, and DePodesta, it certainly makes one wonder) - the fans are much smarter than that. I believe that with the hiring of Geren it will surely mark the end of Wally Backman's employment with the Mets.

Backman doesn't fit well as a 1B coach for the Mets, nor has he been considered by the Mets. Tim Teufel, the newly appointed Mets 3B coach will be the infield coach as well. Backman doesn't have experience as an outfield coach, so that doesn't make him a likely candidate.

Longislandmetfan and I were discussing our disappointment thus far this off-season, and we were kicking around ideas for a Mets 1B coach. At first I was thinking Edgardo Alfonzo, who was a very intelligent ball player who had an outstanding report with teammates, and I believe would make a good coach/manager one day, but he too wasn't an outfielder.

I started thinking about outfielders the Mets have had, and there it was: Cornelius Clifford Floyd! Cliff Floyd was a popular player with teammates and many fans. Although not a Gold Glove leftfielder, Floyd was a very solid outfielder. He developed a relationship with younger players while with the Mets. Remember how he took David Wright under his wing? Wright was crushed when Floyd left the Mets at the end of the 2006 season.



Floyd was a stand-up guy; would be the first to take responsibility for his actions - not running out a batted ball, vapor lock, a bad base-running play, etc.

Having a former Mets player standing in the coaching box at 1B would be a nice start. Not that every former Mets player should be a coach or manager, but the Mets have developed and acquired some very talented players over the last 50 years, and there are some who would be of great service to the team in a coaching/managing role.

The relationships Floyd developed with teammates during his 4 years with the Mets could prove to be a positive influence on players. Maybe he could pull his friend Nuke aside, smack him in the head, and tell him to stop worrying about the dimensions of GHMP.

Floyd could also be a positive influence with Mets ownership. The Wilpon's are always very conscious of public perception, and deeply believe in causes, could use Cliff as a spokesperson. Is there another organization out there that shows the amount of respect for men and women in the service? NO!

With Floyd's experience and life with kidney disease, he could be the front man for Public Service Announcements and gathering players to attend hospitals, schools, and organizational functions, as well as telling people to see their doctor regularly.

The former Mets LF battled injuries during his playing career and developed kidney disease later in his playing career, the same disease that took the life of his father back in 2007.

With such a resume, Floyd would prove to be an interesting choice for the 1B coaching position for the Mets. In the eyes of the Wilpon's he could also prove to be a positive influence in "Good Causes" venue.

Although the title is deceiving, is it really a bad idea?