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Mickey Callaway Expected to Return in 2019


According to several reports the Mets are intent on bringing back Mickey Callaway as manager in 2019, granting him the opportunity to correct the many problems that have befallen both him and the franchise this season. Callaway is signed through the 2020 season making any decision to release him after one season a little tricky. 

With the Mets limping into the All Star Break at 39-53, it is a little surprising that an announcement on Callaway's future would come now.

At the same time, the St. Louis Cardinals just fired their manager Mike Matheny after a 47-46 start to the 2018 season. Matheny had been the Cardinals skipper for seven years, and took that franchise to a World Series berth in 2013. Matheny is one of three former managers on the market with managerial experience. The other two being former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi and former Red Sox manager John Farrell. 

Meanwhile Callway has struggled to adapt to the New York market and managing at the same time. In addition to watching his team fall apart after an 11-1 start, Callaway struggled with double-switches and bullpen decisions throughout the first half. In fact, the Mets are 25th in the major's in bullpen ERA at 4.65 and 18th in the league in overall team ERA at 4.27.

The now infamous lineup fiasco in Cincinnati early in the season serves as a microcosm of the season thus far.

That being said, the Mets have been snake-bit by many of the same problems they endured the past two seasons with various injuries to its top stars.  When the Mets had a healthy Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce and Noah Syndergaard, this team was right in the mix in the NL East. 

Still, the decision to announce the clubs intention with Callaway is interesting since they are expected to interview candidates for the vacant General Manager job left by Sandy Alderson this September. Callaway was Alderson's pick to be the manager of this ball club when he hired him last October. With Alderson out of the picture as he battles cancer, the question remains, will another GM want Callaway as their manager? Most GM's want the ability to go out and hire their own guy to coach the team.

It appears that won't be the case in New York. 

The decision also begs the question whether current Interim General Manager John Ricco has the inside track to the job? Ricco and Callaway are familiar with one another. It would seem that such stability in the front office would benefit Callaway moving forward should both men return. 

If the Mets go outside the organization in their GM search, Callaway almost certainly will feel a lot of heat throughout the 2019 season.

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