Hensley Meulens

{{Short description|Curaçaoan baseball player & coach (born 1967)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Hensley Meulens

|image=Hensley Meulens 2011.jpg

|caption=Meulens in 2011

|team=

|position=Outfielder / Coach

|number=

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1967|6|23}}

|birth_place=Willemstad, Curaçao

|death_date=

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 23

|debutyear=1989

|debutteam=New York Yankees

|debut2league = NPB

|debut2date=April 9

|debut2year=1994

|debut2team=Chiba Lotte Marines

|debut3league = KBO

|debut3date=

|debut3year=2000

|debut3team=SK Wyverns

|final2league = MLB

|final2date=May 14

|final2year=1998

|final2team=Arizona Diamondbacks

|finalleague = NPB

|finaldate=October 2

|finalyear=1996

|finalteam=Yakult Swallows

|final3league = KBO

|final3date=

|final3year=2000

|final3team=SK Wyverns

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.220

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=15

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=53

|stat2league = NPB

|stat21label=Batting average

|stat21value=.246

|stat22label=Home runs

|stat22value=77

|stat23label=Runs batted in

|stat23value=216

|stat3league = KBO

|stat31label=Batting average

|stat31value=.196

|stat32label=Home runs

|stat32value=1

|stat33label=Runs batted in

|stat33value=3

|teams=

;As player

New York Yankees ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1993}})
Chiba Lotte Marines ({{npby|1994}})
Yakult Swallows ({{npby|1995}}–{{npby|1996}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1997}})
Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|1998}})
SK Wyverns ({{baseball year|2000}})

;As coach

San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2010}}–{{mlby|2019}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|2020}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|2022}})
Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|2023}}–{{mlby|2025}})

|highlights=

3× World Series champion ({{wsy|2010}}, {{wsy|2012}}, {{wsy|2014}})
Japan Series champion (1995)

}}

Hensley Filemon Acasio Meulens ({{IPA|pap|ˈhɛnsli ˈmʏiləns|Papiamento pronunciation:}}; born June 23, 1967), nicknamed "Bam Bam", is a Curaçaoan professional baseball coach and retired player. He most recently was the hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB).{{cite web | url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/11/rockies-hire-hensley-meulens-warren-schaeffer-to-coaching-staff.html | title=Rockies Hire Hensley Meulens, Warren Schaeffer to Coaching Staff | date=November 7, 2022 }} Meulens was also the longtime manager of the Netherlands national baseball team, from 2013 to 2023.{{cite web |last1=Stoovelaar |first1=Marco |title=Hensley Meulens no longer Manager of Netherlands Baseball Team |url=https://catcher.home.xs4all.nl/bb23-0912-hensley-meulens-no-longer-manager-of-netherlands-baseball-team.htm |website=Grand Slam Stats & News |access-date=20 January 2025 |date=9 December 2024}}

A native of Curaçao, he played from {{Baseball year|1989}} to {{Baseball year|2000}} in MLB, Nippon Professional Baseball, and the KBO League. He was the first Curaçaoan to play in both MLB and the Dominican Professional Baseball League.{{cite news|url=https://eldia.com.do/licey-gana-importante-partido-al-escogido-y-sale-del-sotano/|title=Licey gana importante partido al Escogido y sale del sotano |trans-title=Licey wins an important match against Escogido and leaves the basement |publisher=El Día |language=Spanish |date=November 10, 2012 |access-date=August 25, 2024}}

Hitting home runs left-handed while playing softball as a teenager earned Meulens the nickname "Bam Bam" when his friends compared his power to the Flintstones cartoon character.{{cite web|url=http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1883842/bam_bam_meulens_is_grizzlies_hitting_coach|title="BAM-BAM" Meulens is Grizzlies Hitting Coach|publisher=CBS47.tv (April 13, 2009)|access-date=August 16, 2014|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923204725/http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1883842/bam_bam_meulens_is_grizzlies_hitting_coach|url-status=dead}}

Professional career

=Minor leagues=

Hensley Meulens was signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent in 1985. After struggling in his first professional season in 1986 with the Gulf Coast Yankees, Meulens made a splash in 1987 with Single-A Prince William, hitting .300 with 28 HR and 103 RBI, also being named to the Carolina League All-Star team. His hitting cooled somewhat in 1988 and 1989 as he split time between the Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees of the Eastern League and the Triple-A Columbus Clippers of the International League.

His bat rebounded in 1990 for Columbus as he helped lead the team to the 1990 International League championships (where they ultimately lost to Rochester), hitting .285 with 26 HR and 96 RBI, and was named the 1990 International League MVP. Meulens' impressive 1990 season earned him a spot on the Yankees roster in 1991,{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE7D8153BF93BA15751C0A967958260|title=Hard-Working Meulens Gets a Shot |publisher=New York Times (February 28, 1991)|last=Martinez|first=Michael|access-date=January 4, 2009 | date=February 28, 1991}} but he was back in Columbus in 1992 to help lead the Clippers to the Governors' Cup Championship.

=New York Yankees (1989–1993)=

Meulens made his major league debut with the New York Yankees on August 23, 1989. Meulens never attained a permanent spot on the New York lineup, despite spending the entire 1991 season on the Yankees roster. Averaging a strike-out every three at bats, Meulens platooned in left field with Mel Hall. He saw limited action with the Yankees in late-season call-ups in 1992 and 1993.

=Japan (1994–1996)=

In November 1993, the Yankees sold Meulens' contract to the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball,{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DD173EF934A15752C1A965958260|title=Meulens to Play in Japan|publisher=New York Times (November 27, 1993)|access-date=August 23, 2008 | date=November 27, 1993}} where he spent the 1994 season, hitting 23 home runs, driving in 69 runs, while accumulating 135 strikeouts to go with a .248 AVG. The following season, Meulens signed with the Yakult Swallows, helping lead them to the 1995 Japan Series championship after hitting 29 home runs and totaling 80 RBI. He was back again in 1996 hitting 25 homers to go with 67 RBI.

=Back to America (1997–2002)=

He returned to North America in 1997, and after an unsuccessful tryout with the Atlanta Braves,{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1997/02/26/1997-02-26_bam-bam_s_brave_world__ex-ya.html |title=BAM-BAM'S BRAVE WORLD EX-YANK PHENOM IS BACK |publisher=New York Daily News (February 26, 1997) |last=Harper |first=John |access-date=August 23, 2008 |date=February 26, 1997 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605023716/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/1997/02/26/1997-02-26_bam-bam_s_brave_world__ex-ya.html |archive-date=June 5, 2011 }}{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/032197/spo_notebook.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070811025843/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/032197/spo_notebook.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 11, 2007|title=Braves Notebook|publisher=Augusta Chronicle (March 21, 1997)|last=Zack|first=Bill|access-date=August 23, 2008 }} he reached the Majors again briefly playing with the Montreal Expos (while having a good season for the Expos' AAA affiliate Ottawa Lynx) and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Unable to secure a contract with a major league team in 1999, Meulens signed with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.{{cite web|url=http://newarkbears.com/releases/04_08_99.htm|title=NEWARK BEARS SIGN "BAM BAM"|publisher=NewarkBears.com (April 9, 1999)|access-date=September 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991002201436/http://newarkbears.com/releases/04_08_99.htm |archive-date=October 2, 1999}} He made one last stop in Asia, playing 14 games with the SK Wyverns of the KBO League, batting only .196, before heading his professional playing career to the Mexican League with the Saraperos de Saltillo in 2001 and finally retiring, in 2002, after a mid-season injury while playing with the Pericos de Puebla.

International career

Meulens represented the Netherlands at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. His 4th-inning double gave the Cuban team their first Olympic loss in 21 games.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-20-ss-24081-story.html|title=Meulens' Double Leads Netherlands to Upset of Cuba|publisher=Los Angeles Times (September 20, 2000)|access-date=August 23, 2008 | date=September 20, 2000}} Ultimately, the Netherlands took fifth place in the final standings.

Meulens also played for the Dutch team in the 2001 Baseball World Cup in Taichung, Taiwan and 2002 Intercontinental Cup in Havana, Cuba.

Coaching career

Meulens began his coaching career with the Bluefield Orioles for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. From {{Baseball year|2005}}-{{Baseball year|2008}}, he was the hitting coach of the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates,{{cite web|url=http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/roster/page.jsp?ymd=20050902&content_id=24686&vkey=roster_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|title=Indianapolis Indians Roster - 2008 Field Staff|publisher=Minor League Baseball|access-date=August 23, 2008|archive-date=October 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011174152/http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/roster/page.jsp?ymd=20050902&content_id=24686&vkey=roster_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080908&content_id=456089&vkey=pr_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|title=Jewett and Meulens will not return in 2009|publisher=Minor League Baseball|last=Bosma|first=Brian|access-date=September 8, 2008|archive-date=September 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916154303/http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080908&content_id=456089&vkey=pr_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|url-status=dead}} also coaching in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Saguaros in 2005 and the Hawaii Winter Baseball league for the Honolulu Sharks in the 2006 off-season. In 2009, Meulens served as hitting coach for the Fresno Grizzlies, the Triple–A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants of the Pacific Coast League.{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3752535|title=Rohn Returns To Lead Grizzlies 2009 Field Staff|date=December 15, 2008|publisher=OurSportsCentral.com|access-date=December 15, 2008}} Meulens reached the Major League ranks as batting coach in 2010, serving as hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants following the firing of previous hitting coach Carney Lansford.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-giants-meulens&prov=ap&type=lgns |title=Giants hire Meulens as hitting coach |publisher=Yahoo.com |access-date=November 2, 2009 }} {{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He helped the Giants win a World Series in three of his first five years. In November 2017, Meulens became one of six candidates interviewed by the New York Yankees for their vacant manager position, following the decision not to renew the contract of Joe Girardi. The other candidates were Carlos Beltran, Aaron Boone, Rob Thomson, Eric Wedge and Chris Woodward.

Meulens also runs the Dutch Antilles Baseball Academy in Curaçao.{{cite web|url=http://www.dabacur.com/index.html |title=Dutch Antilles Baseball Academy Curaçao |access-date=August 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004224955/http://www.dabacur.com/index.html |archive-date=October 4, 2011 }}

He is reportedly interested in starting a baseball league in Curaçao in association with Major League Baseball's RBI Program.

Meulens was named bench coach of the New York Mets on December 8, 2019, for the 2020 season.{{cite web|url=https://metsinsider.mlblogs.com/mets-announce-2020-coaching-staff-f6834a515f17|title=Mets Announce 2020 Coaching Staff|website=MLB.com|author=New York Mets|author-link=New York Mets|date=December 8, 2019|access-date=December 8, 2019}} Meulens was fired after the season and was replaced by Dave Jauss.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/mets-to-hire-dave-jauss-as-bench-coach.html|title=Mets To Hire Dave Jauss As Bench Coach|date=December 13, 2020|access-date=January 9, 2021}}

Meulens returned to the Netherlands national team as a coach for the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Meulens was named to serve as manager for the team during the 2013 World Baseball Classic.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Meulens-will-manage-in-WBC-3934141.php|title=Meulens will manage in WBC|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle (October 10, 2012)|access-date=February 6, 2013 | date=October 10, 2012}} Meulens managed the Netherlands in the 2020 Olympic Baseball Qualifier, where the Dutch team failed to qualify to the Olympics.{{cite web|title=Hensley Meulens to manage Netherlands at final WBSC Olympic Baseball Qualifier|url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/news/hensley-meulens-to-manage-netherlands-at-final-wbsc-olympic-baseball-qualifier|website=wbsc.org|date=23 February 2021|access-date=2 February 2024}} After a disappointing showing at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Meulens was dismissed as the Netherlands manager in December 2023.

On February 28, 2022, the New York Yankees announced that Meulens would serve as assistant hitting coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-yankees-name-hensley-meulens-assistant-hitting-coach|title = Yankees name Hensley Meulens assistant hitting coach|website = MLB.com}}

On November 7, 2022, the Colorado Rockies announced that they had hired Meulens as their hitting coach starting with the 2023 season.{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Thomas |title=Rockies name Meulens as 2023 hitting coach |url=https://www.mlb.com/rockies/news/hensley-meulens-warren-schaeffer-join-rockies-coaching-staff |access-date=7 November 2022 |work=MLB.com |date=7 November 2022}} The Rockies fired him on April 17, 2025.{{Cite web |title=Rockies part ways with Meulens, name Hurdle new hitting coach |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/rockies-replace-hitting-coach-hensley-meulens-with-clint-hurdle |access-date=2025-04-17 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}

Personal life

Meulens is married to Gyselle Meulens Petronia and has four daughters, 2 from a previous marriage—Marilise Aimee Meulens-Pasquaretta, Danielle Marie Antonia Meulens-Ebecilio, Mia Valentina Turya, and Evangelina Cristina Vuri. In addition to the two daughters he has with his wife, Gyselle, he also has a son, Elijah Gabriel Ludwig.

Meulens speaks five languages: English, Spanish, Dutch, Papiamento and Japanese.{{cite web|url=http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080312&content_id=358708&vkey=news_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|title=Catching up w/ Hitting Coach Hensley Meulens|publisher=IndyIndians.com (March 12, 2008)|last=Segal|first=Matt|access-date=September 2, 2008|archive-date=October 19, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019160020/http://indianapolis.indians.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080312&content_id=358708&vkey=news_t484&fext=.jsp&sid=t484|url-status=dead}}

On April 27, 2012, Meulens was awarded the order of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau by Queen Beatrix. A ceremony was held at AT&T Park on July 13, 2012, where he was introduced as 'Sir' Hensley Meulens. The award ceremony highlighted his role in victory by The Netherlands in the 2011 Baseball World Cup.

In April 2024, an investigation was launched by the Federal Aviation Administration for unauthorized entry to the cockpit of a United Airlines flight chartered by the Colorado Rockies en route to Toronto on April 10. Meulens had posted (and later deleted) a video on Instagram in which he was shown in a pilot's seat while the plane was on autopilot, and included a caption thanking the captain and first officer.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-19 |title=Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens' cockpit visit triggers FAA investigation |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/rockies-hitting-coach-hensley-meulens-cockpit-visit-triggers-faa-investigation-154843521.html |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}} Meulens later issued an apology to the Rockies organization and to United Airlines.{{Cite web |title=Meulens apologizes to Rockies after cockpit incident |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hensley-meulens-united-airlines-cockpit-apology |access-date=2025-04-18 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}