Happy Days! Fonzie To Coach In Mets Minor Leagues

Edgardo Alfonzo, arguably the best second baseman in Mets history, and in my opinion one of the smartest ball players this team has ever had, has been hired to be a coach in the Mets minor league system.

Fonzie, who played with the Mets from 1995 - 2002, was used in many capacities while with the Mets. He was a SS in the minor leagues until Mets signed Cuban defector Rey Ordonez. Once with the parent club, Alfonzo switched between 3B and 2B, never complaining and always playing well defensively.

His Mets statistics are impressive, batting .292, knocking in 538 runs, clubbing 120 HR's and hitting 212 doubles in 8 years.

I always felt Alfonzo was an intelligent player who you never saw make a "dumb" play. He positioned himself well in the field, as proven in 1999 when he committed only 5 errors in 712 chances (.993) and being a member of one of the greatest infields in Major League history (Ventura 3B - Gold Glove, Ordonez SS - Gold Glove, Alfonzo 2B, and Olerud 1B).

As reported by Adam Rubin, Alfonzo will

"likely will work as a roving instructor."

I have always stated that Alfonzo would make a great coach. He was a quiet leader on the solid Mets teams of the late 1990's and early 2000's . As I stated from an earlier post in 2009:

"I have always stated that Alfonzo would make an outstanding coach someday. He would be able to help not only the Latin players, but all players..."

and from 2008:

"This player was the most selfless player I can remember, showed shades of brilliance, power, versatility, and was the classiest individual on a talented team. The classiest Met I have ever had the pleasure of watching, day in and day out - Edgardo Antonio Alfonzo.'

'That all being said, Alfonzo was, other than Keith Hernandez and Rusty Staub, the smartest ball player to have worn a Met uniform. I never witnessed him make a "dumb" mistake. He always knew what to do in any given situation.' 

 Given the opportunity, I can see Alfonzo possibly managing in the minor league level before working his way up the ladder to hopefully one day be coaching (or managing) the team in Flushing.

Happy Days for Mets fans, Fonzie's back.