The Mets GM search is expected to be a very thorough one, with probably more than a dozen candidates entering the fray at one point or another.
One name that most have not talked about has now entered himself into the fray of discussion, to the surprise of many. That candidate is Ron Darling.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote an article a couple of days ago outlining some obscure candidates for the position, and Darling was on the list.
However, it became an interesting topic of discussion last night when Darling expressed legitimate interest in the position to Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News.
The Mets’ broadcaster admitted that if offered the opportunity to interview for the GM job, it would be an offer he would have to take.
“I would be disingenuous if I didn’t say that if someone wants to sit down with me and talk about putting a team together I would absolutely take that meeting.”
While he acknowledges that it would take a lot maneuvering in a variety of ways, he admits that this is every baseball fan’s dream.
“I know a lot of things would have to change with my family to take that task on, but everyone who loves the game wants a chance to put a team together, and I’m no different.”
Darling, 58, is obviously most famous for his years with the Mets that spanned eight seasons, one of which was the year the organization won its second World Series championship (1986).
However, from 2006 to now he has served as a Mets broadcaster (color commentator) alongside Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez while also working for TBS and MLB Network.
The former staff ace admitted, though, that retirement has been discussed between the three, even if the Mets’ GM job is not in the cards for him.
“We had two hours together and talked about everything from our kids to this and that. I don’t know if it was Gary or me who brought (leaving the Mets booth) up, but he said we don’t know how it’s going to go but it might make sense for all of us to leave at the same time.”
“I don’t know what that means. I don’t know how long Keith wants to work. I don’t know how long I want to work and Gary the same. But it would be a pretty cool way to go if we could somehow figure that out.”
Darling even spoke about his strategy as a GM and believes that it would be important to “trust the people [he] would hire.”
In the meantime, he just admits that it would be cool to “see what the process was like.”
