Also seen on Amazin' Clubhouse.
Now that Carlos Beltran tenure as Mets manager is over
faster than you can say “Bill Belichick,”the focus for the Mets turns to the
next challenge, finding a new manager as soon as possible with Spring Training
set to begin in less than four weeks.
Obviously this is not an ideal position to be in, but the
Mets find themselves in this spot because they hired a manager who was heavily
linked to the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal that has rocked the entire
sport.
Like it or not, the Mets had to move on from Beltran. The
pressure was mounting, the evidence could only become more damning by the day,
and to ask a first year manager in the pressure cooker that is New York to
handle it all was asking a lot.
This is not to say fans should completely write-off the 2020
season, quite the contrary. The Mets have an opportunity to truly get this
right, and hire a manager who can grab the reins, settle the turmoil and lead
the franchise.
Here are some candidates the Mets could be considering:
Hensley Meulens:
The Mets bench coach brings a lot of experience to the table. He was Bruce
Bochy’s bench coach for the previous two seasons out in San Francisco, before
serving as Giants hitting coach for eight years. In addition, Meulens was the
manager of the Netherlands team during the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
Fluent in five languages, Meulens would provide some stability being he was
already on Beltran’s staff, and would give the Mets the veteran leadership the position
needs right now.
Luis Rojas:
Consider Rojas the equivalent of the hot NFL coordinator that many people
believe will be great. Many have reported the Mets hold the 38-year old in high
regard since he has been in the organization since 2007. He has managed on
multiple levels of the Mets minor league system including Double-A Binghamton
in 2017 and 2018 where he compiled a record of 149-130. Rojas was a candidate
for the Mets top job this offseason, before the Mets settled on Beltran. Aside
from Meulens, Rojas could be viewed as a favorite for the job. His dad is
Felipe Alou the former manager of the San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos.
Eduardo Perez: This
would be a very ironic choice especially at this point. Many believe that Perez
was the runner up to Beltran for the managerial spot, and there is reason to
believe the Mets would contact Perez again. Would he jump at the chance now? A
long time ESPN baseball commentator, Perez has a limited amount of coaching
experience: two years as a Marlins hitting coach in 2011 and 2012, one season
as a bench coach for the Astros in 2013, and manager in Puerto Rico during
winter ball in 2014-15. Not sure how Mets fans would take to the idea of
another ESPN personality (i.e. Jessica Mendoza) being in the organization, but
inside baseball folks seem to love Perez.
Joe McEwing:
According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, McEwing has let word filter down
through his acquaintances that he would love to be the Mets manager and views
it as a “dream job.” A scrappy bench player for the Mets from 2000 to 2004, McEwing
has been the bench coach for the Chicago White Sox since 2017. He is also a
good friend of David Wright, who is an advisor to the franchise, which helps.
Buck Showalter:
Yeah talk about a hire that is definitely not going to happen, but some dare to
dream. Showlater has everything the Mets need in a manager: experience,
leadership and baseball smarts. He knows the game better than anyone; the
problem is he would have to work with Brodie Van Wagenen and Jeff Wilpon. That
isn’t happening anytime soon.
Bobby Valentine:
See Buck Showalter.
Comments