
After the
game, in a heated meeting Mets manager Bobby Valentine & club GM Steve Phillips
vented their disagreements. Next to the shock of Bobby Valentine, three of his
coaches were let go.

Valentine had once even insisted Apodaca get signed to a deal in order for him to sign. But at this point in 1999, the staff ERA was at 4.84 & every starter had a personal ERA over five.
Apodaca commented: “All I know is that over the past three years I have been prepared for
every game and the pitchers have been prepared for every game. All I can say is
if I’m responsible for Al Leiter’s knee, for Bobby Jones’ shoulder, for Rick Reed
being on the DL, then I’ve got to go.”
Phillips on the other hand, said he didn’t
like the way he was handling the staff. He stated that one pitcher went as far
as telling him; if Apodaca was fired no one would complain.
Phillips
said: “We needed to make changes with the people who had the most immediate
contact and responsibility with those departments. There are some areas where
we succeeding but not finishing the job. Other areas, like pitching, we just
aren't getting the job done."
Also getting
the axe was hitting Coach Tom Robson, who had been with Valentine since his
first managerial job back in 1986 with the Texas Rangers.
The Mets were eighth
in runs scored but were leading the league in on base %. Strangely Robson would
be back in 2000 as hitting coach, as the Mets won the pennant. Bullpen coach
Randy Niemann was also let go, although the bullpen had been the best spot of
the team up to that point.
Bobby
Valentine was furious at the actions taken upon his staff. Phillips stated that
the organization had no intentions of firing Valentine & he was their guy.
Valentine did not step down & would take the team to two straight playoff
appearances, including an NL pennant in 2000. 
Dave Wallace
was named the new pitching coach, Mickey Brantley the new hitting coach &
Al Jackson the new bullpen coach. Other coaches who were not touched were first
base coach Mookie Wilson, third base coach Cookie Rojas & bench Coach Bruce
Benedict.
The next
night, the Mets broke their losing streak on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. They
beat the AL New York team & Roger Clemmens, breaking a personal winning
streak of his own. They knocked him off the mound by the third inning after he
had given up seven runs, including a two run Mike Piazza HR.
The Mets went on to win 40 of the next 55 games & tie for a wild card spot. They beat the Reds in that game, then beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, but lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games of the NLCS.
The Mets went on to win 40 of the next 55 games & tie for a wild card spot. They beat the Reds in that game, then beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS, but lost to the Atlanta Braves in six games of the NLCS.
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