Eric

Chavez

Gibbons is on the way out, but he won’t be alone. Passan notes that pitching coach Jeremy Hefner along with hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes have also been given their walking papers. It’s not surprising to see the Mets cleaning house after their collapse, and Carlos Mendoza — assuming he’s back — will have a tremendous amount of pressure to make up for not making the postseason in 2025.

It looks like Chavez is now all the way back from his hand injury. When he first returned, his power stroke was lacking.

Chavez is hitting .088 against lefties this season. What’s more, he and Miguel Tejada have combined to hit .198 with runners in scoring position. Manager Ken Macha has no plans to platoon Chavez, or even pinch-hit for him against left-handers. But he might move Chavez down in the order against southpaws.

A rather odd mix of teams. The terms of Chavez’s $66 million payout have also been revealed. He gets a $3 million signing bonus, payable in $500,000 installments each Nov. 16 from 2004 through 2009, $8 million in 2005, $9 million each in 2006 and 2007, $11 million each in 2008 and 2009 and $12 million in 2010. The A’s have a $12.5 million option for 2011 with a $3 million buyout.

“I think history would probably tell us that if we’re going to keep Eric, we’ll have to be pre-emptive with it,” GM Billy Beane said. “It’s probably something we’d need to talk about before spring training. And to be truthful, we have already talked about it.”

“We are not going to negotiate in the season,” Stewart said. “It’s time to play baseball and time to concentrate on what he has to do. You don’t need the distraction in the clubhouse and you don’t need the distraction as a player.” Chavez indicated earlier this week that a deal appeared to be within reach, and the San Francisco Chronicle suggests that a five-year deal worth between $50 million and $60 million could be agreed to next week.

GM Billy Beane and agent Dave Stewart have stepped up the negotiations over the last week. “All I’ve heard is that everything has been really positive,” Chavez said Tuesday. “I want to get it done, Billy wants to get it done, and it sounds like the owners want to get it done.” Chavez will probably be offered around $10 million-$11 million per season for four or five years.

Chavez will be X-rayed weekly as he accompanies the A’s on the on the road since he is able to participate in some pregame workouts.

The A’s medical staff is hoping to see that callus has formed around the broken bone. If that is the case, Chavez can start gripping a bat.

He remains on pace to return after the All-Star break.