Mets Cheapening Out in Manager Search
A report this week says the Mets have whittled down their search for a manager to five candidates. If the list is accurate, it means the Mets are planning on spending very little money on their next field chief. What a shock.
According to the story by Jon Heyman at FanRag, the five are Kevin Long, Alex Cora, Joe McEwing, Mickey Callaway and Manny Acta. See a pattern? Except for Acta, none of the others has managerial experience. Which means they can likely be gotten on the cheap.
The Mets eliminated potential candidates Robin Ventura, Brad Ausmus, Bob Geren and Chip Hale for one reason or another. But the real reason is because they all come with managerial experience and a thus a higher price tag.
This is standard operating procedure for the Mets, to spend as little money as possible on anything. It is also SOP for Sandy Alderson and the sabermetrics crew, who have such a disdain for managers in general. The general manager is in charge of everything, with the manager just implementing his marching orders. So why spend a lot of money or hire an independent mind for the job?
This is not to say the non-experienced candidates will do a bad job. Hell, everyone has to have their first job once. Even Tony LaRussa and John McGraw were first-time hires at one point. But it just shows the way the Mets operate, to keep as tight a lid on the purse strings as possible. And it is frustrating to watch time and time again.
In the end, whoever is in the manager’s office will not determine the fate of this club. It will be the players Alderson puts on the field. And if the Wilpons cheap out on them, then we are in real trouble.
Why is it with you that quality must equal $$$? There are many quality individuals who deserve a shot but I guess in your view if they demanded a big contract then they would be great.
What else is new? Cheap owners, Genius in his own mind GM, idiotic manager. Now the GM must find a clone. RedSox target their next preferred manager. Interview him and give him a contract. Ditto for the Tigers. Mets? they will interview 10 and give the job to Kevin Long who will manage just like Collins which means that Cespedes and Cabrera will feel free to continue dogging it and Dancing Jose will continue to be lost in space.
What’s standard operating procedure is Berman’s factless conclusion Mets are selecting manager on basis of salary. Whatever they do there’s always a subset of fans eager to find fault in this or that.
And to Joe Gomes – Multiple reports state Mets have formally interviewed 5, with Kevin Long among them and that there are 4 finalists with potential to add a 5th for interview – Sandy Alomar jr.
Just because Kevin Long has coached three years with Collins at the top, doesn’t at all mean he will manage in same way making excuses for his players and turning blind eye. He had no control over Collins anymore than you have control to dictate what your boss does.
If K. Long is selected, he comes with a decade and a half of major league coaching experience working with all type of players including superstars. He brings his ring and years with the Yankees with him. Kevin Long is very qualified and has earned his wings. It’s in his best interests as well as the Mets to get control over that clubhouse from the get-go. Fortunately, the players already respect him. His goal will be to win a championship and he will set the tone should he take over.
This might be one of the dumbest, biased articles every written. For that I congratulate uyou!
Longtimefan1, I couldn’t agree more with your post!
Both Ausmus and Ventura took themselves out of the running not to mention Cora is going to Boston. Ownership (son) is the root of all Mets problems.
First thing the Mets needed to do was to cut the cord. That meant firing Collins AND Alderson because they both proved to be useless.
Now, as you say, Kevin Long may or may not end up being a good manager but these Mets need a whole new approach and giving the job to someone who is already in-house won’t accomplish that in my opinion.
The reason the RedSox and Tigers hired their preferred manager so quickly is simply that they did their homework and knew before hand who they wanted. Once interviewed, they were hired. The Mets on the other hand didn’t do their homework and will now take the sweet time figuring out who they want from what’s left. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Philthies pick their manager before the Mets do.
The Mets don’t operate the team by being bold and trying to energize the fan base. If they did, they would hire fan favorite Wally Backman and Frank Viola would be the new pitching coach. They were both loyal to the Mets but never appreciated and more deserving of being considered than Kevin Long. But for the Mets, it is more important to not shake the status quo and continue to be stinky.
2018 will be another wasted year and Sandy will again pick another pitcher with the 6th draft pick who will then need TJS and be lost for the next 2 years.
I haven’t had such reaction to a post in a while, so I feel compelled to reply.
Fred, did you read the entire article? I wrote that I’m not saying an inexperienced hire would do a bad job. It’s just that it is tiresome to watch the Mets pinch pennies at every turn.
LongTimeFan, do you really think money is not a factor here? Do you think it is a coincidence that almost none of the candidates is experienced, and thus would come cheaper? If you don’t, then you haven’t been watching closely over the past decade.
P, dumbest article ever? I’d have to disagree. Check my archives — even I’ve written dumber ones over the years!
Joe Gomes.
It’s more productive to stick with facts not make a bunch of stuff up as you’ve done in two posts and then make it your reality.
Multiple reports state it’s down to Long and Acta and a decision will be announced between end of the ALCS and start of World Series.
Long came prepared to his interview with 2 full binders of ideas he conceived through years as coach. He’s known to be rather innovative and astute as hitting coach and it appears he’s prepared for same as manager.
As for Wally Backman, his time with the Mets has come and gone having burnt way too many bridges with an inability to control his emotions and be gracious when gracious is required. Recklessness and emotions are not qualifications for the very complex job of major league manager in the 2010’s. He can’t even get an interview for major league coach let alone manager from any team but the D’Backs long ago who hired him to manage and then fired him several days later when they learned he lied on major matters.
Regarding Frank Viola, there’s no word on his future with the Mets.
Mark Berman. I’ve been watching closely for 5 decades.
I’ve been around long enough not to fall for dubious correlations.
There is industry wide change in how managers are chosen and what level of experience is or isn’t required. The Dusty Bakers are dwindling in favor of the Dave Roberts, AJ Hinchs, Alex Coras. The new age young manager with less experience but modern approach is of course going to cost less – that’s common sense.
Fast forward to the Mets who are are trying to find the right fit to lead the current generation of Mets to the promised land. They are looking for the right person to lead a roster for today’s evolving game, evolving player culture, 24/7 everything including media and fan base. The right person for the job could be a younger, less traditionally experienced fit who so happens to cost less.
And so Just because the Wilpons are considered cheap by some, does not mean their choice of manager is predicated on low salaried option rather than capacity and competency to manage this Mets team in this town over the long haul. Current news reports say the Mets are down to two – Kevin Long, and Manny Acta. Both are experienced in different ways. Long as big league hitting coach for some time, and Acta as both big league coach with two managerial stints.