Mets Manager

New York Mets: Mike Bell and Eduardo Perez Interviews

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Simeon Woods-Richardson

Mike Bell and Eduardo Perez are two of the lesser publicized candidates for the New York Mets managerial position, but have managed to get their foot in the door. Both candidates completed in person interviews on Monday and remain dark horse candidates for the job.

It would be first time either will manage in the big leagues, should they get the job. Each would also come from different situations. Bell has been the vice president of player development for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is one of the most respected executives in baseball and interviewed for the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers jobs last offseason.

He comes from a baseball family that has spanned three generations. His father and brother have both have managed in the big leagues, with David currently managing the Cincinnati Reds. Mike is a calmer personality, unlike his brother,  which is better suited for the chaos that occurs in Flushing.

Perez Back in the Big Leagues?

Much like Aaron Boone, Perez is looking to make the quantum leap from ESPN to the dugout. Like Bell, he comes from a baseball family, the son of Hall of Famer Tony Perez. Perez has ties to Brodie Van Wagenen through Mets special advisor and ESPN collegaue Jessica Mendoza. Van Wagenen is a fan of managers who connects with their players and Perez has done just that through his career playing, coaching and covering the game.

Perez spent 13 years in the big leagues and managed Team Columbia in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. His only major league coaching experience has come from spending time as a hitting coach and a bench coach.

The Mets list of candidates keeps growing and the amount with actual managerial experience is shrinking. The Mets should aim to hire someone with the much needed experience, after the Mickey Callaway hire was a failure.

 

New York Mets: Carlos Beltran, Mets or Bust

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New York Mets to interview Carlos Beltran.

Carlos Beltran only wants to manager for one team in 2020 and it is the New York Mets. The former Mets All-Star has turned down interview requests from the Padres and the Cubs, two of baseballs best locations this offseason.

Beltran spent 10 years of his career in New York as a Met and Yankee. He says he is ready to live in New York and all of the turmoil with the front office from his playing days has fully settled. Beltran could not comment too much on his future due to his role in the Yankees front office and the Mets preference to keep everything under wraps for now.

Beltran May Feel Ready, But is he Experienced?

He knows he has enough on field and clubhouse experience to be a successful manager, but still lacks the game managing experience. He thinks he can learn as the season goes on, but that should scare fans a little bit. On one hand, the last thing the Mets need is another clueless manager like Mickey Callaway. There were multiple game costing decisions that fell on Callaway because he did not have the experience or due to the front office forcing the move upon him.

On the other hand, first year managers like Aaron Boone and Rocco Baldelli had plenty of success during their first year. Due to his extensive career in the big leagues, he would seem to be closer to Baldelli/Boone than he would be to Callaway on the managing spectrum.

Will he Need to Make Big Decisions?

Managers across baseball are making less decisions now because the front office wants their hands in managing the game. This throws in a new variable, which put into question if all of Callaway’s decisions were his own. Beltran may come into the job willing to learn which will allow the front office to run the show. This would play right into Jeff Wilpon’s hand.

Despite that, Beltran’s baseball instincts will likely be better than Callaway’s, along with the group of coaches he will bring with him. If Beltran was interested, he could keep hitting coach Chili Davis and pitching coach Phil Regan around. It would certainly create some familiarity with the team.

Beltran would be a fan favorite to have back around and could create the connection that was even stronger than what Callaway had. If the Mets want to continue the trend of hiring young managers, Beltran would be the poster child for the movement.

New York Mets: Carlos Beltran to Interview for Manager

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New York Mets to interview Carlos Beltran.

The former Mets All-Star had a sudden change of heart as Carlos Beltran will meet with the organization in person. Just last week it seemed that Beltran did not want anything to do with the managerial job, but the outcry of fans in favor of Beltran might have helped push him into the interview.

Beltran is certainly an interesting move if the Mets opt to go in that direction. He did not have the best relationship with Jeff Wilpon when he played for the Mets. Wilpon thought he was an overpaid player and wanted him off the team towards the end of his Mets contract.

Another First Year Manager?

He spent time in the Yankees front office after he interviewed for the Yankees manager job. Much like Mickey Callaway he would be a brand new manager, but he would bring knowledge and big game confidence that Callaway never had. Beltran could be more controllable than a Buck Showalter or Joe Girardi which could be enticing to Brodie Van Wagenen.

Unfortunately, Mets fans bring up his strikeout against Adam Wainwright way more than they should. Beltran came to work an played hard every game for the Mets and helped bring the organization back to legitimacy. He had a dominant Mets career and was one of the reasons why the 2006 were a game away from the World Series. His Mets career ended in the trade which brought Zack Wheeler to the Mets. The fans want him back, but at the end of the day the decision falls on the Wilpons.

The Mets would be better served to trust Girardi or Showalter with the job, but you never know with the Mets. Beltran certainly has the knowledge to manage, but he has no where near the pedigree of other candidates. No matter who it is, the new manager will come in with very high expectations on their shoulders.

New York Mets: Is Joe Girardi in the Mix for the Manager Job?

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New York Yankees, Yankees, Joe Girardi

The New York Mets have not provided a lot of information on who will be involved in their new manager search. Their only answer is that they are going to interview everyone they can and despite that Joe Girardi seems to be the odds on favorite.

Girardi has shut down and idea of him taking the job, leaving everything to speculation. Since he was let go by the Yankees after the 2017 season, he has been itching to get himself back in the dugout. He is a former World Series winning player and manager with one of the brightest minds in all of baseball.

Is he the Man for the Job?

Girardi would be a major upgrade from the lackluster manager that was Mickey Callaway. His bullpen and overall pitching decisions were better and he is exactly what the modern manager should be. Girardi definitely has an ego and will put players in their place, but it is hard to find someone who did not enjoy playing for him.

The most important quality about Girardi is that he will answer to no one when it comes to managing the game. It was part of the reason why he was pushed out by the Yankees. They wanted someone who they had control over, which is why Aaron Boone was handed the job.

If the Mets choose to let someone have full control of the team, Girardi is the perfect guy. He knows New York, knows how to handle young players and how to manage pitching staffs. If the reports of decisions coming from the front office are true, then Girardi and Brodie Van Wagenen will not get along.

Hopefully, for the Mets sake, they decide to hand the reigns over to Girardi.