What?! Who?!
I’m sure that was the reaction of many New York Mets fans (not our informed Metsmerized readers, of course) when they heard the team hired Carlos Mendoza as their new manager. Mendoza’s appointment came as a surprise despite his reported second interview. Few paid much attention to the Yankees’ bench coach amid speculation about Craig Counsell.
After Mendoza’s press conference, Mets fans can form initial impressions of their new manager. Ultimately, though, it will be hard to provide any real analysis until the season begins.
Of course, that won’t stop anyone from trying. With that in mind, here are some initial impressions of Mendoza.
Relationships
One theme of Mendoza’s press conference was building team culture and relationships. He has an excellent reputation in that area from his time with the Yankees. David Stearns reiterated that this was one of the reasons the Mets hired him and lauded his people skills.
As Mendoza explained, “I’m a big believer, I’ve learned through my experience that the connections, the trust, the respect, the relationships in the clubhouse, when you care about people, when you connect, it creates that culture that we’re talking about that will eventually show up on the baseball field.”
The manager clearly takes this part of his job seriously. He said that he has spoken to “pretty much every position player,” including a 45-minute conversation with Pete Alonso.
Various Yankees sources called Mendoza “authentic” and said he has a strong clubhouse presence. Phillies manager Rob Thomson added that Mendoza “will be very honest with the players and they will trust him.”
Though this is obviously a requirement for any manager, it may not be an improvement over Buck Showalter. By most accounts, Showalter was well-liked in the clubhouse.
Attention to Detail
Members of the Yankees organization consistently note Mendoza’s attention to detail. As Will Sammon wrote in The Athletic, former Yankees minor league staffer Greg Colbrunn recalls Mendoza’s first season as a coach. According to Colbrunn, Mendoza asked him question after question about the finer details of coaching strategy, everything from optimal rest to trying to take an extra base late in a tie game. He carried that into his role as the Yankees’ bench coach.
Mendoza stressed this importance. “Comes down to preparation, attention to details each and every day, and competing,” he remarked. “I want the team to go out there and play hard every pitch, and then, at the end of the day, I want them to have fun.”
For a team that struggles with intangibles, having a detail-oriented manager is important. It may also depend on the coaches Mendoza hires.
Can He Handle New York?
While Mendoza coached with the Yankees, he’s never been front-and-center in New York before. “I understand the expectations in New York,” he said.
“I understand how passionate the fan base is. They want to win. They have high expectations, and when you’re not meeting those expectations, they’re going to let you know. But they’re also going to support you when you’re playing well. I’ve experienced playoff games here in October on the other side of town, and I can’t wait to have that experience in Citi Field with Mets fans.”
Mendoza emphasized that he would handle the spotlight by recognizing that reporters are doing their jobs just as he is doing his. He acknowledged that he will communicate with the fan base through the media.
Still, there’s nothing like the trial by fire of being the guy in New York. Randolph also had experience with the Yankees before he became the Mets’ manager. We’ll learn a lot more about Mendoza the first time the Mets go on a multi-game losing streak in 2024.
Photo via New York Mets
What About Analytics?
Steve Cohen has aspired to build a top player development pipeline since he bought the Mets. It’s still an organizational issue, particularly in the pitching department. Stearns was brought in largely because of his analytical background, which should help acquire the right players and help them reach their potential. For example, SNY’s John Harper explained that Stearns’ analytics bent makes the Mets more likely to keep Alonso.
How does Mendoza fit? It’s a priority for the Mets, especially after Justin Verlander commented that their analytics department is less robust than the Astros’. Stearns can change up the analytics staff. Mendoza, though, will need to relay the information and garner widespread player buy-in.
SNY’s Andy Martino floated a rumor that Mendoza will sometimes push back on the analytics department. Martino cautioned that the Yankees blend old-school and analytical approaches, while the Mets are more all-in on analytics. If accurate, this could be an interesting marriage between the franchise and the manager.
On the flip side, Stearns’ focus on Mendoza’s people skills may indicate otherwise. Perhaps they both want to focus on both numbers and people. One of Stearns’ big career stops was his time as the Astros’ assistant general manager. That organization had been accused of being too coldly number-driven and not focused enough on the personal side of the game (as cited in “The MVP Machine: How Baseball’s Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players” by Ben Lindbergh and Travis Sawchik, 2019).
Furthermore, the Mets have had some issues with their analytics department in recent years. In 2021, batters complained they had too much information to process and could not focus at the plate. In 2023, batters suffered from a tunnel-vision approach focused on walks and exit velocity. Perhaps Mendoza could have mediated some of those issues.
There is seemingly the potential for some conflict here. Considering how excited Stearns seems to be with the hire, though, it’s likely that he and Mendoza have discussed this.
Win or Loss?
It’s hard to make any judgments about the hiring of a first-time manager. Still, at least on the surface, Mendoza seems like a good choice. Especially with many respected veterans in the clubhouse, the relationship aspect will be important. Being in lockstep with Stearns is also critical to forming a synchronized vision for the team.
Mendoza impressed many with his affability at his introductory press conference. (For the Jets fans here, Adam Gase may be the only coach or manager ever to fail on Day 1.) It was in keeping with his reputation from his time with the Yankees. Stearns can now more fully turn his attention toward free agency to retool the roster.
