We have seen reports the Mets have considered Luis Rojas not ready for the Mets manager job, and yet, we just saw Anthony DiComo of MLB.com report he’s going to get a second interview. In getting that second interview, he joins a group which includes Joe Girardi, who had been reported to not getting the Mets manager job.
At the moment, Rojas joins a group which includes Carlos Beltran, Tim Bogar, and Eduardo Perez among known candidates. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports, Twins Bench Coach Derek Shelton could still be in the mix along with some other candidates who have not yet been mentioned.
In a separate report for the New York Post, Sherman reported both Kevin Long and Brian Dozier overwhelmingly recommended Bogar for the Mets job. Long, who had been passed over for this job two years ago, compared Bogar to Terry Collins calling “both low key and fiery. His preparation and knowledge are great. New York would love his fire.”
Dozier said the Mets should hire Bogar as he is “someone who is well liked, well respected, knowledgeable and that people gravitate toward.”
Of course, it is up for debate if Bogar is what the Mets truly want in their next manager. When you survey the landscape, you see the Mets pool of known candidate, there is a former World Series manager, a former player, a longtime Major League coach, a bench coach, a TV analyst, and an internal candidate.
As noted by David Lennon of Newsday, this is a far cry from other managerial searches. The Angels knew they wanted Joe Maddon, and they moved quickly to hire him. The Phillies knew they wanted an experienced manager, and they narrowed their search to Girardi, Dusty Baker, and Buck Showalter. On Girardi, Lennon noted Girardi’s likely salary is an indication he will not be the Mets next manager.
In finding their next manager, Lennon notes Brodie Van Wagenen used buzz phrases like “collaboration” and “clubhouse culture.” However, when you boil it all down those are buzz words, and after seeing the pool of candidates, no one can truly decipher what direction the Mets want to go with their next manager.
Ultimately, Lennon puts it best when he said, “But looking at this group and all the time it’s taken the team to get here, do the Mets even know what they want in a manager?“
In the end, what we see is the Mets have had a more deliberate approach than when they hired Mickey Callaway after just one interview. Maybe like Art Howe before Callaway, none of these candidates lit up a room. Maybe multiple people did, and the Mets are trying to see if they can do it again.
Really, what is going on at this moment is anyone’s guess because the Mets don’t see to have a set direction, and it is leading people to wonder if they are stalling or just don’t know the direction they want to go.
