Regularly the smallest player on every organized team he played on, Collins realized that he could stand out by routinely playing harder than the rest.

Collins, 74, has spent over five decades in professional baseball. Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft, he never appeared in the big leagues as a player. Collins soon understood that if he wanted to taste the life of a major leaguer, he would need to do so in a different way.

The baseball lifer worked his way up from managing in the minor leagues to earning a coaching spot with Jim Leyland’s Pittsburgh Pirates team before getting his first shot as a major league skipper with the Houston Astros in 1994. The Astros would go on to finish second in the N.L. Central in each of the three seasons Collins was at the helm. Houston fired him following the 1996 season, however, after the team went 8-17 in September and saw their division lead disappear.

Collins wasn’t out of work long though, as the Anaheim Angels named him the 15th manager in franchise history in November of 1996. The Angels won 84 and 85 games, respectively, in 1997 and 1998, but went a disappointing 51-82 in their first 133 games of the 1999 season. Despite receiving a contract extension midway through that campaign, Collins resigned as manager following a nine-game losing streak at the end of August. Stories of player unrest and a fractious clubhouse marred Collins’ tenure as Angels manager.

Following stints as an advance scout with the Chicago Cubs, bullpen and third base coach with the Tampa Bay Rays, field coordinator and director of player development with the Los Angeles Dodgers and manager for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, Collins was hired by the New York Mets as their minor league field coordinator for the 2010 season.

Almost a year after the Mets brought Collins on, he was tasked with a new, yet familiar, responsibility: managing a ball club.

Collins returned to the dugout, becoming the 20th skipper in Mets history. He made a promise to himself to enjoy this time more and not make the same mistakes he did with the Astros and Angels.

In total, he was at the helm for seven seasons (2011-2017), becoming the second manager in franchise history to lead the club to back-to-back postseasons in 2015 and 2016 (joining Bobby Valentine). Collins is the longest-tenured manager in Mets history, managing 1,134 regular season games.

Recently, Collins joined X (formerly Twitter) and began a podcast with John Arezzi aptly called “The Terry Collins Show.” The weekly show features Collins bringing listeners behind the scenes of a major league clubhouse, along with hosting a variety of guests, including David Wright, R.A. Dickey and Daniel Murphy.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Collins over the phone, where we discussed his playing career, transitioning to managing and some of his memories from his time with the Mets.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Collins: I grew up in Michigan, and Al Kaline was a big star with the Tigers. There was another player named Rocky Colavito who became a great player with the Tigers.

The Yankees won a lot back then, so I was a big Mickey Mantle fan.

One of the stations we listened to in Michigan had Milwaukee Braves baseball. I used to listen to the great Braves players like [Hank] Aaron and [Eddie] Mathews. The catcher’s name was Del Crandall, who I played for in the minor leagues. So that was cool.

MMO: You played all over the field throughout your minor league career. Were you always a versatile player?

Collins: I grew up playing just second base. I was always the smallest guy on every team I ever played. Second base was my position, and I only played a couple of games at shortstop in American Legion.

When I got to college, I made the team as a freshman. The first game we had was a doubleheader, and the second baseman on varsity got hurt. They brought me up for those two games, and I got six hits in the doubleheader.

The next day the coach asked me, “Can you play shortstop?” I told him yes. He said, “Well, meet me at the field,” and the following day I played shortstop against the University of Michigan. I ended up playing shortstop the rest of my career at Eastern Michigan.

MMO: You’ve always been known as an intense and fiery competitor. Do you remember when you first started displaying those traits?

Collins: Well, again, I’m a little guy. When I had to compete, if I was going to compete, I had to play hard. I played harder than anybody.

When I was a little boy, my mother got a phone call from one of my friend’s mothers. She said, “I don’t want Bobby playing with Terry anymore. He plays too hard.”

When my dad got home from work that night, my mom said to him, “You need to talk to Terry.” My dad asked, “Why?” She said, “One of the mothers called and said Terry plays too hard, and we need to talk to him.” My dad said, “I’ll talk to him.” She asked, “What are you going to tell him?” He said, “I’m going to tell him not to play with Bobby anymore.” [Laughs.]

MMO: When and how did the chance to manage in the minor leagues come about? 

Collins: It’s pretty funny. My first spring training, I saw Triple-A guys who were 29-30 years-old still playing. I wrote a letter to my mother that spring telling her there are guys who are 29 and 30 years old still playing in the minors. I told her I’m giving it three years, and if I’m not in the big leagues in three years, I’m going to go back and use my education. Fifty years later, I’m still doing it!

I kind of fell in love with the game. The one thing I always wanted to do was be a coach. When I went to the Dodgers organization from the Pirates, in spring training you would go into a backroom, and they had this little area where guys could get a beer. It was part of the complex. You would sit there and listen to [Sandy] Koufax, [Don] Drysdale, [Johnny] Podres, Maury Wills, Wes Parker, Walter Alston and [Tommy] Lasorda. They were always at spring training. You just sat there and absorbed as much information as you could.

When I was hoping I would get a chance to manage, as I said, I played for Del Crandall. I picked his brain because he was an outstanding minor league manager, great teacher, and great teacher of catching. Back then, you didn’t have any coaches in the minor leagues; it was just you. I had to learn how to teach catching, how to teach outfield play and how to work with the pitchers.

I picked the brains of those guys as much as I possibly could. I knew at some time I was going to have to use all of that information. It was the greatest education you could have.

MMO: It’s crazy to think there was a time where the only coach on a minor league time was the manager.

Collins: My first year managing, I’m in Lodi, California, and in the minors you have halves. So, the first half, our team wasn’t very good. Fernando Valenzuela burst onto the scene in Los Angeles, and he was throwing a screwball. There was an older pitcher the Dodgers had at one time named Jim Brewer, and Jim threw a screwball. The Dodgers hired him to go through the minor leagues and try to teach some guys that were average pitchers the screwball.

The first place he came was Lodi. He saw our pitching staff and said, “Terry, first of all, I’m going to teach them how to throw their fastballs for strikes. I’m not worried about the screwball. If they can’t throw their fastballs for strikes, the screwball is not going to help them.”

He turned our entire pitching staff around in three weeks. We ended up winning the second half and won the championship because Brewer came and taught my pitchers to throw strikes with their fastballs. That’s the kind of stuff you got the opportunity with. Again, this was my first year coaching by myself.

When I got to Triple-A, we had coaches; we had a pitching coach and third base coach. My pitching coach was Dave Wallace, who was one of the best pitching coaches for a long time and one of my best friends. He had to go home, and I’m the only guy who’s ever had Sandy Koufax as a pitching coach. Sandy used to roll through the minor leagues, and he came to Albuquerque when Dave was going to be gone. Sandy was my pitching coach for a day.

MMO: You can’t do much better than having Koufax offering his tutelage.

Collins: We were sitting on the bench and the game was going on, and I brought a pitcher in for the ninth. He walked the first guy, and I went, “God damn it!” And Sandy, sitting next to me, said, “Did you ever pitch?” I said, “No.” Then he said, “Well, it ain’t that easy.” I never, ever said that again! I learned a lesson in one little sentence. [Laughs.]

MMO: Can you talk a bit about the role Hall of Fame manager Jim Leyland played in your development as a skipper?

Collins: Jim had a similar background as me. He only got to Double-A as a player; I spent six years in Triple-A. Neither of us got to the big leagues. Jim started managing at a young age and was stuck in the Tigers organization where Sparky [Anderson] was the manager, so Jim was going nowhere.

He was stuck in Triple-A and had a chance to go with Tony La Russa, but he wanted to be a Tiger; that’s all he wanted to do. Sparky wouldn’t hire him, so Jim ended up leaving. It was a very similar thing [for me]. Tommy [Lasorda] was the manager of the Dodgers, and he was never going to go until he decided he was going to. There was no place for me.

I had been managing in Albuquerque for six years as the Triple-A manager, and I had a chance to go to the Pittsburgh Pirates and manage their Triple-A team. I went to Pittsburgh and asked, ‘How do I get to the big leagues?’ I met Jim, and he liked me, and he brought me to the big leagues three years later. We had this relationship because of our backgrounds. He’s such an entertaining guy and funnier than heck.

In September, they started bringing the Triple-A manager up to the big leagues at the end of the season as part of the call-ups; they bring five, six, seven guys up in September. They started bringing the managers up so that you could help the coaches and the [minor league] manager knows about the [minor league] players. The other teams brought their minor league guys up who I saw [play]. So you could help.

When I got to the big leagues, Jim said to me, “Here’s your job: I want you to sit next to me on the bench during the games. I want you to throw batting practice to [Barry] Bonds, [Bobby] Bonilla and [Andy] Van Slyke. If I ever see you throwing batting practice to Tom Prince, I’m going to send you back to Triple-A. When the game’s over, I want you to come in, sit right over there in the corner, and listen to what kind of questions the sportswriters ask me and how I answer them. You don’t have to say the same things I say, but you need to hear the kind of questions you’re going to face.”

For the next number of years, that’s what I did. We’d sit on a plane together, and I’d ask questions about situations that happened in the game that night. He’s very upfront and blunt about it and would talk about it.

I asked him one time, ‘Jim, when you got the job in ’86 in Pittsburgh, what changes have you made to be the manager you are today?’ He looked off for a second and said, “Well, I’ll tell you, Terry. The biggest change I made was I write Barry Bonds’ name in a lineup now and not Jason Thompson’s.” [Laughs.]

MMO: There’s no better way to get acclimated to a future as a major league manager then getting to essentially shadow one as you did with Leyland.

Collins: Absolutely. They had a lockout one time, and Jim was in minor league spring training, so there were no big-league players at camp. The Triple-A manager ran spring training with the Pittsburgh organization at the time, so I ran spring training.

When it was over, Jim came over to me and said, “They opened up the camp for the big-league players. I don’t make promises but the next spot on my staff, you’re it.” That’s how I got my chance. I was really lucky, and we’ve just been very, very good friends. We stay in constant contact.

MMO: Are you planning on being in Cooperstown for his induction into the Hall of Fame this summer?

Collins: Yeah, absolutely.

MMO: I interviewed Ned Colleti several years ago, and he sang your praises during your time with the Dodgers as director of player development. He said when you left for Japan, he often missed your approach, intellect and honesty. What are your memories from your time with the Dodgers organization?

Collins: I was talking with Andy Green when he got the job with the Mets, and I told him that he’s the perfect guy. I told him he can make a huge impact on people. What helped me, Mathew, to be honest, I had already managed in the big leagues for six years. I had some situations with young players that got to the big leagues that failed miserably, and they were good players! It took them a while to get through it. That was one of the theories when I became the minor league director of Los Angeles was, look, I’m going to challenge my good players, and if they’re good enough they’ll get it and move faster.

I challenged Matt Kemp when he was 19; I put him in Double-A. He might have had a little problem in the beginning, but at the end of the year, he’s the best player in the league bar none.

My time with the Dodgers, Paul DePodesta was the GM, and when Jim Tracy was let go and I was going to get that job, Paul got fired two days before they were going to name me the manager. Ned got hired, and he came down to Florida to talk to me, and he said, “Look, you’re not going to get the job. I’m going to go with somebody else.” I said, “Okay.” And he said, “I don’t know what you want to do.” I told him, ‘I’m going to do what I always do: I’m just going to do my job.’

But I didn’t mope; shit happens! I stayed on and tried to help Ned as best I could and was always there and calling about different things. I had a great relationship with him, but I had a chance to go to Japan [to manage] for a lot of money, and I couldn’t turn that down. That’s why I left.

MMO: How would you compare baseball in Japan vs. the States?

Collins: The whole game’s different. Number one, they are fundamentally off the charts; tremendous cut-offs and relays. They can lay down the best bunts you’ll ever see, they can run the bases – they don’t steal a lot – but they run the bases great. They play to score one run and they play to protect one run. It might be the top of the first inning, and a guy’s on third base with one out and they’re bringing that infield in. They’re not giving up runs. You’re going to have to get a hit to earn a run; that’s how they play.

They have a tremendous work ethic. I mean, the pitchers with 200-pitch bullpens between starts, and hitters will take 500 swings before a game. They trained themselves and want to make the game easier so they get themselves into tremendous shape. They run and run and run and run!

You go to spring training, and they don’t have the number of fields we have over here, but spring training starts at nine in the morning and you’re off the field at six. You have dinner, and then the players get their bats and go out in the parking lot and swing. The rookies went to a room at the hotel and had night batting where they used wiffle balls. It’s pretty intense. It’s always go, go, go!

They have a day off or two every week, they play 144 games, but there’s a number of off days. They take the bullet trains, or they’ll take an easy flight, which are only an hour and ten minutes.

They’re very sound players. All of their pitchers throw the ball over the plate. Here, we like strike one and then expand the zone. They do almost the opposite. They nibble the outside corner and see if you’ll swing at it. If you don’t, they’ll throw it over. They don’t like to strikeout, so those guys will put the ball in play. They’ll hit that borderline pitch. They may not hit it good, but if you really work the count, you’re going to get a good ball to hit.

When I got over there, Bobby Valentine told me, “Terry, you’re not going to like the cut-offs or relays, but leave them alone because they do it.” Mathew, in all my years in the United States, I have never seen a guy tag up at third base on a fly ball to the outfield and try to score where the ball is cut off and relayed to home never be thrown out. I saw it three times in Japan! They are so good at it. Every cut off is perfectly thrown.

MMO: Did you take anything you learned in Japan and bring it back to the States when you were managing the Mets?

Collins: Not really. I saw a thing the other day that Carlos [Mendoza] was saying we took infield. Well, you know, in all my years in New York, we took infield. You know how they used to take it after batting practice? We took it before. When we were at home, our guys threw to the bases twice during a homestand. The outfielders loved it. You had [Yoenis] Céspedes and [Juan] Lagares, who both had tremendous arms. It was like a challenge of who was going to make the better throw.

Tommy Goodwin was my outfield coach, and those guys loved him. We took infield/outfield most every day. Those fundamentals in Japan, I remember I took an American coach over and a scout asked him one day before the game, “You guys going to take infield?” And John said, “Let me think, this is our hundredth game, and we’ve taken infield one-hundred times. Yeah, we’ll take it again.” [Laughs.]

I liked it. You make it easy because they want to take ground balls anyway. We came out 15 minutes early before we started hitting, and guys got all of their defensive work in. Now, if you want to take some balls off the bat during batting practice, that was fine. It eliminated guys getting hit because they were catching a ground ball while someone was taking BP. It really helped out, and I thought it was a big difference, so I brought that over.

Their batting practices at home [in Japan], have two cages going; they have a right-handed pitcher and a left-handed pitcher. You just go from cage to cage. It’s tremendous! They have routines, man. I saw [Yu] Darvish when he was 19. I saw [Masahiro] Tanaka when he was 17. They were electric, and both threw between starts. They would throw 150 pitches in the bullpen because that would make their game easier when they got to 120. That was their theory. But you couldn’t bring that here. You’d never get an American guy to do that.

MMO: The July 29, 2015, game is one fans will likely never forget with the sight of Wilmer Flores crying on the field believing he had been traded. What memories stick out for you from that night, and how did you go about managing a game that clearly had so much off-the-field speculation going on?

Collins: It was during the trade deadline, and Wilmer’s name was never mentioned; Sandy did that stuff himself. I’m just standing in the dugout and the game’s going on, and Wilmer was on deck, and some fans were yelling good luck and we love you. I’m going, “What the heck is that?”

David [Wright] came up to me and said, “Terry, it’s all over TV. He’s been traded.” I said, ‘David, he has not been traded.’ He said, “I’m telling you they’re broadcasting right now on TV; he’s been traded.” I said, “David, this guy has not been traded. You see that phone right there?” He said, “Yeah.” I said, ‘That phone goes to Sandy. If there’s a deal done, that phone would be ringing, and I’d be taking him out of the game.”

Now people are telling Wilmer he’s been traded, and he’s upset. I walked down the dugout to him, and I said, “Hey, let’s go. You’re on this team. You have not been traded. You’ve got to go out and play.” He goes out, and sure enough, he starts crying on the field. As he comes in off the field, I went over to him, and at the time, I think he was the only shortstop I had who was healthy. I said, “Look, you’ve got to finish this game, man. You’re fine, you’re still a Met. You’re not going anywhere.”

He went back, and he’s still crying on the field. The next thing you know, the phone rings, and it’s Sandy. And he said, “You’ve got to take Wilmer out.” I asked, ‘Is he traded?’ He said, “No, but he’s crying on the field!” So, he came back in, and I got him out, and sure enough, he wasn’t traded. I didn’t know what else to do. I told him, ‘Wilmer, if you were traded, I would’ve been told, and I would’ve taken you out of the game. You are a Met. Everything’s going to be okay.’

Sure enough, it ended up being okay. And that’s why, Mathew, two days later he hit that home run against the Nationals that couldn’t have been written. You can’t read a Hollywood script better than that.

MMO: Your “To who? For What” postgame comment will forever be etched in my brain. I always loved watching your pre and postgame press conferences because you were very transparent.

Collins: Absolutely, Mathew, and I’m going to go back to Jim Leyland. Right when I got my interview with the Houston Astros, I called Jim and said, ‘I’m going to go to Houston tomorrow and interview for the manager job.’ He said, “I’ll meet you at the stadium.” I was living in Pittsburgh, and we went to the stadium and I spent six hours with him. He just talked about all these different questions that I was going to face and different things.

One of the things he said was, “Listen, I’m going to tell you right now, you treat every reporter as if they’re the sports editor of The New York Times. There are no dumb questions, but if you’re hit with one, treat it like any other question. Don’t belittle the guy, just answer the question.”

When I got to the Mets, Jay Horwitz was the guy who told me, “Terry, one of the best things you can do is learn everybody’s name.” When I did these press conferences and if Mike Puma asked me a question, I would say, “Well, you know Mike…” Now his name is tied to that question.

There were some questions asked by some young guys or people from a different team or something that didn’t make much sense and all the writers would laugh. I didn’t laugh; I just answered the question. I thought that really helped, not to belittle any reporter. They have a job to do, and I respect it.

The only thing I ever asked of these guys was not to lie. Don’t make something up. It’s your opinion and strictly your opinion; that’s fine. There were a couple of times where there was an unnamed source that says this. I would go to them and say, “I know you won’t tell me who it was that said it, but how do I know you just didn’t make that up? Maybe you just said this is what I think, and I’m going to put it down and say somebody else said it.” I always did that one-on-one, I never did it in front of any of the other writers.

After your press conference, you’ve got to budget two minutes for almost every one of those guys; they all want their own two minutes. They’d ask a question or two for their own stories that they don’t want out there. That’s why I try and tell anybody that’s ever managed in New York that you’ve got to understand to budget your time for these guys and answer their questions. Don’t blow them off because they’ve got the pen, and they can make it miserable for you. Just treat them with respect, and that’s about it. I thought it helped me out a lot.

MMO: How beneficial was the Matrix during the 2015 season?

Collins: It was just coming into play then. I think it was a great coaching tool, I think it’s really good for coaches to use. The players can get overwhelmed with information, and their job is to go play. As a coach or manager, you take that information and try to use it to your benefit to put those guys in the best position to succeed. We didn’t flood them with a bunch of information; I just didn’t like it. Number one, most of them have played a long time, I had a pretty veteran club. The last thing I want to do is put stuff in their head.

I remember one time when I was in Anaheim, Tim Salmon, who’s a great, great player, somebody on the team said, “Hey, I’ve got the signs. Do you guys want them? If I’m on base I can tell you what’s coming.” And Tim said, “I do not want to know. I’m fine.” I asked him after the game was over why that was, and he said, “Terry, if he’s wrong, it’ll screw me up mentally. Let me just figure it out.” I thought that made sense.

They used it (analytics) a lot in Japan. In interleague play in Japan, you can have your advance scout on the bench with you. The other team brought in a pitcher, so this advance scout got up and talked to my rookie shortstop, who was a pretty nice player, and said, “There’s a thirty percent chance you’re going to get this, another thirty percent chance you’re going to get this pitch, a twenty-five percent chance you’re going to get this pitch.” You’ve got to be shitting me! [Laughs.] Go up there, and if you get a fastball, hit it!

You’ve got to filter it. I thought our coaches did a great job of using that information for their benefit to help the players and not try to overwhelm them.

MMO: One of the moments I’ll always remember is when SNY caught the shot of you going over and putting your arm around Jacob deGrom in the dugout after he gave up eight earned runs against the Texas Rangers in 2017. Do you remember some of the things you relayed to deGrom in that moment?

Collins: First of all, everybody saw how talented Jake was. Great talent. He was the best pitcher we had. There were times Matt [Harvey] was the best, or [Noah] Syndergaard might have been the best, but Jake was our guy.

I remember years ago, Walter Alston told me when I first started managing, “Terry, there are two kinds of players. There are the ones who have been humbled, and ones who will be humbled in this game.” And that was what I pretty much told Jake. Everybody’s going to have a bad day. [Sandy] Koufax had a bad day; Bob Feller had a bad day. He had a bad day. You’ve got to be able to forget about it, because in four days you’re going back out there, big boy. Blow it off, tip your cap and say I’ll see you in four days.

That was just a moment where you could look back and say, guess way? Welcome to the game. It’s not easy out there. That’s why guys who compete like he did, it can cause that humbleness that a player needs once in a while to realize the game is not easy. I thought that was a coaching chance for me to tell Jake that he’s still the guy. You’re going to be just fine, you had a bad night and move on.

MMO: Does a day go by where someone doesn’t mention the ass in the jackpot game?

Collins: You know what? It’s become part of me, it really has!

I live in St. Lucie, and I belong to a golf course where three quarters of the members are New Yorkers. During this time of year, people come down and they’ll come out and somebody will introduce me. And that’s the first thing they’ll bring up!

I have a friend who’s a golf pro at the pro shop, and every time I walk in the first thing I hear is, “Give us a shot! Gotta give us a shot!” So there’s not a day.

MMO: It still baffles me that Adam Hamari had such a quick trigger when it came to Syndergaard’s pitch behind Chase Utley.

Collins: That was my argument. Do you remember John McSherry? Great, big umpire. He actually died on the field in Cincinnati. He was a long-time umpire, and we had a fight in Houston. When the fight finally stopped, I went over to him, and he’s writing down names of guys he’s going to kick out. He never looked up; he was just writing names down. He said to me, “You get one shot. You get the first guy in the batter’s box and then I’m going to put an end to this.”

Four years later, I’m managing the Angels, and we get in a big fight in Kansas City. Don Denkinger said exactly the same thing to me when all the stuff stopped finally. He said, “You get the first guy and it’s over with.” This was the first time we saw Utley, and I was shocked. That’s why when Tom [Hailon] said, “You had a shot,” no we didn’t! This was it! That was my whole argument. I wasn’t mad at Tom; we didn’t get the chance to get Utley and that’s what I was upset about.

MMO: What advice would Terry Collins in his final year as manager in 2017 give to first-year manager Terry Collins in 1994?

Collins: Enjoy the game more. I took it real serious, that’s why I rubbed people the wrong way. I’m a pretty intense guy, you know, when I played, I was intense. I had an old manager tell me one time, “Players will take on the personality of the manager.” I really respected the game. I wasn’t a good enough player, but there wasn’t a time that I didn’t play as hard as I could. Not one day.

One year I broke my jaw, and seven days later with my jaw wired shut, I was in the lineup. I was playing with a pair of pliers in my pocket in case I got sick so I could snip the wires off. You just played; you played as hard as you could. I always thought you had to respect the game. If it wasn’t for baseball, what would we all be doing? Give it back, give it back effort. And for some people that rubbed them the wrong way. And I understood it. Shoot, I apologized to a lot of players.

Garret Anderson was a really good player, but he was one of those guys who didn’t run every ball out. One time I went up to him and asked, “Do you have a problem with me?” He said, “Absolutely not. You’re wound a little too tight for me, but I know you want to win, and I have no problem with that.” I told him okay, and that I just wanted to make sure because he’s going to be playing, he’s going to be in the lineup every day.

There are times where you’ve got to take a stance on something. It might rub a player the wrong way, but I just think that’s the way the game should be played and managed.

When I went to New York, I told myself that I’ve got to start enjoying the game more. I’ve got to enjoy my time because these jobs are hard to get. I’ve got good players, and there’s nothing more fun than going out with the best players in the world and competing. So, I told myself I’ve got to enjoy it, and that’s how I went about it in New York.

MMO: Tell me about joining X and starting a podcast. What can fans expect from “The Terry Collins Show”?

Collins: John Arezzi called me about it, and I had absolutely no idea I was going to do it. I’m not a big social media guy, and I’m too old to get on that stuff. But I just want to have some fun with it.

As you said earlier in the conversation, I’m an honest guy. I think there are things the fans might want to know about with the actions during a game or what goes on behind the scenes. The more they know the more they’ll enjoy the game. I want to have some fun and have guests on and talk about their careers.

I’ve got a buddy who’s a bookie, and one of the shows is going to be about gambling in sports, especially baseball. It’s just something to have some fun with and to relate to the fans. I’ve never been big enough in the game to think that I don’t have a relationship with the fans. I respect that. I try and say hi to everyone and take pictures. It takes ten seconds to sign an autograph, and that ten seconds means a lot to people.

MMO: When you look back over your fifty years in the sport, what are you most proud of?

Collins: That’s a tough one. I guess I’m most proud that I lasted for fifty years. After I signed, three years later I was released. I loved the sport and endured enough through all of the years, rode a lot of buses and didn’t make much money for a long, long time. I still respected and loved the game enough that it was fun, and it was all I wanted to do. So, I stayed with it.

I stayed with what I wanted to do and made a life. I took the ups and downs and tried to be the same guy every day. I think baseball teaches that.

Follow Terry Collins on Twitter, @TerryCollins_10.

Check out Terry’s podcast here.

The post MMO Exclusive: Former Mets Manager, Terry Collins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

On Friday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the cap selections for the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Todd Helton and Joe Mauer are naturally going in with Rockies and Twins caps respectively, since those are the only teams they played for during their careers. Manager Jim Leyland, who managed four teams during his career, will go in with a blank cap while Adrián Beltré, who played for four teams during his career, will enter with a Rangers cap.

Latest Mets News

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Friday that the Mets and RHP Shintaro Fujinami were in agreement on a one-year deal worth $3.35 million. Between the A’s and Orioles in 2023, Fujinami posted a 7.18 ERA. Fujinami, though, recovered after a dreadful start to the season so his ERA doesn’t demonstrate the strides he made during the season. Fujinami averaged a 99 mph fastball in 2023, so he will be bringing some much-needed heat to the Mets bullpen.

The Mets agreed to terms with another reliever on Friday, inking lefty Jake Diekman to a one-year deal worth $4 million, per SNY‘s Andy Martino. Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that Diekman has a vesting option for another $4 million in 2025 if he appears in at least 58 games for the Mets. Diekman spent 2023 between the White Sox and Rays and, like Fujinami, found more success with his second team. Diekman finished the year with a 3.34 ERA, but had a 2.18 ERA in 50 appearances with the Rays. While Diekman excels at limiting hard contact, he struggles with walking batters. He joins Brooks Raley as another lefty out of the Mets bullpen.

Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, former Met Daniel Murphy will join the booth for at least two games during spring training, replacing Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez.

The Mets announced that they traded catcher Tyler Heineman to the Red Sox for cash considerations. Heineman had recently been designated for assignment after the Mets added Adam Ottavino to the 40-man roster.

Latest MLB News

Former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is re-joining the Red Sox as a part owner and senior advisor. Epstein’s return is the best news of what has been an inauspicious offseason for Boston, after Red Sox chairman Tom Werner vowed the Red Sox would go “full throttle” in their efforts to improve the team.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post announced that the Braves are signing Ken Giles to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Giles has the opportunity to make $1.75 million if he reaches the majors in 2024. Giles was once one of the best closers in the game, but he has not pitched regularly in the major leagues since 2019.

Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic announced that the Giants traded starting pitcher Ross Stripling to the A’s. The Giants announced that they would be sending cash along with Stripling, and their return would be outfielder Jonah Cox, a 22-year-old who was a sixth-round pick of the A’s in the 2023 draft. In 2023, Stripling alternated between starting and long relief, recording a 5.36 ERA across 89 innings.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that there are five teams showing interest in former Met Dominic Smith. Smith hit 12 home runs and recorded a .692 OPS in 2023 with the Nationals, but hit six home runs and had an .846 OPS over the final month of the season.

Per Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, the White Sox are signing former Met Kevin Pillar to a minor league deal. He can make $3 million if he reaches the big league roster.

Darren Wolfson of Skor North reports that the Twins signed Carlos Santana to a one-year deal.

The Yankees announced on Friday that they have scheduled a two-game exhibition series with the Diablos Rojos del México for March 24 and 25. The games will be played at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer analyzes the latest ESPN and Baseball America farm system rankings, with the Mets coming in at no. 11 and no. 8 respectively.

On This Date in Mets History

1983: The Mets signed Ed Hearn to a minor league deal on this day 41 years ago. Hearn worked his way up the minor leagues for a few years before becoming Gary Carter‘s backup in early 1986. Hearn had a very brief career, but he will always be a member of the 1986 World Series champion Mets.

Birthdays: Lucas Duda (38)

The post Morning Briefing: National Baseball Hall of Fame Announces 2024 Class Cap Selections appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The former Pirates, Tigers, Marlins, and Rockies manager spent 22 total years at the helm as a manager. He totaled 1,769 wins, the 18th most in major-league history. Of those wins, 851 came with the Pirates and 700 with the Tigers. Leyland captured three pennants and won one World Series back in 1997 with the Florida Marlins.

The most notable of the rest of the nominations was former New York Mets’ manager Davey Johnson. Earlier today at Metsmerized our very own Brian Wright made a compelling argument as to why Johnson should have been voted in. Unfortunately, he received less than five votes and was left out.

To get enshrined by the committee a nomination needed at least 12 votes from the 16-man panel. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Lou Piniella was the next closest at 11 votes. Bill White received 10 while the rest of the nominations, including Johnson, Cito Gaston, Ed Montague, Hank Peters, and Joe West, received less than five.

The post Jim Leyland Elected To Hall of Fame, Davey Johnson Misses Out appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The ballot is made up of former managers, executives, and umpires whose primary contributions to the game came since 1980 were eligible for consideration. This year’s ballot included the aforementioned Davey Johnson as well as Cito Gaston, Jim Leyland, Ed Montague, Hank Peters, Lou Piniella, Joe West, and Bill White.

After a solid 13-year major league career, Davey became an MLB manager in short order as he became the Mets skipper for the beginning of the 1984 season. He did a marvelous job as he turned a 68-win 1983 Mets team into a winning ball club in his first season in Queens, which was just the beginning of his tremendous stint in Flushing. Under Davey’s tenure, the Mets would go to the playoffs twice in his seven years there and won the franchise’s second World Series trophy in 1986. 

After his time in New York, Johnson would go on to manage four different ball clubs: the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and finally the Washington Nationals. Davey finished his career with 1,372 wins, two Manager of the Year awards, one pennant, and one World Series title while only managing one season from start to finish, where his team finished under .500. 

The Contemporary Era Committee will meet on Dec. 3 at baseball’s Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, and the vote will be announced live on MLB Network later that same day at 7:30 p.m. ET. In order to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, a recipient needs to achieve 75% of votes cast among the committee. 

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When the news broke in mid-November of 2017 that Wally Backman had agreed to manage the New Britain Bees, one of eight independent teams in the Atlantic League, it took few by surprise.

The baseball lifer is still chasing his dream of one day managing in the major leagues, a position he held for all of four days in November 2004 with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The club was unaware of his past legal troubles before a New York Times article was released detailing his past transgressions, which ultimately led to his firing.

The fiery and beloved second baseman of the 1986 champion New York Mets was out of baseball until 2007, when he was hired to manage the South Georgia Peanuts of the newly formed South Coast League.

The independent league team was filmed for the ten-episode documentary, Playing for Peanuts, which chronicled the league and Backman’s comeback into baseball for its one and only season. The league office suspended operations in 2008, citing an inability to “close on a sufficient amount of debt and equity financing to ensure a successful 2008 season.”

It wouldn’t take long for viewers to find a myriad of outbursts and ejections on YouTube from Backman’s lone season with the Peanuts, though his club did finish 59-28 and went on to win the South Coast League Championship.

Backman, 58, eventually found his way back to New York, as he was hired in November 2009 to manage the club’s Short-Season A team, the Brooklyn Cyclones, for the 2010 season.

In his first season with the Cyclones, Backman guided the club to a 51-24 record, with the .680 winning percentage the best in the New York-Penn League. The Cyclones were later swept by the Tri-City ValleyCats in the New York-Penn League Championship Series.

The zealous Backman was making noise in the organization, so much so that he was one of the four finalists to take over as the next Mets manager in the winter of 2010, along with Bob Melvin, Chip Hale, and eventual hire, Terry Collins.

Backman continued to climb the Mets’ organizational ladder, being named manager of the Double-A Binghamton Mets for 2011 and one season later the Triple-A manager of the Buffalo Bisons. The club switched their Triple-A affiliate to Las Vegas starting in 2013, with Backman guiding the club until 2016.

In that time, Backman led the 51s to back-to-back first-place finishes in 2013 and ’14, winning Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year in ’14.

Though he helped mentor and nurture many of the Mets’ young, talented prospects, the front office decided to go in another direction after the 2016 season. The split was messy, however, with reports circling that Mets’ brass were frustrated with the way Backman handled some of their prospects, including Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto.

Backman shot back at the reports, telling Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record that he heard from a source that GM Sandy Alderson was working against him, and that Backman was essentially being blackballed from baseball.

After finishing with winning seasons in three of the four years Backman was at the helm in Las Vegas, the club posted a dismal 56-86 record in 2017, a dismal 30 games below .500. Reports were out about how the Mets were privately disappointed in the development of some of their top prospects, including Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith.

One of Backman’s strengths as a manager throughout his many stops in his career was how he got the most out of his players and the level of respect they had for his style of managing. Perhaps his presence was missed more than the organization originally thought.

The separation left many in the fan base disappointed, with many eagerly hoping that Backman would get the opportunity to manage the Mets with his aggressive yet analytical approach.

To his credit, Backman has not given up on his quest to manage in the majors and views each stop along the way as another opportunity to prove his worth.

After a stint in the Mexican League in 2017, Backman received a call from the Bees about the possibility of joining the club as not just a manager, but with autonomy of recruiting and signing players as well.

He cites one of the biggest thrills he has when managing in the Independent Leagues is offering players a second chance at reaching their dreams in affiliated ball. Being able to put the players in a position to succeed and watching them get the opportunity to showcase their talents brings tremendous joy to the 14-year former second baseman.

And just like his players, Backman, too, is hoping for that second chance as a Major League manager.

I had the privilege of speaking with Backman in early May, where we discussed his early years with the Mets, the ’86 season, and his fallout with the Mets after the ’16 season.

MMO: Growing up, who were some of the players you looked up to?

Backman: I loved the way Pete Rose played. I would say he’s an idol, and I was fortunate enough to play against the guy.

MMO: Who introduced you to the game at an early age?

Backman: My father introduced it to me. I loved the game. It’s a game that I love; that’s why many people call me a lifer. That’s what I am.

MMO: Prior to the 1977 MLB Draft, did you have any notions that the Mets were looking to select you 16^th overall?

Backman: You know, I didn’t know that. I knew there were a lot of scouts. Baltimore was one team that scouted me real hard. When the Mets came about, it was kind of a surprise.

MMO:  What do you remember from your major league debut on September 2, 1980, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road?

Backman: [I] got a base hit my first time up at Dodger Stadium. It was good, a great day, my family was there. To get a base hit my first time up was great. [I] struck out my second at-bat and hit a double my third at-bat so it was a good day.

MMO: I read that when you were demoted to Triple-A Tidewater in ’83, Davey Johnson (manager of the club) was very instrumental for you. What did Johnson do or say to instill confidence back in you?

Backman: I think the thing with Davey was Davey believed. He believed in what I was capable of doing, and I give Davey some of the utmost credit because he gave me that opportunity to prove that. I respect him very much.

MMO: Johnson told your team in spring in ’86, that you weren’t going to just win the World Series, but dominate baseball. That ’86 club is forever revered and is one of the greatest teams and stories in baseball history. How confident were you guys heading into the ’86 season? And for you, what made the team so special and gel like it did?

Backman: I think chemistry made the team special. I think it was great players with great chemistry; a team on a mission that hated to lose. I know when we lost a game it was like we really had to take it out on them the next day.

It was a great team, great players, and great team chemistry. The team didn’t want to lose.

I look back on all of those years that we were there together and when we got [Keith] Hernandez and [Gary] Carter, I wish there would’ve been a wild card back in those days.

MMO: Do you feel that if there were a wild card back then, the club would’ve turned into a dynasty?

Backman: Well, I think we did have a dynasty. If you take it in today’s world, the games we won from 1984-88, it was a dynasty. Like I said before, if there were a wild card, we would’ve probably gone to the playoffs probably at least four years in a row.

That being said, you never know what’s going to happen when you get there.

MMO: Game Six of the ’86 NLCS, you pinch-hit for Tim Teufel in the ninth and end up driving in what would’ve been the game-winning run in the 14th with your RBI single to right against Aurelio Lopez. Can you talk about that at-bat, and just that Series against the Houston Astros in general?

Backman: It was a big at-bat, it was a game we felt we really needed to win. I got a good pitch to hit and I was able to drive in a run. I know that [Billy] Hatcher hit the home run off the foul pole and tied it back up, but to put us in a position where I could help the team win. That’s all I cared about.

MMO: I take it that your team as a whole wanted no part in a Game Seven to have to face Mike Scott again?

Backman: Every one of us!

MMO: You led off the 10th in Game Six of the ’86 World Series and flew out to Jim Rice in left for this first out. Keith flew out in the following at-bat. With two outs and down by two, what were you guys thinking on the bench at that point? Davey told me that he knew you guys were not only going to win that game, but also the World Series once Bob Stanley threw the wild pitch to Mookie. Did you feel that way too?

Backman: You know, it was special. I remember when I flew out, I was thinking, God, we played the worst six games during a season that I felt that we played. And then everything started to click, just like it clicked during the regular season. All of a sudden, your mind thought changes and you’re thinking, We’re going to come back and win this game!

With the play at first base with Mookie and Buckner, it was a huge thing. I talked about the whole time Dave Stapleton usually played first base for Buck when the game was on the line. I know that McNamara wanted to keep Buckner out there because he had such a great career. But hey, sometimes you make a mistake, and sometimes it costs you.

MMO: At what point in your career did you realize you wanted to manage?

Backman: I think probably in ’90 when I went and played for Pittsburgh. I sat with Jim Leyland and we talked on the bench a lot and often.

Jimmy was the one that said, “Wally, you can be a really good manager.” That’s probably when I first thought about it.

MMO: How would you describe your approach and style as a manager?

Backman: Aggressive and motivational. I think motivation is one of the biggest things in baseball that you have to do as a manager, and knowing how to run your bullpen. Your bullpen is the key to success, especially over the long haul. Being able to manage your bullpen, and not blow them out or overuse them early in the year because it’s a long season, [is key].

MMO: What’s your take on analytics and do you utilize them as a manager?

Backman: I’ve been doing the analytics of the game since I’ve been managing. I learned that from Davey Johnson from day one, and I’ve used the analytics the whole time. Any kind of information that I can get that I feel will make the team better, I use it.

MMO: Met fans absolutely adore you, as you’re forever a fan favorite. There were many that would’ve loved to have seen you manage the Mets, and were upset over your departure. What does it mean to have the support of the fans like you do?

Backman: The fans don’t forget, and I’ll say this, of all the places that I played, the people in New York were the best fans I ever played in front of and the most knowledgeable fans.

It was an opportunity that I wish I would’ve had. It hasn’t happened, but hey, you never know where Wally’s going to turn up.

MMO: Is the goal still to manage in the big leagues?

Backman: Without question.

MMO: The split from the Mets organization in 2016 was messy, with reports out that the front office was disappointed in the way you handled some of their top prospects, including Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto. Would you care to comment on the matter?

Backman: You know what, all you’ve got to do is look at the stats, I never mismanaged anybody. I did everything I was told to do. One person didn’t like me, and we all know who that is. And I would not get in a foxhole with that man.

MMO: To this day, do you feel like you’ve got any sense of resolution, or does the situation still bother you?

Backman: It bothers me for the fact that I did nothing but respect, and I felt that I was disrespected. It is what it is. I’m where I’m at now, and I love baseball. I can go way on and beyond and say what I really think, but I’m not going to do that.

MMO: Obviously, you managed many of the young talent on the club. Do you still pay attention to what’s going on with the Mets?

Backman: Absolutely! I watch them every day. I feel that I was a part of what groomed those players. The players have done what they’ve done because they’re great players, but to be able to put them in a position to succeed’s what my job was. That’s what I’m all about.

MMO: How did the New Britain Bees managerial job come about? What are you most excited about with this new experience?

Backman: We haven’t started off very good, but it’s an exciting place because it’s a place where you can send players back to affiliated ball that can get a second chance. I think it was Rich Hill – who played in this Atlantic League – who goes to the Dodgers and signs a $50 million contract.

This league really believes in helping the players and giving them a second chance. That’s why we have, even in New Britain. I have fourteen guys that have played in the big leagues. Not that they’re all going to get back to the big leagues, but they have a dream and desire just as well, and I try to put them, like I said, in a position to succeed and get the best opportunity that they can have.

MMO: And at what point did you start discussing the possibility of signing on with New Britain?

Backman: We talked during the summer when I was in Mexico last year. It came about – I don’t know – September or October. I liked my experience in Mexico, but I really wanted to come back to the States. So that’s where I’m at now.

MMO: Besides not being affiliated with a major league organization, are there many differences between Minor League Baseball and Independent League ball?

Backman: Not really. I think it’s more like the big leagues: you’re here to win. In the process, you’re trying to help players get back to an affiliated team. I take a lot of pride in, not just having the players that I have, but trying to get them back to an affiliate.

I have Darrell Ceciliani, who came up to the big leagues with the Mets. He said to me his shoulder hasn’t been that healthy in five years. He had to have the surgery when he was in Toronto last year, and the kid’s a great player.

I take pride in trying to help guys get back. We’ve played for one week here and we’ve sent four or five guys back to affiliated ball, and some good ones.

Paco Rodriguez, who has got great numbers and is healthy, the Twins just signed. So there’s a lot of good that comes out of this league.

MMO: I recently read that Manny Ramirez Jr, the son of the right-handed slugger, has signed with your club. What do you expect his role to be and has Manny Sr. been around the park much?

Backman: Manny Sr. has already been around the ballpark. It’s hard to say what capacity that might be, but you might be surprised sometimes.

Junior is a kid that can play first base and he’s got raw power. Power is usually the last thing that comes through or develops, we’re just going to wait and see and see how it goes.

MMO: Do you still keep in touch with your former teammates from ’86?

Backman: We always do something every year or every other year together. So yeah, I do.

MMO: When you look back on your career, what are you most proud of?

Backman: Winning the World Series. Not a tough question.

MMO: Thank you for your time, Mr. Backman. All the best with the Bees this season.

Backman: Thank you, Mathew.

Follow Wally Backman on Twitter, @Wally_Backman6

The post MMO Exclusive: Mets ’86 Champ, Wally Backman appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

New York was not atop Dennis Cook‘s list of places he wanted to necessarily call home.

The hustle and bustle atmosphere and the sheer size of the city were a bit daunting for the left-handed reliever, who had already played for seven organizations by the time he was dealt to the Mets in the winter of 1997.

But something changed for Cook along the way; he fell in love with the city and the fans.

Cook, 56, spent four seasons with the Mets as a lefty out of the pen from 1998-01, appearing in 255 games while pitching to a 3.86 ERA. He’s one of only nine Mets relievers to appear in 70 or more games multiple times (1998, ’99) and prided himself on being available out of the pen whenever Bobby Valentine needed him in the game.

His first season with the Mets in 1998 was a career year for the then 35-year-old Texas native. Cook posted career highs in appearances (73), FIP (3.09), strikeouts-per-nine (10.5), and bWAR (2.0).

Among relievers with a minimum of 50 innings pitched in ’98, Cook posted the 11th-best left-on-base percentage (83.1) and the eighth-lowest ERA (2.38).

In 1999, the year in which the Mets returned to the postseason for the first time since 1988, Cook neutralized left-handed hitters to a slash of .200/.273/.257 and once again appeared in at least 70 games for the second-straight year.

Cook spent fifteen seasons in the majors, pitching for nine different organizations and appearing in 665 games. Not only was Cook productive on the mound, he could handle the bat, too. Having been primarily a right fielder in college, Cook was a force at the plate, posting a .263/.283/.355 line over 122 plate appearances.

He received the bulk of his plate appearances in 1989-90 (97 of his career 122 PA), when Cook split time between starting and relieving. Among pitchers to record at least 80 PA between 1989-90, Cook led in batting average (.264), OBP (.264) and slugging (.341)

After he retired from the game following the 2002 season, in which he pitched for the World Champion Anaheim Angels (he did not appear in the postseason), Cook still had the desire to compete. He wanted to play the outfield again and looked to teams in Europe for a shot.

Cook’s mother is 100 percent Swedish, so he contacted the Swedish National Team to see if they were in need of a player for their upcoming World Baseball Classic qualifier.

Unfortunately, the immigration side fell through for Cook, and he was unable to play.

While he wasn’t able to compete on the field, Cook still got the chance to fill the competitive itch. The Federation asked if Cook had any interest in managing the club, and without hesitation Cook was in.

He spent several seasons managing the Swedish National Team, was the pitching coach for the German National Team, and a pitching advisor for the Italian club in last year’s World Baseball Classic. Adding to his busy schedule, Cook undertook the job of pitching coach for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League this past summer.

A baseball lifer, Cook is hopeful to one day return to his alma mater at the University of Texas as a coach, or perhaps return to the majors in some capacity. He loves passing along the knowledge and wisdom he accumulated over his successful major league career and hopes to make an impact on the next wave of players.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Cook in early September, where we discussed his transition from starter to reliever, favorite memories with the Mets, and coaching in Europe and Cape Cod.

MMO: Who were some of your favorite players growing up?

Cook: My favorite player was Pete Rose. The Big Red Machine was my team.

MMO: And who introduced you to the game at a young age?

Cook: I guess my grandfather. He was a big Astros fan, and we would hang out over at his house and he always had the Astros game on TV.

MMO: At what age did you start primarily pitching?

Cook: I would probably say I was twenty-two when I started just pitching.  Growing up, I was an outfielder, but I also pitched. I went to the University of Texas, and I was an everyday right fielder.

MMO: Well it makes sense that you primarily were a position player considering you hit so well in the majors (career .264 hitter over 122 PA).

Cook: I was okay. I did okay. [Laughs.]

MMO: You were originally drafted in the sixth round of the 1983 January Draft by the San Diego Padres before you officially signed with the San Francisco Giants when you were selected in the eighteenth round in 1985. What made you forgo signing with the Padres in ’83?

Cook: I wasn’t ready. I wanted to get a chance to play college baseball at a big four-year school. I was a juco guy then, and I just didn’t feel right. The timing wasn’t right, so I just decided to stick around and keep playing.

MMO: Coming up through the minors and in your first several seasons in the majors, you were a starting pitcher. At what point were you asked to convert to the pen, and what was your initial reaction to that request?

Cook: I don’t remember exactly when somebody told me I was going to the pen. But my response to that was if I’m still in the big leagues, thank you. I’m not going to complain about my role.

The transition to the pen was better for me, especially for my personality. I wasn’t good with just playing once every five days. I felt like I was much better whenever I showed up to the ballpark thinking I’m going to have the chance to play every day.

The move to the pen was actually probably career-changing for me.

MMO: Your postseason resume is quite impressive: 16.1 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 16 SO, 0.980 WHIP. How did you stay so composed in those pressure situations?

Cook: I just liked pitching at that time of year. I never really felt pressure to do good or bad in those situations. My main pressure was letting my teammates down. I didn’t want to be the guy that let the team down and my guys down.

It was never about if I do badly this or that will happen. It was always to be as good as I could be for the guys, and do my small part to try to help us as a team win.

MMO: You were traded to the Mets in mid-December 1997 by the Florida Marlins. What were your initial reactions to hearing you were headed to New York?

Cook: New York was probably one of my least favorite places to go, just from the standpoint of the city, because it’s just so big and fast. But it ended up turning out to be a great trade for me. Al [Leiter] was over there and got to meet Johnny Franco and [Mike] Piazza came on a little bit later.

It was a great trade for me, and I ended up falling in love with the city and the people. It’s funny how things in life always work out for the best if we just get out of the way and let them happen.

MMO: Those Mets teams you were on in ’99 and ’00 were certainly memorable for what you guys accomplished on the field, with back-to-back postseason appearances and squaring off against the Yankees in the World Series.

Those teams seemed like such close-knit groups, and had such diverse personalities. Were you guys as close as advertised, and what was the general mood of those clubhouses?

Cook: Oh yeah, we got along great. There’s always going to be a little bit of tension because you’ve got so many personalities. But for the most part, man, it was awesome.

It was as good as any team that I ever was with. Great chemistry, and we all got along; that’s the main thing. For the most part, we all got along, and we’d hang out on the road and go get dinner together.

MMO: Your first season with the Mets in ’98 was one of your finest seasons. You posted your lowest FIP (3.09), highest SO/9 totals (10.5), most appearances (73) & highest bWAR (2.0). Can you think of any specific reasons why everything seemed to click so well for you in your age-35 season?

Cook: Probably my kids being born, and being scared to death that I’m going to have to raise them and pay for them. It was my free agency year also, so it was a big year for me.

I’m just glad things worked out the way they did, and that we were able to have a good year.

MMO: Are there specific moments that stand out from your Met tenure?

Cook: I think [Todd] Pratt’s home run was big in the playoffs. Getting Piazza was big. Watching Al Leiter become the great pitcher that he ended up being, and of course, being around Johnny Franco. [Robin] Ventura being there and the kind of guy he is, a top-notch human being.

New York turned out to be a very good experience for me, so I really have nothing bad to say about any player or anything with the organization. It was an awesome time for me.

MMO: You brought up Piazza a few times, and obviously, he was the superstar player that you guys needed in the middle of the lineup. His defense has always been something critics got on him about. Though, over time, he’s gotten more praise for his pitch framing. I’m curious what your take on Piazza defensively is.

Cook: I wouldn’t say he was the best I’ve ever thrown to, but the one thing he did well is he worked really, really hard back there for you as a pitcher. And for me, that’s what I want. I want guys that are going to bust their rear ends back there and work hard.

Some of the more talented guys I’ve thrown to were really lazy, and a lot of them were just really concerned about their percentage of guys they could throw out. So they threw out the window, trying to work to the pitcher’s strength. They tried to work to their strength to try to get their percentages up.

Piazza was not like that; he was very unselfish back there in that sense. And he busted his butt so I have nothing but positive things to say about him.

MMO: Who would you say was the best catcher you had?

Cook: You know a lot of times the best catchers are the backup guys. I was fortunate enough I threw to Darren Daulton, who was awesome. I threw to Bob Melvin, Kirt Manwaring, Charles Johnson and Ron Karkovice.

I can’t tell you that I’ve really thrown to a bad one. Dave Valle was a great catcher – backup guy for the Rangers, caught in Seattle. Steve Lake with the Phillies, Junior Ortiz and Sandy Alomar. There were a lot of guys that could really catch.

MMO: Who was the toughest hitter you faced, and conversely, who was someone you excelled against in your career?

Cook: Oh man, numbers-wise I’m sure you guys could look this up, but Lonnie Smith killed me; he seemed to kill me. Todd Zeile killed me, and when he ended up with the Mets, I was thankful so I didn’t have to face him.

People always ask me: Who was the best hitter you ever faced? And I don’t know what his numbers were against me, but Paul Molitor, man, what a hitter! I mean, just quiet, sweet, quick hands; he could really freaking hit.

I can’t think of anybody that I owned really. I really don’t remember guys that you can say, ‘I really owned him.’ I just remember guys that hit me well.

MMO: As a former reliever, I’m curious what your thoughts are on today’s use of the bullpen? With starters not going as deep into games as they once did, and the reliance on having a strong pen, how do you view today’s relief landscape?

Cook: I love it. As a bullpen guy, I would freaking love to be pitching in today’s game because you get multiple innings, multiple appearances and multiple days in a row. And I agree with that. I’ve said that for the last 15 years. If I were ever a GM, instead of spending all that money on starters, of course, you have to have good starting pitching; there’s no doubt about that. But instead of spending $20-25 million on one starter, man, I’d put that money in my bullpen and build my pen with guys you could use every day.

I think the teams that win, of course they have to have good starting pitching because it all starts there, are the teams with a strong bullpen. The four or five guys down there that can get people out on a nightly basis, those are the teams that are going to win.

MMO: Do you have any worries about potential overuse with the heavier reliance on relievers?

Cook: I think that you have to be smart in your warm-up routines, which I’m sure guys are. I haven’t been around the big league side of the game for a long time, but you have to be very smart with your warm-up, have to be very smart with your rest, arm care and weight training.

A lot of that depends on your manager and how he manages his bullpen. I played for Jim Leyland in ’97, and he was the very best I ever played for as far as managing a bullpen. He wanted to make sure that everyone got work, and not only got work but were still fresh in August and September. And he was the very best at that, and a manager is key.

I think the way you do that is they use their guys; they have their guys with set roles, but they don’t ride them to death in June and July. They let other guys close games if your closer’s worked two or three days in a row; they’ll run another guy out there and tell him not to put his spikes on and that he has the day off. Just manage the bullpen in a way to keep everybody fresh. A lot of that is on the manager.

MMO: I read that after you retired following the ’02 season, you contacted the Swedish National Team to see if they needed an outfielder ahead of their World Baseball Classic qualifier. But instead, you went on to manage the club. Can you talk about that experience?

Cook: After I retired, I was sitting at home and my mother is Swedish. Her mom and dad are one hundred percent Swedish and she’s one hundred percent Swedish, and she grew up in the States. I was just sitting at home one day, and I was like, Man, I need to get out and compete.

I looked up baseball in Europe and saw that the Swedes were going to be playing in the qualifier for the World Baseball Classic, and I was like, Hell, I want to see if I can get over there and watch the qualifications.

I got a hold of them over there, and they said, “We’ll try to help you get a passport, dual citizenship, and you can play.” And I was fired up! The immigration side of it didn’t come through so I couldn’t play, which was a bummer. But they said, “If you can’t play, would you be interested in coming over and managing a few of these European Championships with our guys?”

I was in.

I went over there and took Scott Scudder with me as my pitching coach, who pitched in the big leagues for a while, and one of my best friends Steve Labay, who played in the Phillies’ organization. We want over and did that for like seven years. I managed over in Sweden for seven years and made some great contacts.

I went to a WBC qualifier with the German team as a pitching coach, and then I went to the WBC with the Italians last year in Mexico. I’m actually working with the Italian Federation right now. In fact, on September 9^th I’m heading to Italy for three weeks to do a premier six tournament over there in Amsterdam with the Italians and trying to figure out a way to qualify for the 2020 Olympics with the Italian team.

I’m involved over in Europe quite a bit, and I coached up in Cape Cod this past summer. I was the pitching coach in Chatham, and I freaking loved every second of it. We made the championships [and lost], but our guys were awesome, and we had some great arms and great kids who are unbelievably talented kids who are just hungry to learn.

Eventually, I’d love to get back to the University of Texas and coach there, or possibly get back in pro ball doing something. I’m just still trying to figure out what I want to do.

MMO: How was your time in the Cape Cod League? What was the competition like?

Cook: The Cape Cod League is the premier collegiate league in the country. It’s where all the top prospects go, and there are anywhere from 20-60 scouts per game. That’s where they send all their dudes. We had guys that were touching 98 on our staff. Alek Manoah from West Virginia is a man. He’s six-seven, two-hundred and seventy [pounds]. In my opinion, he could pitch in the big leagues today.

We had a kid from St. John’s, Jeff Belge, a big left-hander. Low to mid-nineties, great command of the inside half to the right-handed hitters with his fastball. Got a kid out of the University of Pittsburgh, Dan Hammer, mid-nineties with hard sink. Kyle Hurt, U.S.C., mid-nineties and one of the best changeups I’ve ever seen at any level. Austin Bergner, North Carolina, mid to upper nineties with command of off-speed stuff.

We literally had a handful of kids that I think could pitch in the big leagues right now. These kids can play. We had Spencer Torkelson, who led the country in home runs as a freshman at Arizona State. He’s a legitimate power hitter, and he’s one; from a collegiate standpoint, he’s probably the best collegiate hitter I’ve ever seen as far as average and power. He’s legit. I mean, he’s going to be in the big leagues by the time you blink.

MMO: You mentioned in your previous response that you’d like to one day get back into pro ball in some capacity. Is managing or coaching in the majors your ultimate goal?

Cook: No, my ultimate goal is to be a good dad. I think from a standpoint of going back to work, I’m as busy as I want to be. I think I’d be a good bullpen coach, maybe a special assignment guy. I talked to Jim Duquette at the Winter Meetings last year, I was up there with the Italian team, and it was great seeing him and Steve Phillips and those guys.

I’d love to do something like an assignment-type guy. I’d love to get back with New York and get within their system. But I don’t know if I want to work and ride the buses in the minor leagues.

I’d like to be someone that if somebody needed to be seen, they could trust me enough to go out there and give them an honest opinion of them, or a team, or something like that. But that’s kind of what I would like to do in baseball.

I have a son that’s pitching at TCU, and then I have two that are going to Ole Miss. I still want to be able to be a dad, but I would love to get back into baseball. I love the grind, but I just don’t want to get back on a bus.

MMO: A few of the retired players I’ve spoken to have mentioned getting back into the game in some capacity, but riding the bus in the minors is always the number one criticism.

Cook: I still think there are places in the game for guys like us. Special assignment guys that are working 90 days a year, sending us out for a week at a time to watch their prospects. Or give me your top-five draft picks and just let me follow and mentor and talk to about reading hitters, and developing routines and that kind of stuff.

I think I would be good at that. I think I am good at that. And I really like that age group, the kids that I had in Chatham; I loved those kids. And the reason why I loved them is they’re talented kids, but they check their egos at the door. And I told them from day one, ‘I’m doing this to help you prepare for the next step, the next level.’

I told them I don’t care about your college – and I know that sounds bad – but I’m preparing them for what Minor League Baseball is like. You need to hone your craft; you need to get better at holding runners, the little things, fielding your position. You can’t just rear-back and throw.

Manoah, the kid from West Virginia, this kid topped out at 98 for us. He was probably 94-96 mph for the most part, and he was a thrower. But by the end of the summer, he was a pitcher. I think that the kids are starving for that. In college baseball, the coaches are so controlling of every aspect of the game. They don’t want to lose their job on a 19-year-old’s decision that might cost them the game and their job. I get it; I understand. But the kids don’t know how to play baseball; they have no freedom, no creativity in how to play the game.

I feel like there’s an opportunity there for guys that played to be able to take them when they’re young and help them transition. They can transition at a faster pace if they had somebody there. The top prospects, give us – Johnny Franco, myself, whoever – that played the game for a little while and give us some of those prospects and say, Go help them, go mentor them. If you could speed their development up by one year, think of how much money that is. They’re saving one year of development, and they’re getting them to the big leagues faster.

A lot of it, Mathew, is just routines. Listen to this: We had guys in the Cape that came from top-five programs in the country, and I talked to them, and they were starting pitchers.

And I asked, ‘What was your routine before starts?’

One said, “I didn’t really have a routine before my start. I just kind of go throw.”

I was shocked that a kid – and this kid is legit – had no routine. No idea what he’s doing to warm up before a start, he just wakes up in the morning and goes, Okay, I’m starting, so I’m just going to go out there and throw.

I had to go write him a routine on an index card, and I wrote the routine down and showed it to him. And he said, “Oh man, this is awesome.” And everybody started getting their phones and came over and took pictures, and that tells me that nobody has a routine. I’m just shocked by that.

These guys are in top-notch programs with zero routines, zero plans, no idea how to throw a competitive bullpen, nothing. Not every one of them, but I would say eight out of ten were that way. They’re coming to you guys; they’re going to the minor leagues with no clue. Zero clue of what they’re doing.

MMO: That’s incredible to hear! The lack of basic knowledge in fundamentals and baseball IQ is definitely worrisome. There was an example of that this year with the Mets, when our first base prospect, Dominic Smith, didn’t know how to lay down a bunt.

Cook: And I was going to say it’s not only in the minor leagues where you see guys not knowing how to play baseball, go watch a big-league game. Go watch base running. Go watch outfielders throw. I’ve watched big league games and outfielders can’t throw anymore. Position players have a hard time bunting.

To me, it’s all the slug-ball mentality where you never practice, you just play on weekends. Then you go to college and everything is controlled; the coach tells you how to chew your food in the morning for breakfast. They have no creativity.

Go watch a Latin kid play, they have more creativity. Then you watch our top-notch kids play and they have no creativity; they don’t know how to play. And it’s frustrating to watch.

MMO: When you look back over your fifteen-year major league career, what are you most proud of?

Cook: What I’m most proud of is, for the most part, staying off the disabled list. I felt like I was a good teammate; of course, that’s for my other teammates to answer, but in my heart, I felt like I was a good teammate.

I’m most proud of being able to be available and that the manager can count on me to say, ‘Yes, I can pitch’ and not looking for days off. I’m proud of being able to be a part of two World Series Championships and of course, the N.L. Championship in 2000 with the Mets.

I’m just proud that I was able to play for a long time, and those kinds of things were the highlights of my career.

MMO: I really appreciate your time today, Dennis. It was great reminiscing about your career.

Cook: Awesome, Mathew. Take care of yourself.

Follow Dennis Cook on Twitter, @cookie42dennis

The post MMO Exclusive: Former Mets Reliever, Dennis Cook appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

The dust has settled, and the New York Mets are in the playoffs and will face the Los Angeles Dodgers sans home-field advantage beginning Friday, October 9.

With the postseason beginning next week, Terry Collins addressed a number of topics regarding the NLDS at his final regular season post-game press conference. Here are some of the highlights:

1.  The fun is only just beginning

“90 wins is a big step, it’s a huge step from where we’ve been and all the things we went through and to see the expression on their faces that they accomplished something. Even though they accomplished it last week, knowing what we’ve got ahead. I just talked to (Cespedes) and he said ‘the fun is just starting,’ and he is right. We’ve worked hard to get there and we’re going to enjoy it. We’re going to get ourselves ready this week and go out to LA and play like we know how.”

2. Bartolo Colon will be a “steadying influence” in the bullpen

“He brings a lot to the table and he’s going to be a steadying influence in that bullpen, we’ve got a lot of guys that are going to be in that bullpen in Los Angeles, so to have him sitting out there will help a lot.”

3. The Mets are confident in the rotation they’ve set for the NLDS

“I think Game 3 in a 5-game series is the pivotal game. So I told Matt a week ago, if we get in, you’re going to pitch Game 3. It’s big, it’s going to limit you obviously to the number of times that you’re going to pitch, which is part of the whole plan behind him saying ‘hey, I want to go out and pitch as much as I can at the end of the season.’

“And then we went with the guy who’s pitched the best all year, and that’s Jake deGrom. To have him start Game 1. Noah, who after his rest in September has been absolutely brilliant, he can go Game 2 and we’re going to come home and we have Matt taking the mound, so we kind of like the way it sets up and we’re going to let them go pitch their games.”

4. Terry appreciates the fan base’s patience, support

I sat here last October and told our fan base that their patience is going to be rewarded, but it was time for us to win. So I just wanted to go out an applaud them for all of their support. The last month, those series against the Nationals here. The energy in the stadium, I have never been around it, and the players talked about the importance of it all and so I just wanted to go around and thank everybody. You can’t shake everybody’s hand but just to let them know that we knew we were there, we appreciate their support and we promise to show them a good time come Friday.

5. Jim Leyland likes to throw stat books

“In ’92, we were getting ready for the playoffs against Atlanta when I was with Pittsburgh and all the information was not on a computer, it was in a binder that was about *this* thick. Jim Leyland at the end of the meeting took the binder and threw it up in the air and papers were flying all over the place and he said ‘understand something, this game is played by humans, who make mistakes.”

“So all the information we have is legitimate, but now we have to go out and execute it, and I think we have the guys who can go out and do that.”

The post 5 Things We Learned From Terry Collins Today appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

With the retirement of 68-year-old Jim Leyland, and the departure of Charlie Manuel in recent months, 64-year-old Terry Collins becomes the oldest manager in the majors, writes Adam Rubin of ESPN New York.

Collins has invested almost 43 years into the game in various capacities, and while he’s the elder statesman for now, he;s never had a first place finish as a manager.

 1994  Houston Astros  66-49  .574  2nd
 1995  Houston Astros  76-68  .528  2nd
 1996  Houston Astros  82-80  .506  2nd
 1997  Anaheim Angels  84-78  .519  2nd
 1998  Anaheim Angels  85-77  .525  2nd
 1999  Anaheim Angels  51-82  .383  4th
 2011  New York Mets   77-85  .475  4th
 2012  New York Mets   74-88  .457  4th
 2013  New York Mets   74-88  .457  3rd

Nobody would ever accuse Terry Collins of being a very good in-game strategist and perhaps that’s the biggest knock on him, but not the only one.

Collins is notorious for opting to play under-performing veterans instead of younger players who have more upside. In some cases these younger players even outperform the veterans that Collins allows himself to get too close to.

You’ll hear plenty of veterans like Carlos Beltran and Marlon Byrd rave abut Collins, but you don’t hear as much coming from younger players like Juan Lagares or Zack Wheeler who have been challenged publicly by their manager this season.

The reason the Mets waited so long to act on Ike Davis was because Collins was his biggest proponent. His attachment to veterans sometimes precludes him from doing what’s right.

Collins also has this unexplainable obsession with giving excessive PT to below replacement level players like a Justin Turner or Mike Baxter. He’ll oftentimes go with the more inferior player because he “likes their fire” as he likes to say.

All of that said, Collins is a nice guy. He’s come a long way from his days with the Angels where he suffered a public meltdown after losing control of his clubhouse. He now goes out of his way to get the buy-in from his clubhouse veterans, but almost to a fault. He wants to be liked.

Collins will be here for the next two seasons, but he’ll have to ramp up his game if this team is ever going to have a shot at contending for a post season berth.

In the end his job is predicated on wins and losses and so far it’s been mostly losses.

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If you’re a true baseball fan, you’ve got to admit it; you’re going to miss Jim Leyland. He’s one of those guys you either love or hate – or maybe love to hate. But deep down inside, we all love the man because we love the sport and he’s been a part of the very fabric of baseball.

It’s a little like one of your favorite stars leaving your favorite soap opera; it will never be quite the same again even if the character was sometimes something of the villain of the piece.

And let’s look at the record of the great man. He steps down from the helm at the Detroit Tigers as manager at the end of the year after no less than 1,769 wins in an amazing 22-year long managerial career.

Now 68-years of age, Jim has been in charge of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Colorado Rockies and he’s won a World Series with the Florida Marlins. All this occurred before his last his eight seasons with the Detroit Tigers. Jim has proved himself to be the real baseball man during this long, illustrious career. Appropriately gruff when he needed to be, Jim has always been a no-nonsense type of guy – puffing on his old school trademark cigarette.

Jim Leyland has been the kind of manager the players start out fearing but end up loving – and it’s this kind of inspiration that has been key to his success. You have to know him to really get him – and he has that in common with so many great coaches from around the world in all types of sports.

Similarly, Jim Leyland will go down in history as one of the greats; the kind of guy who never, ever feared telling his players off even in the big money era; they did it his way or they took the highway.

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Tiger’s skipper Jim Leyland will not be back at Comerica Park in 2014, says Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports via Twitter.

The 68-year old longtime manager informed his players as well as the team following their Game 6 loss in the ALCS to the Boston Redsox that he intends to step down and that it was time for someone younger to take the reins.

A press conference has been called by the Tigers to announce Leyland’s resignation, scheduled for 11:30 Eastern Time.

Leyland, who managed the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies in addition to the Tigers, was at the helm for Florida’s first World Series title in 1997 and has amassed 1769 wins over his 22-year managerial career, ranking 15th all-time.

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