The Mets gave Jerry Manuel a minor vote of confidence on the eve of free agency this week by letting him hire longtime friend Dave Jauss as bench coach.
Jauss, whose relationship with Manuel dates to their time in the Expos’ system in the early 1990s, was tabbed over Bob Melvin and Eric Wedge. Jauss replaces the fired Sandy Alomar Sr.
The selection of Jauss, 52, is significant because Melvin and Wedge were both recent major-league managers and could have stepped in should Manuel -– who is in the final year of his contract –- get off to a slow start. Jauss, a former bench coach of the Dodgers and Orioles, has never been a big-league manager.
Although there has yet to be a formal announcement by the Mets, Jauss’ addition means Manuel’s staff appears set. Chip Hale is expected to coach third base, with Razor Shines -– the person Hale is replacing — the likely choice to coach first base.
The Mets already announced that Shines, hitting coach Howard Johnson, pitching coach Dan Warthen and bullpen coach Randy Niemann are returning.