The New York Mets have completed perhaps the most important hire for new manager Mickey Callaway’s coaching staff. The post of pitching coach was always going to be crucial with Callaway’s background as a former pitching coach, and the Mets are set to fill it with one of the most respected men in the business. Former Kansas City Royals’ pitching coach Dave Eiland is set to fill the same role for the Mets, Newsday’s Marc Carig reports. Eiland, 51, will come to Queens after spending the last seven years as Kansas City’s pitching coach. Prior to his stint with the Royals, Eiland served as the pitching coach for the Yankees, and has coached for World Series winners in 2009 and 2015.
There is a connection between Eiland and Callaway, who were teammates in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ organization. This hire is a strong one for the Mets, who were able to replace Dan Warthen with a highly qualified pitching coach. Eiland also offers a ton of big league coaching experience, which should help Callaway as a first time manager. The next biggest decision appears to be the bench coach, which hasn’t seen many rumored candidates emerge yet.
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