Bill Robinson, the man who brought quiet, fire and the "low two" to the Mets as their hitting coach -- or as he preferred, "batting instructor" -- from 1984-89, has died. Robinson was found dead in his hotel room in Las Vegas on Sunday, a Dodgers spokesman said. The official cause of death had not been determined. He was 64.

Robinson was in Las Vegas to visit the Dodgers' Triple-A team and was supposed to meet De Jon Watson, Dodgers director of player development, to drive to the ballpark together. When Robinson didn't show at the appointed time, the team investigated.

He was best known in New York for his tours of duty with the Yankees, as an outfielder during the lean years of 1967-1969, and with the Mets. He was on the Mets' coaching staff through most of their success in the '80s. He served as first-base coach too, and in that capacity, introduced the "low two," the direct opposite of the "high five," to the team. Current hitting coach Howard Johnson recently re-introduced the "low two." to the Mets. Robinson served for the Mets exclusively under Davey Johnson, who was dismissed in May 1990.

"On behalf of the entire Mets organization, we send our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to Bill's wife, Mary and the Robinson family," Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon said in a statement. "As hitting coach, he played an integral role in the 1986 Mets world championship. More importantly, he was a devoted family man, a consummate professional and one of the classiest men in our sport."

Robinson didn't distinguish himself with the Yankees after they acquired him from the Braves for the late Clete Boyer following the 1966 season, nor did he produce much after he returned to the big leagues with the Phillies in 1972. But he hit 25 home runs with the Phillies in '73, providing a glimpse of what he would become after he was traded to the Pirates in April 1975.

He hit 103 home runs and drove in 392 runs in a six-season sequence that included the Pirates "We Are Family" World Series championship in 1979. With the Pirates, he came to be close with Willie Stargell and to emerge as one of the quiet thinkers on a mostly raucous team.

Robinson retired as a player following the 1983 season and a return to the Phillies. He had a .258 career average with 1,127 hits, 166 home runs and 641 RBIs.

His peaceful nature belied the fire inside. He uncharacteristically climbed atop the visitors' dugout in Wrigley Field in an August 1984 game after a fan had become particularly abusive to the Mets. And he and one-time Pirates teammate Rick Rhoden initiated a fracas in Pittsburgh in July 1986 after Robinson accused Rhoden of doctoring the ball.

But mostly, Robinson was a pious and gentle man. "Bill was a wonderful family man and a great baseball player, coach, manager and friend to everyone he met," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti said Sunday. "Even though he never played for the Dodgers, it was an honor that he chose to be a part of the organization. Everyone he came into contact with was better for having known him."

Robinson was in his second season with the Dodgers after spending four years on the Florida Marlins coaching staff, where he served as hitting coach for the 2003 World Series champions.

He also served as a Minor League hitting coach for the Yankees and was a Minor League coach and manager in Philadelphia's farm system. He managed in the Venezuelan League and was an analyst for ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" in 1990-91.