Fansided

Here’s why Mets fired hitting coach Chili Davis

By Kristen Wong

PORT ST LUCIE, FL - MARCH 4: Hitting coach Chili Davis #54 talks to Dominic Smith #2 of the New York Mets after he took batting practice prior to the spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Clover Park on March 4, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Cardinals 4-1. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
PORT ST LUCIE, FL - MARCH 4: Hitting coach Chili Davis #54 talks to Dominic Smith #2 of the New York Mets after he took batting practice prior to the spring training game against the St Louis Cardinals at Clover Park on March 4, 2020 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The Mets defeated the Cardinals 4-1. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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The New York Mets sacked two hitting coaches after a 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, but apparently, it was a long time coming.

New York’s favorite lovable losers continued to, well, lose against the Cardinals on Monday night. Afterward, the administration announced a change: they were firing hitting coach Chili Davis and assistant hitting coach Tom Slater. A pair of younger coaches, Hugh Quattlebaum and Kevin Howard have been named as their replacements.

It wasn’t the loss that triggered the sackings, necessarily. Davis’ and Slater’s fates were in the cards for a while now according to Joel Sherman from the New York Post:

Now, there are two people Sherman references, one who is very much real and one who is possibly….imaginary. The first is Mets’ team president Sandy Alderson, who has been under fire before for making some controversial decisions about the roster.

The second, and arguably much more interesting, is the quoted “Donnie,” first name-dropped in a recent press conference. After Saturday’s close win against the Philadelphia Phillies, slugger Pete Alonso told reporters, “We just made a nice new hire, Donnie. He’s nice. He’s a great hitting/ approach coach. Donnie’s been great helping the team.” Alonso couldn’t remember Donnie’s last name off the top of his head, and finally came up with “Stevenson.”

The New York Mets had plans to fire their hitting coaches a week ago

A quick google of “Donnie Stevenson” reveals no profile or photos, and there isn’t anything substantial that connects this mystery coach to the team or even validates his existence. It seems like a real “Bunbury” situation (Oscar Wilde, anyone?) and the whole thing feels like an elaborate ploy.

As Sherman confirms, the Mets decision to fire their hitting coaches came well before the “Donnie” business, but it certainly has Met fans talking.

And maybe it’s even gotten fans to forget, briefly, about Francisco Lindor’s pitiful numbers so far: their new, shiny 300-million-dollar shortstop is batting 0.163 and is hitless in his last 22 at-bats. Lindor’s toothless performances along with the Mets’ continual offensive woes (their average 3.30 runs per game ranks 29th in the league) didn’t help David and Slater’s keep their jobs. Now, with a pair of young and gritty hires and the ever-so-elusive enigma of “Donnie,” what could go wrong?

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