24
2012
How Secure Is Terry Collins Job?
An article by 
Collins is probably asking this umpire to please get him a starting outfielder for 2013.
Terry Collins was introduced as the new Manager of the New York Mets on November 23, 2010. He signed a two year deal, with a third year option. At the end of the 2011 season, that option was picked up for the 2013 season. With the recent “collapse” of the 2012 team, how secure do you think Terry really is?
Most of us fans would agree that he has done an outstanding job with this team over the past few seasons. The graphic shown the other night on SNY stated that we had not been 10 games under .500 since 2009. This was surprising statistic to me. We have not been a greatest team over the past few seasons, but with Collins at the helm, he has kept us near the .500 mark each year.
We just got swept by the Rockies in a four game series at home. Are you kidding me? The Mets have fallen 11 games under, and are just 11-28 since the all-star break. Whose fault is it? The players? The coaches? The upper management?
It’s clear that it’s not Terry’s fault. It’s the poor performance of certain individuals and the usual rash of injuries that undoubtedly plague us each year. It’s Sandy’s fault for not providing Terry with solid options at each position. The Mets lack quality backups, and Alderson need to do a better job hitting on his low cost-high rewards acquisitions. It’s the ownership’s fault for continuing to tie Sandy’s hands, which makes it difficult for him to do his job properly.
What happens if the team continues to tank? We know we are out of it, and have a ton of areas we need to address. Terry makes it clear in his post game interviews that he will not tolerate his players giving up, or not playing at 100%. This shows that he values his players efforts, even if they fail, as long as they are playing hard. He does not tolerate his players giving maximum effort.
If the team starts to level off, we may not see any major changes. But if the team continues to bottom out and things get progressively worse, we may start to hear Terry’s name on the hot seat.
MMO writer Mitch Petanick pointed out the other day that pitching coach Dan Warthen may be sitting on the hot seat right now. He is probably right, and Dan deserves a lot of blame because it is his job to get the most out of his pitchers, which is something he has failed to do. It’s not entirely his fault, but someone has to take the fall, and usually it’s the pitching and hitting coaches that get the axe first.
Right now I see Terry as a safe bet to return in 2013. This is always subject to change if he loses the team over the next month.
I believe in Terry Collins. Mets fans should believe in Terry Collins.
Why?
We all know that he has done the best he could with the hand he was dealt, but sometimes that is not enough. It’s unlikely the “cash strapped” Wilpon’s will eat his 2013 salary, but stranger things have happened.
About the Author: Dan Valis
I am a staff writer for Mets Merized Online. I am a Mets team analyst with a focus on the minor league system, as well as the major league club. I am a lifelong New Yorker who was born and raised to be a Mets fan. The ups and downs of being a Mets fan is what makes following this team so much fun, but at times so frustrating. You can follow me on Twitter @BgAppleMetsTalk.
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I don’t think Terry is going anywhere. He’ll be here for the start of the 2013 season, minimum.
None of this is his doing.
Warthen is another story. I still can’t figure out why he’s the only coach spared when Jerry and the others were let go. But it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s still here to start the 2013 season either.
I believe Terry Collins has evolved into Jerry Manuel and now frequently apologizes for the gaffes and poor performance of his players on every given night. Collins has no control of this team right now – none. I have no doubt Collins has a passion for winning and hates to lose, but he got so much out of this team in the first half, that he’s now incapable of lashing out at the lack of hustle which we now see on an everyday basis. He probably feels uncomfortable calling out certain players because in his mind he worked his butt off for him in the first half and deserves a break. Making excuses for Daniel Murphy being too tired, and Baxter’s mistakes come from not being an everyday player, or Valdespin isn’t really an outfielder even though it was him who said he was his best outfielder last week. He is making excuses for his players just like Manuel did. He should be fired and Warthen should go along with him. Get rid of Hudgens too because this team can shove their passive approach where the sun don’t shine. At least we learned one thing – more walks does not translate into more runs and more wins. Taking more pitches hasn’t translated into any tangible success for this team. Look at these amazing pitching performances we’ve had in August being squandered by no offense. And having Terry Collins standing at the podium yesterday and telling us we’re not scoring runs but we are having some great extended at-bats made me want to vomit.
We are not getting any better in 2013. So at least do us all a favor and get rid of Collins and his entire worthless coaching staff with him.
Collins may be apologizing for the Gaffes but the truth is most of those gaffes are due to who he was forced to play.
Valdespin making an error in CF is not Valdespin’s fault it’s the FO’s fault for not putting him into a position or developing him for the use he has forced on terry to use him for!
It wasn’t terry who decided to put all of the CF eggs into the Torres basket it was Alderson.
Will Terry get fired?
Probably! The Manager is usually the one who pays for the failure of a GM as a diversion to that GM’s bad work!
But here is the thing…If Terry goes for what happened this year then Sandy won’t be far behind!
Because even if they put Backman in there the result is not going to be any different when he has to bring in guys like Ramirez in from the pen or play the same Valde in CF.
You can’t make steak with chopmeat!
And thats what Terry has been asked to do!
Yes, but the point is the team has quit on him. How does the runner at first base get thrown out at second base on a base hit single?
I don’t believe this team has quite on Terry.
Some of these mistakes are similar ones we saw last year as well. Pagan was infamous for that. Remember one in particular where he threw the ball into first base when there was no one there.
The team is a mess right now, especially the OF and the BP. SP has been a revolving door except for Niese and Dickey.
Did they quit on Terry or merely buy into the evaluation of thier GM!
He determined they weren’t very good and worth helping so what do they do as a result?
Do things they should NOT do hoping to change his mind and/or take a care free approach to how they play the game because they know it doesn’t matter anyway because the boss gave up and doesn’t expect them to do anything good.
You want to knock Terry for something what it should be is he too has given up based on the lack of help from the GM.
If he had not he would have ripped into them long ago and he hasn’t!
So I don’t think they have given up on Terry it’s that anyone who wears a uniform has bought into the White Flag the GM waved in July!
Not everything is about the GM!
Players interaction with the GM is so small compared to the Manager.
If the players felt SA did them wrong by not getting them a player in the trade deadline then guess what? That means they didn’t think they were good enough!
So Joe, I take it you disagree with me? lol
I’d say he plays out his contract and then is re-assigned within the organization as an instructor. New manager comes in for 2014, with some added players due to Santana/Bay money being off the books, newly generated buzz and the town is sparked again with promises and possibilities.
Is it time to start printing up the Vote LaRussa/Duncan in 2014 signs?
I’d take that over Dewey, Cheatum & Howe.
TC is safe
I don’t believe that the players have quit on Collins. They quit on themselves…and they quit on the fans. It’s very hard to keep players motivated when they’re money is gauranteed, and there is nothing left to play for in the season. The only guys that are motivated are the ones that have something to gain in 2013 by playing well. Everyone else is probably already making off-season plans.
I look at two teams, 1 in particular who went about their Manager with the thought of a complete culture change.
Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. You can also look at Arizona with Gibson.
But Both teams thought outside the box, and got people to manage their teams who nobody expected and look how it’s worked. Heck, Ventura’s got the White Sox in 1st!
I love Terry but I feel he’s a better coach for minor leaguers and developing players. He’s a guy that says “that’s okay, keep working.” rather than “you’re in the big leagues get your act together.”
What pains me the most is when everybody wanted Wally – I wanted Hurdle. He’ll win Manager of the Year this year.
I think they did quit on TC because they are for the most part over matched and if anybody thinks they quit because SA didn’t get them another batter or reliever then all that says to me is they themselves never thought they were good enough either.
I agree that its not all Collins fault or Aldersons fault but sooner or later enough has to be enough. Terry is good with the players he’s a players manager but pending how the last month of the season goes I think its time for a change. We all know or knew that Collins wouldn’t be here forever and that he’s just the bridge to Wally. Why not have Wally manage the team next year but keep Collins as the bench coach. It would be kind of like good cop bad cop Terry is good with players as I’m sure Wally is but Wally was around in the mid 80′s when we were championship contenders and he played under Davey Johnson. Oh wait that name rings a bell we won a world title with him in 86 and he has the young new look Nationals in first place. I believe Wally is that type of manager that brings the fire, intensity and would light a fire under this young team. As for Warthen and Hudgens I was never crazy about Warthen as our pitching coach to begin with and we’ve rode this wave long enough its time for him to go but I like the approach Hudgens has this team focused on and its not something I think we should just throw away just yet.
Before Terry was hired my three choices for Met manager were, Davey Johnson, Clint Hurdle and Buck Showalter. I don’t want to see TC or Dan Warthen again.
I’m with you, Hawk. Who would be your choice now?
That’s a tough one. Have we seen anything from Wally Backman this year to make us take a chance on him? Most of his team in was in Queens all year.
From what I’ve seen firsthand in Buffalo, don’t expect much outside of hype. You know what happens with hype? Ask Miami.
I would like a front office like the Tampa Rays or the Braves, they know how to build a team and not just for one or two years.
If you want that, wait 2 years and hope a real commish will kick Freddy from his post.
Nice way to address the owner of the site. What Joe D is getting at is he’s sick and tired of watching the entire team take 2-0, 3-1 fastballs down the middle. They’re not doing damage because they’re not swinging at them.