New Washington Nationals hitting coach Kevin Long is credited with recreating Daniel Murphy from a high-average, low-power middle infielder into one of the scariest hitters in the National League while the two were still in New York.
But after Murphy departed, he left behind a Big Apple-sized hole in New York. So, when Long had a chance to come to D.C. this offseason, even as a lateral move, he jumped at the chance to do so.
What makes Long and Murphy different is the credit that Murphy gave Long all along the way. He was an overnight success story, of sorts, breaking into the national media spotlight during the Mets' improbable run in the 2015 MLB Postseason.
He walloped the Mets to the World Series, claiming NLCS MVP honors along the way. While baseball clamored to learn more about Murphy, he was all too willing to talk about Long's influence that literally changed his swing in one offseason.
“[Long] really helped me to play as much as I could to one of my biggest strengths, I think, which is I don’t swing and miss a lot,” Murphy said of Long in 2015. “So, if I can get a good pitch to hit, there is a good chance I should be able to hit it hard.”
For Long, the feelings are all mutual. Now that he's reunited with Murphy in D.C., the two are reunited and it feels so good.
"It’s maximizing potential," Long said of Murphy in 2016. "We knew what Daniel Murphy was, but was there more in there? We thought he had more to give, and we’re seeing it.
"He’s great at taking in information and applying it. He processes information probably as well as any hitter I’ve ever had."