Ya gotta feel bad for Howard Johnson, Mets' hitting coach

If you list all the people who deserve sympathy from this Mets summer swoon, you start with their fans.

[Jay]

One can't make champagne with lemons!

[Lil Jimmy]

No one on the time has been a good hitter since Hojo became hitting coach.

And don't cite Wright - he's hitting the softest .320 I've ever seen, he doesn't hit w/ anyone on base, and his K's are huge - leading the N, I think.

Need I bring up his run production?

I'm sure Hojo will be first to go; he is white on los mets.

Clean house.
No mas los mets.
Omar must go.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Good points Jim. But, how many hr's, rbi and stolen bases did that group have? I don't seem to remember the team playing all that well when they were healthy. Except their play in the WBC.
Lil, you say that no one has been a good hitter sice Hojo became hitting coach. And, I agree. But then you say they'll fire him because he's white?

[Jerry]

Sorry, I'm not feeling sorry for HoJo. In fact, I'm placing blame squarely on his shoulders. He is not the team psychologist. He is supposed to be stressing fundamentals & correct obvious flaws in his players' swings.
Nobody is asking David Wright to carry the team. We would just like to see David get a couple of hits in a series. Maybe even a flyball with a runner on 3rd base. Or not strike out twice a game against journeyman pitchers.
Since HoJo & David decided to change Wright's swing in April, Johnson to bear the responsibility of getting successful results. Believe it or not, HoJo stated last week that he is pleased with the results od David's new hitting style. Is he kidding??
Nobody expected Wright to have only 5 HRs at the All-Star break with record-breaking strikeout pace. Even if he hits .300 this season, that's not what the Mets envisioned for Wright in '09. And the presence of Delgado, Beltran, & Reyes won't change Wright's long overswing or his confused approach at the plate.

[kat]

Jay wrote:

One can't make champagne with lemons!

. Ahhhhhhhhh but you can make lemon-aid

[RVS]

Throughout their history, from Mrs. Payton and Casey to the Wilpons and Jerry the Met farm system has failed to produce professional big-time hitters. Cleon Jones maybe, Jeffries for a brief time, Strawberry certainly and until this abominable year, Wright. Anyone else in 47 years?
They used to produce pitchers but sadly the system has failed in the last few years to even do that.
Rather than indict Johnson why not put the blame on those who hire the scouting and teaching staff--The "Genius" and his right hand man Tony B.

[NYMets]

A .249 lifetime batting average with strike out after strike out... that was Howard Johnson. That makes him a certified batting instructor!!!... No wonder David Wright is striking out a lot this year... he's only following in the master's footsteps.

[waytogo]

the entire team stinks...minaya, manuel, wright, hojo, and on, and on, and on.......but...they still make tons of money for stinking up the ballpark, and that is the real shame....

[skoonix]

HoJo had some good years with the Mets but not as a batting coach - maybe he doesn't have what it takes - because NOW is when you need the batting coach to step up and fiure out how to get some of these subs to start HITTING because in the last two days Livan H. and Nieve got hits and they are PITCHERS!!!