Terry Collins’ seat in Flushing is burning hot, so let’s take a look at some potential replacements for the New York Mets’ skipper.
Winning a pennant brings a certain set of expectations to a baseball team. That much we know.
For this season’s edition of the New York Mets, those expectations hinged upon taking the magical 2015 campaign one step further.
New York’s ultimate goal was to emulate the success of their recent Fall Classic opponent, the Kansas City Royals, who dropped a World Series in 2014 before securing their coveted title the next year.
Fast forward nearly eight months and these once championship-bound Mets are walking on the thin ice we, baseball fans, call a wild card race, 4.5 games back from grabbing the fifth and final spot in the National League’s postseason.
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Blame falls on the shoulders of many. If you conjured up a story out of thin air, it’ll still sound like a legitimate excuse for the Mets’ season … Here, I’ll try it out:
Let’s fire Ray Ramirez for putting a boot on a broken wrist! Or, how about Sandy Alderson for not resigning Daniel Murphy — who probably told his former GM before leaving for the rival Nationals that he’d turn into a batting title wielding MVP.
Yadda yadda yadda.
Jokes aside, barring a miraculous playoff push, there’s one man who may or may not deserve to lose his job but in the end will ultimately squander it.
That man is Terry Collins, and here are his potential replacements.
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Wally Backman
The people’s choice to be the next Mets manager happens to be the manager of Triple-A Las Vegas, residing in New York’s farm.
He also happens to own a ring bearing his name and a Mets logo, acquired for being a member of this storied franchise’s last championship title some thirty years ago.
It’s no surprise why we all love Wally.
He’s passionate, he’s fiery, and he’s goofy looking.
The former second baseman’s reputation as a hard-nosed player dating back to the 1980s has stuck with him throughout the entirety of his coaching career as well.
Backman’s familiarity with the prospects he’s coached and currently coaches can prove beneficial if, or when, he inherits the big league team.
Then again, there’s likely a reason Backman and I have interviewed for the same amount of managerial jobs in the past five years.
Next: Bud Black
Bud Black
Before you ask: Yes, Black is currently employed and, no, he isn’t a manager at the moment.
Black works in the front office for the Angels and, if his current employer’s success is any representation of Black’s quality, you better hope the Mets take a hard pass if they need a skipper.
For one reason or another, Bud’s name is currently making the rounds as a ‘solid’ choice to replace Collins. From who did these rumors come? I don’t know. From where? Also, not in my realm of knowledge.
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Is Bud Black better than Terry Collins? Heck, he may be worse.
Once upon a time, way back when (last year), Bud Black was a manager on the hot seat, eventually getting fired by a chaotic Padres organization. In seven of his eight-plus seasons as a major league manager — all with San Diego — Black’s teams have finished with a record below .500.
As a matter of fact, his career record as a manager doesn’t top the .500 mark either.
In other words, he’ll fit right in.
Next: Ron Gardenhire
Ron Gardenhire
Who is arguably the most successful No. 19 in New York Mets history (sorry, Bobby O), sort of resembles Santa Claus minus the mighty beard, and is the ‘perfect’ replacement should the Mets send Terry Collins packing at the end of this season?
Ron Gardenhire, of course.
About one year ago, MLB Network Radio host and former Mets general manager Steve Phillips made a bold prediction that should Gardenhire manage in the bigs yet again, it will be in Mets orange and blue.
Because Phillips once ran the ins, outs, ups, and downs of the Mets organization, you can probably trust him.
In 13 seasons managing the Minnesota Twins, Gardenhire willed his baseball-playing disciples to six playoff appearances. That’s twice as much as the Mets have this century.
Nevertheless, you never know which Ron Gardenhire you’re going to get. There’s the one who scored six division titles in his first nine years and the one that finished in last place three times over his last four years
Hmm …
On second thought, let’s keep Terry.