Good morning. This is one of those days that I have trashed my plan for the day because one again the storyline has changed and I try to be in touch with my fellow fans.
Today is about the manager.
I don’t think there’s a move to be made here. Well, there’s a move but they won’t make it so let’s walk through the options:
Bobby V: is there anything out there that makes you think the Wilpons want to spend the money and/or deal with him? Not happening.
Backman: it seems someone has decided Wally has to spend some time in purgatory before he gets the reigns. There’s a good shot he is the manager after our 2010 interim manager.
That brings us to the Bob Melvin, Oberkfell, and who ever else you want to throw in there scenario.
Let’s say Omar draws his guns this morning. That leaves “Bob Melvin” four games to get his feet wet before facing the media circus that is the Yankees, with TBA as the 4th starter and TBD as the 5th taking turns this week.
Then manager Melvin gets to deal with another circus that is the Phillies, and the new angle of the “cheating.”
What happens is Melvin has a bad streak? Season over and fans pack it in before Dave Howard’s warm weather arrives to save the gate.
Nope, Jerry gets 10 more games. If the ten are a disaster, change sells hope and hope might sell tickets.
Speaking of selling tickets, how do you not call Pedro? Let’s see what he has.
I killed him on this site for two years but there’s a big difference between pretending he is an ace and decding he might be better that R.A. Dickey.
A media circus is coming one way or another. Bobby can handle it, heck maybe even make it worse, but he’ll keep the fans engaged – and always remember the baseball game is the mechanism by which the Wilpons sell hot dogs, tshirts and fuel a tv network. Spend a few bucks and it might come back. Save a few and you might pay for it into 2011.
Jerry’s firing is coming up on 20 months overdue. screw 10 games. I think he should’ve fired prior to (or after) the last Phillies series, and letting him mismanage another big division series would just be a mistake.
Remove the distraction of a lame (duck) manager and the players will have to focus on the Phillies. It’s them that need to be prepared for the Phillies. them and the scouts. The new guys can read the scouting report and translate it at least as well as the old guys.
I have to ask. Has Backman earned a shot at managing the Mets? He did lose his last job after about 1 & 3/4 seasons of sub .450 ball. And that was with the independent Northern League Joliet Jackhammers.
Hell, if I remember correctly, it was rather surprising when he was given his aborted shot to manage the D-Backs.
Frankly, having to prove he can win in Brooklyn is hardly purgatory.
Bob Melvin? Art Howe part two!! Bobby V has to happen!
I’d take Art Howe right now.
I concur with your analysis as to why Manuel will continue to mismanage the Mets for the next couple of weeks. I just hope that this does not nip any chance they may have of turning around their season as a result of them keeping him around too long.
can the mets just be bold and clean house right now? Make Dave Jauss or whoever the bench coach is the manager for the time being while they look for a GM and Manager.
I know it is very unorthodox to let a GM go mid-season but I don’t want the inevitable new GM having Bobby V forced down his throat because it is what Met fans seem to think is the right move.
Good points. I don’t know who the next manager will or should be, but I just don’t think Bobby V. is the right fit. It’s a gut feeling. But you know what my fear is? Omar gets fired, because I don’t think the Mets have the foresight to go with a young, up-and-coming “new-wave” type of GM. Instead, they’re more likely to recycle a DePodesta, Ricciardi or Bavasi before they go find the next Jed Hoyer. And then we’d be stuck in the same rut that has gotten the Mets nowhere since ’06.
As for Minaya, I loathe the Castillo and Ollie deals more than anything he’s done. But the fact that Omar got the Mets were they were in ’06 still resonates with me. Unless there is a true GM prospect out there who will pull the Wilpons kicking and screaming into this era of OBP, OPS, pitching and defense to fit the ballpark, I’d rather stick with Minaya than make another wrong hire.