2
2012
New Manager Trend – What If Mets Follow?
An article by 
The hiring of Mike Redmond by the Miami Marlins was a shocking yet respectable pick by the Marlins. Names like Valentine, Tony Pena, Lloyd McClendon were thrown out as potential candidates quickly as news broke that Guillen was fired.
Along with the names above, former players like Brad Ausmus, Mike Lowell, Jeff Conine and the eventual hire Mike Redmond.
This is a very interesting trend going on in Major League Baseball right now. When Ozzie Guillen left Chicago, the White Sox chose to go in the polar opposite direction and hire Robin Ventura as their Manager.
Following suit, the newly crowned World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals had legendary Manager Tony LaRussa “retire”, and decided to hand over the reins to Mike Matheny.
Currently, the Rockies and Blue Jays are searching for the right Manager. The Rockies reportedly are considering Matt Williams, Walt Weiss, Jason Giambi, and bench coach Tom Runnells as their final 4.
For the Blue Jays, they have stated they want a Manager with experience but they just watched their own minor league coach Redmond get hired to do the job in Miami. It’s probably no coincidence that they recently requested permission to speak with Matt Williams, possibly ditching their previous feelings of an experienced manager.
Still, the trend is starting to set in. Former players from the 80’s, and 90’s managing for teams they once played for regardless of their experience.
This has me wondering, if Terry Collins isn’t brought back after 2013, would the Mets follow suit? We already know for certain two former players would love the job: Tim Teufel and Wally Backman. I imagine whenever the Mets have an opening, they will certainly get a good hard look.
But the Mets as a franchise may have a lot of other former players from the 85-00 era who could be potential candidates.
Some names to toss out there:
Mike Piazza – Hitting coach for Team Italy, and Manager of the 2011 Futures Game.
Keith Hernandez – Most fans would probably love this, he has 0 experience and possibly 0 desire for a 162 game schedule.
Edgardo Alfonzo – His older brother Edgar has coached in the Mets system. He is a beloved all-time Met.
Brett Butler – Butler has been coaching in the minor leagues since 2005 in the Arizona organization.
Dave Magadan – Recently hired to be the Texas Rangers hitting coach after working for Boston since 2006. He worked within the Padres organization from 2002 prior to that.
Those are just a few names to throw out there. If the Mets were to look at former players from teams dating back to the mid 1980’s, who would you hope to see on the candidate list and why?
About the Author: Michael J. Branda
My time with MMO began in July of 2009 when I wrote a Fan Post defending Omar Minaya (before it was cool to do that.) I grew up a Mets fan with the mid 1980's teams. My favorite Met of all-time is (and was) Wally Backman. When it comes to sabermetrics versus old school thinking, I like to think I meet in the middle. I believe thinking of new ways to get answers is helpful, especially when the same way has not produced results. However, I think over-thinking certain situations can get you into trouble. I'm excited for the new regime, because I believe they have pieces in place to focus on several aspects of the Mets organization. I've waited this long for a World Series, waiting a few more years for another chance isn't going to kill me.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 41 | 28 | .594 | - |
| Nationals | 34 | 34 | .500 | 6.5 |
| Phillies | 33 | 37 | .471 | 8.5 |
| Mets | 25 | 39 | .391 | 13.5 |
| Marlins | 21 | 47 | .309 | 19.5 |
Last updated: 06/16/2013
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Fonzie or Cliff Floyd!
I’ve been advocating a coaching role for Floyd for a while. I think he is a broadcaster in FL now.
He was such a leader. Loved having him on the team. Cursed injuries!!!
I know, he just brought so much energy. I still have that image of him burned in my brain of him sitting in the hallway of the dugout in the NLCS after tear his tendon. His face said it was all over and probably a key reason for the series loss.
He’s a little too honest for NY though
in 2007, he aired Jerry Manuel out as the culprit behind the decision to pinch-hit him..
He said Willie had Tom Glavine set to bunt Valentin/Endy over so Reyes would have a 1 out with the tying run on 2nd base…a base hit ties the game…and puts the fastest player in baseball on the base-paths…with a rookie on the mound…
Jerry talked him out of it….
2 years later all Jerry did was bunt runners over
I advocate Wally but would also think Floyd would be good as he has little or no baggage to carry around. DW your off the hook. Floyd is a leader but Fonzie I do not know if he is a leader. Floyd would be a good choice. But then we lose Wally probably to the Nats.
Interesting prospect, Diamond Joe McEwing. Possibly Glavine. Maybe Piazza as hitting coach. It’s fun to play but I like Terry.
I’d be very in favor of Joe Mac. He’s paying his dues right now.
Hernandez will never take a coaching position…I asked he said NO WAY!
Maybe that changes in 10 years…
As for the unknown names most of those are following big time personalities….
They would never bring in Valentine after having gone through Guillen!
Its like throwing Gas on a that still has embers burning.
Hernandez would never take a position that he could be scrutinized in.
He loves to criticize, harshly in fact…but i think he has no stomach for the NY media…
Hernandez would then have to show up for 162 games. The way he is on air, he seems to want to work as little as possible.
I will be the one rolling out the red carpet directing Collins to the nearest exit (perhaps even illuminating the path with floor mounted aisle lighting like an airplane). He has not shown the explosiveness that we had hoped, he works his bullpen to death, and he continues to trot out proven losers instead of younger players (such as Valdespin) to see what they could do if they got into a hitting groove. Even when he was batting over .290 Valdespin on the entire season not once got three consecutive starts. Instead we saw the daily parade of Bay and Torres out there. Even Mike Baxter got more playing time and he was injured for a large chunk of the season.
Cora and Cora.
If they can’t get jobs as managers, they could always start their own detective agency.
Or law firm.
If we would’ve maintained good relations with Al Leiter, he would be a good candidate for pitching coach…
In terms of getting a former player….
we have some guy named Wally….
Hey Damanja, since he’s never going to be a consistent or even half way decent major leaguer, how about they hire Centeno to manage the Mets…I kid I kid.
I think there’s two obvious choices
1) Wally Backman ( my first choice)
2) Bob Geren ( who I think is the FO’s first choice)
Some people have argued that Wally is only willing to manage the triple A team yet again is because he’s been promised the Mets in 2014. I just don’t believe that the Mets would ever promise Wally Backman anything. I do believe they scooped up Geren to eventually replace Collins.
I think Geren is the new Jerry Manuel ( 2005-2008)
or the Knicks version of Herb Williams
aka the ownership’s way of keeping tabs on the clubhouse…
did you know Tony B and Jerry Manuel were team-mates and friends….?
Tony B recommended Jerry to be manager…Omar interviewed him and declined…
Jerry was made the outfield coach in 2005…
mysteriously, he was made to be bench coach in 2006….switching spots with Sandy Alomar
he was rumored to be the leak with the whole Ruben Gotay fiasco…
Jerry Manuel did alot to undermine and mess with Willie
Jeff – Tony B were not in favor of hiring Willie…who was Omar’s pick ( even though I didnt agree with it )
Jeff said after the 2006 season…that basically any manager could take the 2006 roster to the playoffs….
The fact that Jeff/Tony were so anti-Willie is a sign of how fractured the front office was from 04-10
Ruben gotay fiasco?
Yeah weren’t they looking for him at a crucial time in the game and he was getting his haircut or something? Am i confusing him with someone else?
Yeah Willie Randolph during spring training had made some comments internally about Ruben Gotay that got around…made its way to Tony B…who supposedly relayed it over to Ruben…
in 2007, in July…Ruben Gotay took over for an injured Jose Valentin and hit .397…Willie benched Ruben…they traded for Castillo and that was pretty much the end of the Ruben Gotay era in NY
this is what I couldnt stand with Willie…( same complaint i have with Jerry/Terry )
Once he doesnt like u or puts u in the doghouse…its pretty much a wrap for you…
Willie did it with Julio Franco…Ruben Gotay….
Jerry did it with Ryan Church
Terry’s beef with Pagan sent him packing…I see him doing it with Valdespin as well…
I totally see your point but there is another reason they each got benched; because they SUCKED!!! Franco was once an excellent player (with a crazy stance) that was nearing 50. Church and Gotay had 15 minutes of decentness than just SUCKED the rest of the time.
how about darling?
I’m a fan of Wally Backman so I would love to see him get a shot at the manager’s job if it doesn’t work out with Terry.
I always saw Edgardo Alfonzo as a good manager type. He was always an even keeled, heady player, very fundamentally sound. I could see him bringing those attributes as a manager. One of my all time favorite Mets.
I never thought about Cliff Floyd as a manager but i wouldn’t be opposed. Im sure David Wright would approve lol
hey PGrizz: thanks for reading!
You know I always find it interesting that people are so pro-Backman and never a word about Teufel. Teufel has more experience to be honest… is it just an attitude thing?
“Fiery” is the word you often hear about Backman – but you also hear it about guys like Ozzie Guillen and we know how that worked out
This team needs a motivator and a Manager that is UP TEMPO!
Teufel doesn’t fit that at all!
Thats why people are more interested in Backman over Teuf….
Tim is more like Torborg and has no personality whatsoever….
Backman is more like Dallas Green Light.
All the fire but none of the self destructive player relations Green had.
If those two were my only choices I would go Backman myself.
Teufel is too plain vanilla and not going to perfrom well under the spotlight. Backman will but will also get himself in trouble as the brashness starts to wear thin on the fanbase.
But here is what I predict….
Sandy is on his last bit of rope here, He needs to start showing some progress of the fire will be lit under him (and the wilpons) to go away.
One way of buying more time for him will be to throw Terry under the bus and name a new manager because that might actually get Sandy another two years of patience under the guise of “Let Backman get himself and the team playing the way they should” mantra
What you describe to me is if fans made the decisions.
This up tempo stuff is a farse. You need a great leader. How much they kick and scream doesn’t matter. You think RA dickey needs his manager yelling at him? No. He needs his manager to lead and make good decisions.
If Teufel is a more experienced coach/manager that should matter more than how many highlight reels he makes as a manager
And there isn’t a shred of anything to suggest Teufel is a great leader!
Backman if the type of guy players will go to war for…Teufel has never seen that type of loyalty associated with him.
Look at all the great managing LEADERS and they all had personality.
Teufel has none when compared to the greats.
I don’t know much about Teufel’s job as a manager in the minor leagues because not much is ever mentioned about him. Whether thats fair or unfair I don’t know. Although i have read quotes in the past from Nieuwenhuis and Thole praising Teuf for the job he did coaching and developing them in the minors. And Teuf also gets credit for making Murphy a passable 2B this year.
With Wally, its not just the fiery image. It seems that all the players who have played for him in the minors rave about him, as far as his communication with players and his in game managing. So that, coupled with my watching Wally play when i was a young kid, make me favor him a little more.