Bob Geren hired as Mets' bench coach

ST. LOUIS -- The revolving door between Flushing and the Bay Area keeps spinning, as the Mets announced the hiring of former A's manager Bob Geren as bench coach on Friday.

Geren interviewed Thursday, a day after Jim Riggleman, and his selection suggests the front office overruled the Dodgers connection between Riggleman and Terry Collins. The only vacancy left on Collins' staff is first base/outfield coach, the job previously held by Mookie Wilson, and that is expected to be filled early next week.

"Bob Geren's experience as a former manager and bench coach will be a great fit for us," Collins said. "Adding a former major league catcher like Bob to our staff will be ideal."

Since former A's general manager Sandy Alderson was hired a year ago, the Mets have seen former scout Bob Melvin leave for Oakland, where he was named Geren's replacement in June. Former third-base coach Chip Hale left Collins' staff earlier this month to sign a two-year deal to be Melvin's bench coach, a move that set off a chain reaction of changes for the Mets.

Geren, 50, spent 4½ seasons as the A's manager, with his best season coming last year, when they finished 81-81. He was fired after a 27-36 start this season, but Geren had been in the A's organization since 1999, starting as a Class A manager before working his way up to the coaching staff. Geren also was a bench coach for Ken Macha during the 2006 season before succeeding him as manager the following season.

Gee on Taiwan tripDillon Gee, along with Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson, will travel to Taiwan next month as part of an MLB All-Star team's barnstorming tour against the Taipei national team. The five-game series will run from Nov. 1-6 at three different stops: New Taipei City, Taichung and Kaohsiung.