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Mets Name Kevin Long New Hitting Coach

By Brandon C. Williams

Apr 17, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees batting coach Kevin Long (54) works out prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 17, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees batting coach Kevin Long (54) works out prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kevin Long hops from one New York team to another, as the former Yankees hitting coach was named to the same position with the Mets

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The New York Mets named Kevin Long their new hitting coach on Thursday, as he takes the reigns of an offense that finished 21st in runs scored last season.

Long had spent the past eight seasons with the New York Yankees, where he helped lead the offense to five playoff appearances and the 2009 World Series title. The team ranked second in the majors in runs scored during that span, but an aging lineup and a spat of injuries crippled the team in 2014, where they scored just 633 runs and batted only .245.

The Mets had two hitting coaches last season, as Dave Hudgens was fired by the team in midseason and was replaced by Lamar Johnson, who was let go after the season was completed. The team batted .239 overall, finishing 11th in the National League. New York hit only 125 home runs as only Lucas Duda (30), Curtis Granderson (20) and Travis d’Arnaud (13) hit more than nine round-trippers.

Long’s biggest challenge will come from having to teach the Mets a level of patience at the plate. The team had a .308 OBP last season, which ranked them 22nd in the majors; oddly enough, the Mets had a slightly better OBP than the Yankees, who finished right behind them at .307.

New York’s outfield will also pose a daunting task for Long. Only center fielder Juan Lagares hit better than .250 among the rotating doors that swung at Citi Field.

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