NEW YORK, NY — Player additions and departures occur each offseason with key decisions made by front offices across Major League Baseball, and the same goes for managers and those on the coaching staff.
The departure of a first base coach normally does not create much interest outside of hardcore fans of a baseball team. That has not been the case, however, with Antoan Richardson, who is said to be leaving the Mets because he feels he is not being compensated properly. His contract expired last Friday.
Richardson was one of the few coaches to survive the purge of coaches ordered by Mets President of Baseball Operations, David Stearns, a few days after the disappointing 2025 season ended.
Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
His survival was not happenstance. Juan Soto credited Richardson for improving his base stealing skills. 2025 marked the first time Soto stole over 30 bases in a season. Richardson had similar luck with other Mets baserunners.
It should be noted the stolen base had rarely been an important part of the Mets offense since José Reyes was in his prime.
Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Aside from stolen bases, Richardson was adept at informing Mets runners about which opposing teams’ outfielders they could go from first to third base on a base hit versus which ones they should not take that gamble, as he was a walking encyclopedia on the throwing strength and accuracy of those fielders.
The biggest problem with the Mets’ offense all season long was their inability to hit with runners in scoring position. That chronic abysmal showing should not be held against Antoan unless you are angry at him for helping to get those runners into scoring position in the first place.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza clearly wants Richardson to remain on his staff.
Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports
Unfortunately, he does not have much leverage to get a favor from either Stearns or Mets CEO Steve Cohen after the team failed to make the playoffs after falling apart for the last 3 ½ months of the season.
Mendoza’s predecessor, Buck Showalter, made a surprising statement on the “First Time Listener, Long Time Caller” podcast hosted by Newsday Mets beat writer Laura Albanese and actor Cole Critchell last week. “Most coaches who are working in a costly big market like New York, are losing money. They could make more coaching at many universities.” Buck always knows what he speaks.
This is a case of Mets management being penny-wise and pound-foolish. Unless Richardson already informed the Mets he agreed to move to a rival team, it would make sense for Steve Cohen, who obviously has financial resources and has not been shy about using them, to up the ante.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The failure to do so sends a bad message to both players and fans.
No talks on new SNY deal for Keith Hernandez
Mets fans are hoping things go smoother in the contract negotiations between SNY and legendary Mets first baseman and popular broadcaster Keith Hernandez, on a new three-year deal. Hernandez said last week that his agent and SNY management had not yet begun talks.
John Flaherty no longer a part of Yankees’ YES broadcasting team
Rockland County native John Flaherty had been part of the Yankees YES broadcasting team as long as Keith Hernandez has been with SNY calling Mets games. He broke the news on social media that YES would not be offering him a contract for 2026. This is unwelcome news for all baseball fans because Flaherty, a longtime major league catcher, provided excellent analysis in a clear and impartial manner.
Image Credit: Maz Adams/Latino Sports
He also proved he could be adept at play-by-play when he was needed for that role. Also receiving pink slips from YES were part-time analysts Jeff Nelson, and Bayside native Dave Valle.
Red Bulls part ways with head coach Sandro Schwarz
Also losing his job last week was New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz. It was a case of “What have you done for me lately?” Schwarz’s Red Bulls made it all the way to the 2024 Major League Soccer championship game where they lost by a score of 2-1 to the Los Angeles Galaxy. There were no Cinderella stories for the Red Bulls in 2025 as they finished in tenth place in the Eastern Conference and missed the playoffs.
“Off the Record with Andrew Marchand” wherever you get your podcasts
Andrew Marchand, the sports media columnist for The Athletic, has a popular podcast called “Off the Record with Andrew Marchand.” He gets the biggest names in the business side of sports to sit down with him and engage in candid conversation.
Last Tuesday TKO Sports CEO Mark Shapiro, whose company owns the UFC, WWE, and has recently launched a boxing promotion, was Marchand’s guest. He was asked about how the UFC was able to land a staggering $7.7 billion, seven-year deal with CBS and Paramount Plus.
Image Credit: Off the Record with Andrew Marchand
“You need competing buyers, of course, but you also need luck and timing. Our previous partner, ESPN, wanted our business because they were starting a streaming service (ESPN Plus), and they knew UFC helped generate subscriptions. The new ownership of CBS and Paramount Plus wanted to make a splash and our rights were available,” Shapiro said.
Landon Donovan, Ashley Harris and Linda Lee honored at Annual Gala for the New York chapter of NAMI
The annual gala for the New York chapter of NAMI, a nonprofit which promotes the improvement of mental health through its phone helpline, as well as serving as a resource clearinghouse for issues including depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and the occasional bouts of the blues everyone experiences, occurred last Tuesday. The honorees included retired soccer stars Landon Donovan and Ashlyn Harris, as well as Oakland Garden City Council member Linda Lee. Former Channel 11 sports anchor Andy Adler was the emcee.
The NYC Marathon: A golden opportunity for all involved
The New York City Marathon is the second-biggest annual sporting event to the New York City economy. The US Open in Flushing Meadows Park gets the top spot, although it should be noted that it is a three-week event compared with the one-day NYC Marathon. New York Road Runners CEO Rob Simmelkjaer said the race generates approximately $730 million on CNBC last Friday.
Image Credit: New York Road Runners
While the New York City Marathon is the NYRR’s Super Bowl, the running organization organizes road races throughout the five boroughs during the year. Rob Simmelkjaer told me Friday he would like to see the New York Road Runners have a half-marathon race through the streets of Queens soon.
The NYC Marathon is also a golden marketing opportunity for a wide array of businesses as the Marathon Expo held at Javits Center proved yet again.
Marathon Expo at the Javits Center
Running is the one sport where the smaller companies are on an equal footing (no pun intended) as the behemoths like New Balance, Nike, and Adidas. Sales were brisk for both Hoka, which was touting both its newest running shoe, the Rocket X3 and its widespread use walking shoe, the Bondi 9, while Altra Footwear was promoting its FWD Via 2. Both Hoka and Altra design their performance shoes to have thick soles and foam cushion heels to absorb the impact of feet hitting the ground. Altra’s shoes have a wider toe box for additional comfort.
A surprising shoe exhibitor at the Marathon Expo was Birkenstock, a company whose sandals most people associate with the Woodstock flower-power hippie era. No, Birkenstock has not entered the running shoe business. A Birkenstock executive told me they are touting their classic sandals as the best recovery shoe for athletes after a marathon or just a long run on a treadmill.
Image Credit: New York Road Runners
A new baseball-style cap company out of Jacksonville named Alter Ego was at the expo. In an industry dominated by New Era, Mitchell & Ness, and 47, Alter Ego is trying to get its foot in the door without signing expensive licensing deals with the major sports leagues. Since running marathons is a sport without such a league, this was a smart move.
Non-apparel companies were also plentiful at the Marathon Expo.
Aveeno and Dove Men + Care promoting products at Marathon Expo
Skin care companies saw Sunday’s event as a natural fit. Aveeno touted its line of ointments and lotions for healing dry cracked and/or irritated skin, while Dove Men + Care was promoting its whole-body deodorants so that runners still smelled good post-race to their friends and family.
Lifeway vs. Yakult
Forget the Pepsi vs. Coke cola wars. A far more offbeat niche beverage competition took place on the Javits floor as the leaders in the probiotic drink field, Lifeway and Yakult, were giving out kefir samples to all attendees.
United Airlines returning to JFK in a big way in 2027?
United Airlines has long been the official airline sponsor of the NYC Marathon. For years, I thought this was a bit hypocritical as they had pulled out of JFK and only kept a minimal presence at LaGuardia. Following United’s merger with Continental Airlines in 2010, Newark Airport became United’s largest hub.
Image Credit: United Airlines
A United spokesperson at the expo told me United will be returning to JFK in a big way in 2027 as it will be sharing gates with Queens’ hometown airline, JetBlue. It will also partner with JetBlue on a frequent flyer miles program.
The annual New York Comedy Festival set to take place Friday, November 7th-Sunday, November 16th
The annual New York Comedy Festival will take place starting this Friday, November 7 and will run through Sunday, November 16. Among the bigger names who will be doing standup sets are Margaret Cho, Alex Edelman, Richard Kind, and Pete Holmes. The cast of NBC’s sitcom “St. Denis Medical” will host a screening and panel at Manhattan’s Hard Rock Hotel on Saturday afternoon, November 15.
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
