Guy Conti, a longtime coach and adviser for the New York Mets, has died at the age of 84 following a prolonged illness. Conti, a native of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, held several roles within the Mets organization, including bullpen coach from 2005 to 2008 and later as a minor league advisor.

Before joining the Mets, Conti worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he played a crucial part in the early development of Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez. After the Dodgers signed Pedro’s older brother Ramon, Conti was sent to the Dominican Republic to scout the younger Martinez. Despite initial doubts about Pedro’s physical stature, Conti was quickly impressed by his pitching ability.

Conti recalled being struck by Martinez’s talent during his scouting trip. Recounting the experience, he noted that Pedro’s performance on the mound immediately stood out and led to the pitcher’s signing with the Dodgers. Martinez later referred to Conti as his "white daddy," crediting him not only with helping to develop his pitching skills, particularly the changeup, but also aiding him in learning English. Conti’s wife, a high school librarian, assisted Martinez in expanding his language skills, which he approached with dedication, learning new words daily.

After Pedro Martinez signed with the Mets in 2005, the two were reunited professionally, with Conti serving as the team’s bullpen coach during Martinez’s tenure. Following his major league coaching career, Conti continued to contribute to the Mets as their spring training coordinator for several years.

Conti was also known for his close friendship with Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, a bond that helped bring Koufax to Mets spring training on multiple occasions. Former Mets media relations director Jay Horwitz praised Conti’s work ethic, noting that he was “the first one to arrive at camp every morning and the last one to leave.”

Conti’s impact on the Mets and his role in shaping one of baseball’s greatest pitchers left a lasting legacy within the sport.