New York Mets: The Dark Horse Candidate for Manager
DENVER, CO - MAY 04: Manager Terry Collins #10 of the New York Mets and his coaching staff bench coach Bob Geren #7, Tim Teufel #18 of the New York Mets and Tom Goodwin #26 of the New York Mets observe the national anthem prior to facing the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 4, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. The Mets defeated the Rockies 5-1. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

With the first round of interviews underway, many are overlooking the resume and connections Bob Geren has within the New York Mets organization. 

After a late season situation with former manager Terry Collins which can only be described as a debacle, the New York Mets have officially started the first round of interviews.

Long-shot candidate Joe Girardi seems like even more of a pipe dream now than ever before after the postseason success of the rival New York Yankees.

Behind the Girardi, the other hot name for the vacancy has been former Met and current Houston Astros bench coach Alex Cora.

He definitely has the blessing of the fans, but Cora is rumored to be heavily coveted by the Boston Red Sox and his ties to their organization, along with the Red Sox propensity to outspend the Mets, makes his status mercurial at best.

With that said, Cora was interviewed by the Mets on Tuesday, so anything is possible when it comes to his decision making.

Next in line behind Cora is Kevin Long, the longtime hitting coach, who was already interviewed over the weekend. Long has been with the team since 2015, and is rumored to be the front runner for the position.

Long is revered by former players such as Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez. His candidacy is legitimate and he would be considered a respectable hire.

However, with all the hype surrounding these three candidates, Bob Geren has managed to fly under the radar. The reasoning behind his strong resume and connections for the Mets manager position make him an underrated bet to be awarded the position.

They say it’s all about who you know in the real world and Geren knows the Mets well, just as they know him. Sandy Alderson will be spearheading the interviews and hiring process, which is significant because he was general manager when Geren was hired to serve as bench coach in 2012.

Geren also spent time as the Oakland Athletics manager from 2007 until 2011, which is significant because Alderson has mentioned he’d prefer his next manager to have prior experience in the department.

Although Sandy was not with the Athletics organization during that time, you can bet he hired Geren in 2012 partly because of his ties to the organization.

Besides managing experience, Sandy also wants a manager who believes in ‘next gen’ statistics. Geren’s belief in Sandy Alderson’s moneyball tactics will also give him a leg up on the competition.

And when it comes to the player test, Kevin Long is not the only one to garner support from a former Mets player. Geren was recently given high praise by Los Angeles star Justin Turner.

Overall, Geren’s candidacy can not be overlooked. In terms of what Sandy Alderson desires form his candidates, he checks all the boxes.

Candidates such as Girardi, Cora and Long bring more name value and popularity to the table, but Bob Geren is the dark horse candidate to watch for.

He has a strong resume, important ties to the organization, and a belief in ‘next gen’ statistics, which is why it should come as no surprise if he secures the position as the next manager for the Mets.

I am a Senior currently attending the Rutgers Business School in New Brunswick. I am a lifelong New York Mets fan, and writing about the team is my passion.