In an report by Steve Marcus of Newsday, Terry Collins says that he is not concerned about his job security but is looking forward to continuing on as manager of the Mets and signing an extension.
Collins told Marcus that he’s made the team aware of his intentions to stay on as Mets manager.
He is considered to be on the hot seat, but this talk has been quieted recently due to the Mets’ excellent 10-3 start.
Collins is a lame duck manager, meaning his contract is not guaranteed beyond this season, and he has a club option remaining for 2016.
“If I was 46 and doing it, this would be a tough thing to handle right now,” Collins, 65, said before Sunday’s 7-6 victory over the Marlins. “It’s easier for me now.”
“I don’t ever worry about my status,” he said. “Hey, look, I know how to do my job and I do it the best that I can every day. Some days you have success, some days you don’t.
“Right now I’m giving these guys the credit. They’re the ones getting themselves ready every day to go out and perform. There’s a great mix in that clubhouse, great leadership, and they believe in themselves. Hopefully it comes a little bit from me. For the most part, I think it’s themselves.”
Mets upper management would not comment about the possibility of signing Collins to an extension.
“We’re excited about the start of our season and we don’t comment on speculation,” a spokesman said.
In the new biography about Sandy Alderson, the Mets general manager is quoted as saying last August, that the chance of Terry Collins returning as may was about 50 percent and that those odds are continuing to erode.
Thoughts:
Even though Collins has faced intense criticism by the fan base, he deserves credit for the Mets early success. The team is playing great and exciting baseball, which should be partly attributed to Mets’ skipper.
However, the Mets should wait and see how everything plays out before making a decision about Collins’ future. It’s still very early in the season, and so much can change between now and the end of the year.
The true test for Collins will be how the team plays deeper into the season. They will face tougher competition than the Phillies and Marlins down the stretch, and will have to overcome even more adversity as the injuries continue to mount.
