3:25pm: MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo hears differently regarding Duquette, tweeting that the longtime Orioles GM is not a candidate for the Mets’ job and is not in line to receive an interview. Martino agrees, tweeting “definitively” that Duquette will not be interviewed.
2:34pm: The Mets haven’t yet contacted Dan Duquette, though he is expected to receive an interview with the team, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes. As a further detail about Cherington, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link) that he also removed himself from consideration for the Giants’ search. Cherington is open to GM opportunities but would prefer the opportunity to “build an organization from the ground up,” per Rosenthal.
9:12am: The Mets are beginning to compile names and line up interviews to determine the identity of their next general manager, though Blue Jays VP of baseball operations Ben Cherington won’t be interviewing for the position, SNY.tv’s Andy Martino reports. While neither Cherington or the Mets commented on the situation, Martino hears that Cherington is happy in his current job in Toronto.
Cherington won a World Series during his tenure as Boston’s general manager (covering the 2012 season to August 2015), and joined the Jays in September 2016. He was linked to previous front office vacancies with the Twins and Braves over the last two years, though declined offers to interview for those positions; the Giants are also reportedly interested in Cherington for their current GM opening.
Cherington recently stated that while he was open to the idea of becoming a general manager again, he was enjoying his work for the Jays. There doesn’t appear to be much urgency on Cherington’s part to leap back into the fray of running a front office, and there seems to be enough consistent interest in his services that he can afford to pick and choose from potential situations.
The Mets have reportedly had interest in speaking to Cherington for weeks, though even if he isn’t a candidate, the club still has roughly 10-12 people under serious consideration to be their next general manager. MLB executive Kim Ng, Braves assistant GM Perry Minasian, Royals assistant GM Scott Sharp, and former Orioles GM Dan Duquette are just a few of the names who have been rumored to be on the Mets’ radar, and it was reported yesterday that former Rangers and Brewers GM Doug Melvin would be receiving an interview.
Cardinals director of player development Gary LaRocque is also expected to be interviewed in the near future, Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets. LaRocque was initially mentioned as a candidate of interest back in August, owing to his past tenure with the Mets organization from 1998-2008 and his 40+ years of experience in a wide variety of different scouting, front office, and on-field roles in the Dodgers, Mets, and Cardinals organizations.
LaRocque is interesting. What about Jason McLeod of the Cubs? Duquette and Melvin would just be older retreads that would not excite the fan base
No qualified candidate will even go for the interview. Only candidates desperate to gain a title will contend and out of those rational and serious ones will drop out when they speak with The Three Stooges (current front office) and Abbott and Costello (a/k/a Mutt and Jeff).
Consider the hirings that these owners have made over the past 25 years. Have a cold beer in your hand as you begin to think about the foolish optimism when they were hired and how ugly the crash and burn scene was at the end!
Lol
Great point! What candidates need to understand up front (if they don’t already know) is that any success they’d have in NY would be despite the efforts (or lack thereof) of ownership. Good luck with that.
Are you that bored and miserable that you need to regurgitate anti-Met tropes? I honestly don’t understand what could be satisfying about it, but OK.
The ownership situation is not ideal, but the opportunity to be the GM of the Mets is something that plenty of qualified people will jump at. The Mets are fine- they could be better, and hopefully will be better, but they’re fine.
And of all the teams, it’s the Mets that have so much real estate in this guys head. THE METS!
I knew that you were an odd person, however your description “real estate” is a new low for a yankee hater here.
Anyway an accurate description could relate to posts and the time they take. However for an absolute expert, you are posting multiple times more than I do.
Like this week—as I waited for the front door to close on a plane at O’Hare, and sitting on a rental car bus as it drove to the parking lot.
The Mets are just an absurdity that it is fun to put a perspective on it.
So Goat, now we should talk about your excessive posts. Why not start with a goal to limit your time in here? As an example, how about limiting it to the time that you are waiting for someone to trim the crust off your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?
It would require restraint and realization that you are not the smartest guy in here.
BTW-While the loudest noise in Flushing tomorrow night will be crickets, I will be screaming for the only mlb baseball team worthy of having a New Yorkers’ support.
You write too much to be a good troll. I feel like the level of pride you take in ticking people off probably isn’t worth the amount of time you spend typing. But to each their own I guess. Eventually I’ll get to the bottom of one of your posts.
You are so insightful Goat.
So I am a troll or not a troll?
Your A.D.D. Is kicking in…
Ask your mommy to work on multiple syllable words over the next month and you will be to the bottom of my posts.
Let’s try something different. Give Kim Ng the job and see how she does
Who are the 8 people who voted this and the other Kim Ng suggestion down with no comment? Any of them care to provide a reason? Does it have to do with her gender, or do they actually have reasons they think she is unqualified? From everything I have ever heard, she is as worthy of consideration as anyone else.
Ya, there’s little doubt that sexism is alive and well. I’ve head Ng dismissed as being qualified ONLY on the “business” side of things, where the reality is her expertise is really in the personnel area. Like most upper-level types, she might need a “tick and foot” kind of assistant (half of the MLB GMs don’t really understand the waiver/options rules anyway; Theo even admits he always has to check), but I think she’d be an intriguing choice.
Just about no one doubts that if she had the extra chromosome, she would have had a job already.
Same reason you currently have 6 down votes. Sexism is sadly alive and well. This is great site, but a lot of commenters are just angry for no logical reason. Feel bad for them. They should be vetted off, but that would be an impossible undertaking. Today you name yourself after three teams, once you’re banned you pick another three. In other cases you change your name from one breakfast food to another one. People will continue to be mad because their lives must be pretty miserable. Have to take it out somewhere.
“This is great site, but a lot of commenters are just angry for no logical reason.”
Grab a mirror! Get a binky!
How would you “vet” people off this site? Just curious as to who gets to be in charge of which opinions get to be posted. I may disagree with a person’s exercise of free speech but I don’t want to censor them.
Yeah, I actually enjoy seeing differing opinions and trying to understand them. It’s just odd, to me, to see ideas get downvoted without anyone at all trying to put the feeling behind those votes into words.
I didn’t downvote. The reason she should get the job is if she’s the best candidate. What would help her case is if she’s had a taste of winning championships as an executive. Aside from walking into the middle of the Yankees dynasty, she hasn’t won anything or been part of building a team that has won the last 15-18 years. Being an Assistant GM that has won a World Series from the ground up should be one big factor in being hired. Why hire someone with no GM experience with little to no success as an Assistant?
I’ve nothing against Ng, or any other qualified woman, getting a GM gig, but i think with the Mets it’s the wrong place to have that barrier broken. With the ownership they have, the disarray in the FO and the roster they have, having failure by the first woman because of internal circumstances would back owners off of taking a chance at another woman being their GM. I hold the same opinion if it were the O’s taking that first step.
I’m not saying the first female GM should get an easy job with an organization that is currently having success, but neither should she be set up to fail.
I think that anyone who takes the job will have to come in knowing it’s not an easy situation- not just the ownership issue, but toxic media, Yankees shadow, everything else. I understand your empathy, but if you have nothing against a woman getting the job, then try not to incorporate her gender into your decision making. I’m guessing she wouldn’t want you to worry on her behalf- isn’t that a bit patronizing? If she wants the job and she’s the best candidate, I’d love for them to give it to her.
Barrier or no barrier. If she’s qualified (which she appears to be) and the team digs her for her qualifications then they should hire her
With no experience as a GM, and no success yet as an assistant, she would get eaten alive by the NY media and fan base
She was assistant in NY for 3 championships. I’d call that success. Sit down junior, you must be drunk
Funny seeing your name and ratio “callingoutdummies247”. You’re not good at this
And obviously she’d have some experience dealing with this media that would eat her alive. Then she went on to LA as a VP and AGM. Pretty sure they have media too
I been hearing the Kim Ng name for years and she never got a chance I hope some team gives her a shot.
After being undermined, told what to do, and blamed for their ineptitude by Boston ownership, it’s ludicrous to believe that Cherington would allow himself to get into a similar situation with the Mets (or Orioles).
Giants ownership is class. Am sure he’d be interested in talking to them if they are interested in him.
Everything you said could be the reason why someone would take the job. If they go in and be successful boy would that really show how good somebody is. Some challenges don’t scare people
lol
This is an ownership that fights with one another and plays games with the budget each year.
Have you ever managed a department anywhere? This is a position to manage a billion dollar operation with a history of the ownership pulling the rug out from people it employs.
I learned long ago not to take a management position unless I understood the direction management wanted to move in. With people at upper levels I could work with that 1) had integrity, 2) had knowledge and talent, and 3) had a record of accomplishment as opposed to making excuses, blaming others, and picking up a regular paycheck – those people fit well working for the government but not in a competitive environment.
Perfect reason for all qualified people saying to the Wilpon’s, “PASS”.
Let’s give K-NG a chance!
Whoever is most qualified for the job according to the owners is who should get it. Not hiring a female because she is female is stupid. Hiring a female because she’s female is equally stupid.
Is Cherington not interested, though he wants to be a GM again, because Shapiro is leaving Toronto for the Mets? Mark has been rumoured for the job before, and if he and Atkins were to go, that leaves Ben as the GM of the Jays.
Nope. 0% chance Shapiro goes to the Mets.
For Cherington (and Shapiro), it’s that working for the Jays and living in Toronto is a way better idea that going to the Mets and living nearby.
That said… you could argue that Cherington is the heir apparent in Toronto whenever Shapiro leaves (maybe for a job with the league head office?).
The Mets are a great opportunity for someone who hasn’t been able to get a job as a GM of a real MLB team. If you can’t get hired somewhere else, roll the dice with the Mets.
Otherwise? Qualified candidates should say way way way far away from that gong show.
Don’t know much about Ng but the Mets should interview her because she may be just the person to get this team what they need to be successful. Hey, it’s just an interview, and she has survived in the MLB atmosphere for a some time now so why not talk to her? She will not be worse then Ben Cherington, and the Mets are ready to interview him?
The problem with Ng is that she actually knows quite a bit about baseball. Her first GM job should be on a team that will actually give her a chance to use her skillset and put a quality team on the field. The Mets need an old hat GM like Melvin or Jim Hendry that can try to actually piece together a contending team for a couple of years before the Wilpons finally understand that they need a complete rebuild. They could have completely restocked their farm at the deadline by trading DeGrom, Thor and Wheeler. They could have set themselves up to be contenders in 20 or 21 but instead they actually believe they are going to contend the next couple of years and will get nothing for Wheeler and DeGrom. They will probably let Syndergaard keep his current mechanics (premature pronation and bad timing) and his arm will eventually fall off. Imagine the haul they could have gotten for DeGrom, Wheeler and Thor. They might trade one this winter but they should trade all 3 and get a farm that rivals the Padres.
You’re probably right that a lot of good potential candidates would be put off by ownership that is frustrating resistant to analytics. However, I think the narrative that the team needs a complete rebuild and that they screwed up by not trading away their starters at the deadline is open to debate.
1. They’re already capable of contending- their record this past year was skewed by a historically bad stretch. The rotation is good, bringing in a good catcher, better bullpen pieces, and a stronger bench would go a long way.
2. They have at least 4 top 100 prospects, and plenty of others who would fit into the 100-200 range. So, they’re not the Padres, but they have some talent in the system.
3. Who were the prospects that they legitimately could have gotten last year at the deadline? Very few of the top prospects were available- not many prospects out there who compare to a Gleyber Torres or Eloy Jimenez. Vlad Jr. was not going to be moved. Would you really have wanted to trade away deGrom for a package headlined by Keston Hiura?
4. Wheeler was evidently being undervalued because his performance was seen as a small sample size. Trading him this winter will probably get a better return, after his second half performance, than a deadline deal would have. Or they could just keep him and give him a QO or extend him.
Hey Van-just remember that optimism anytime from October to April is dampened by reality that typically sets in around Mid-May.
Please don’t use the Mets’ standard traps:
Counting on players that has one good half to double their production.
Older players producing similar results each season without age fall out.
Expectations that all players who have been injured to bounce back to career years.
The value and realistic promise of players in Las Vegas who hit in a league with inflated statistics. Hence the 4 out of the top 100 is minimally halved.
Things will go smoothly next year. You are guaranteed a curve or three where management and ownership do plane DUMB stuff, thereby destroying team focus and commitment.
Saying they shouldn’t hire Ng because the Mets are a mess is a little silly, isn’t it? Teams in good shape seldom fire their GM. She (and whoever get the other jobs) are walking into a mess, almost by definition; tho I admit the Mets are messier than most.
Organizational and management skills are as important (if not more so) as talent evaluations for a GM. These days, they all have 75 assistants and 45 analytical-types to help with that side of the equation. Putting it altogether is what makes a good GM.
And I can’t see anything in her background that leads me to think she doesn’t posses those qualities. I’ve heard her speak (TV, radio)….smart woman, gives thoughtful responses.
And, let’s face it. The Mets are in the bowl (toilet variety) vis a vis the Yankees for the next few years. Hiring Ng gets ’em on the back page, a not minor consideration in the Big Cheeto.
(Used to be the Big Apple, but it’s a different world these days)……
Hey Bob—Perhaps you haven’t been looking at the back page, however the mets have had plenty of space this year.
I will give you a tip at spotting it on the front page—top corner—there will always be something juicy when it says, “All the drama that we can fit”.
So you may have missed the 37 days of “Cespedes quad-hammy-abs-foot injuries” that were interdispersed with the “Thor-back on DL-injuries hand swinging too hard-finger-back-reinjured-foot, hoof and mouth”.
I wonder if George Castanza is a candidate for the job again. He seems like the perfect choice to pair with the Wilpons to run the team.
1. He’s notoriously cheap (once put the Yankees team up in the Milwaukee Ramada)
2. Avoids any real work
3. Cotton uniforms!!
4. Knows absolutely nothing about baseball (giving Tartabull tips on his swing)
5. Probably has a deep hatred for the Yankees for being traded for chicken beer.
The perfect candidate!!
I second your nomination nail!
Go ahead Cherington, be on a 3rd place team for the rest of your career. Dumb move.