Long wasn't out of a job for ... an extended period of time.
The New York Mets hired Kevin Long as their new hitting coach, the team announced on Thursday.
Long previously served as hitting coach for the New York Yankees from 2007 until he was fired on Oct. 11 of this year. The 47-year-old Arizona native takes the place of interim hitting coach Lamar Johnson, who has been reassigned to a minor league role. Johnson took over in May for Dave Hudgens, who was let go after a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Under Long in 2014, the Yankees finished with collective OPS+ of 94 and ranked in the bottom five of the American League in most offensive categories. Still, the Yankees performed slightly better than the Mets, who ended the season with a 93 OPS+.
"Kevin's experience, success and wealth of knowledge make him the perfect fit as our hitting instructor," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said in a press release. "This is a very positive step for the Mets."
Long takes over an offense that includes a 30-home run hitter in Lucas Duda and capable veterans David Wright and Curtis Granderson, but not one player on the club finished with an on-base percentage of .350 or better.