Mets' Hitting Coach Search Already on Verge of Disaster After John Mallee Update

The New York Mets received brutal news in their search for a new hitting coach on Monday, as prized candidate John Mallee withdrew from consideration, according to ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

New York has been seeking a new hitting coach after relieving director of hitting Jeff Albert of his duties after just one season.

Malle, 57, had emerged as an intriguing candidate in recent days, and for good reason. He currently serves as an assistant hitting coach for the Chicago Cubs, an offense that led baseball in both OPS (.767) and runs scored (850) last season. Mallee has garnered significant attention due to his close work with Pete Crow-Armstrong, who has developed into one of baseball's brightest young stars.

To make matters worse for New York, another reported candidate, Kevin Long, is also no longer in consideration, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Long, 59, previously served as the Mets' hitting coach for three seasons, including their run to the 2015 World Series. Since then, he has worked with New York's division rivals, the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies, strengthening his growing reputation.

With both candidates now out of consideration, the Mets' search for a new hitting coach is left without many obvious fits. That's particularly concerning given that New York ranked in the bottom 10 in several major offensive categories last season, including on-base percentage (.310), slugging percentage (.396), and runs scored (699).

Mets' hitting coach search raises bigger organizational concerns

The Mets' struggles to attract outside personnel have seemingly become a recurring theme in recent years, raising questions about how the organization is perceived throughout baseball.

Those concerns were further reinforced in a recent report from Pat Ragazzo of FanSided, who cited a league source saying, "The problem the Mets face is that candidates are more interviewing them than the other way around. The industry feels like going to the Mets can set your career back."

Having such a reputation is the last thing any organization wants. It's a perception that Mets owner Steve Cohen is well aware of.

Back in July, as the Mets' season was falling apart, Cohen repeatedly faced questions about whether David Stearns' job was in jeopardy. Despite mounting pressure, Cohen reaffirmed his commitment to Stearns, emphasizing the importance of organizational stability.

"I feel really strongly that if we're going to burn and churn, that's a terrible place to be. And every time you burn and churn, guess what the next time nobody wants to come. Is someone going to put their career in your hands if you're going to be short-term oriented?" Cohen said.

However, despite retaining Stearns, other baseball personnel remain hesitant to accept roles with the Mets out of fear that their reputation will be tarnished. Few people in baseball would willingly join an organization where their job security could come into question after just one disappointing season.

The Mets, of course, face more pressure than most other teams playing in a big market like New York. That pressure, combined with their continued lack of success, has quickly led to frequent personnel changes, creating a cycle of instability within the organization.

Because of this, there's no way for the Mets to fix this self-inflicted problem other than creating a new culture where coaches and other personnel feel comfortable working.

One selling point Cohen and Stearns could emphasize to future candidates is that although there is pressure to win, the organization is committed to putting its personnel in positions to succeed rather than fail.

The Mets already have a talented core of hitters in Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Bo Bichette, and Carson Benge, which could make the job of an incoming hitting coach considerably easier.

Sometimes fans forget that for as much pressure as there is on players to succeed, there's nearly as much pressure on the coaching staff. The Mets need to create a new environment where coaches view joining the organization as an opportunity for success, and not a risk to their careers.

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