Oct. 12: The Mets will interview Bell on Monday, according to a tweet from Jon Heyman of MLB Network (link).
Oct. 10: The Mets will interview Girardi next week, Andy Martino of SNY tweets.
Oct. 9: The Mets plan to hold in-person interviews with recently retired outfielder Carlos Beltran and Diamondbacks vice president of player development Mike Bell in their search for a new manager, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported earlier today that the Mets are conducting phone interviews with some candidates before committing to face-to-face sitdowns (Twitter link), adding that former Yankees skipper Joe Girardi is “sure” to be interviewed in person. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that Bell’s interview is likely to take place next week. Other candidates are sure to emerge in the coming weeks.
Beltran, 42, is currently serving as a special advisor to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, though he’s long been touted as a potential manager. The likely Hall of Famer reportedly interviewed with the Yankees prior to their hiring of Aaron Boone. He’s also said to have declined the opportunity to interview with the Padres this offseason, and it stands to reason that other clubs will have interest in sitting down with him.
Bell, 44, is the younger brother of Reds skipper David Bell. He’s currently in the same position with the Diamondbacks that his older brother was with the Giants prior to being hired away by the Cincinnati organization last winter. Bell interviewed with both the Rangers and the Orioles last offseason, and Rosenthal notes that the Pirates also have some interest in Bell. The 2019 season was Bell’s third in that role, but he’s previously served as the team’s director of player development in addition to three years as a minor league manager. In all, he’s been with the D-backs as a minor league skipper or a front office executive for 13 years.
The 54-year-old Girardi, of course, is no stranger to New Yorkers. He spent a decade at the helm with the Yankees and was the manager in the Bronx for the Yankees’ most recent World Series title back in 2009. He’s been clear about his desire to manage again recently and was set for an interview with the Cubs today. He’ll draw his share of interest from other clubs over the coming weeks and seems like a strong candidate to land back in a Major League dugout sooner rather than later. Since parting ways with the Yankees, he’s served as a television analyst on MLB Network.
I have a friend who played a lot of years in the Yankees organization, and he was called up a few years ago and was with the Yanks for about half a season. One night over beers, I asked who made impressions on him during his time with the Yankees and he said great things: Brett Gardner was terrific to him and all the young players, CC Sabathia was making sure he taught them everything he knew, A-Rod bought them suits so they would look good when traveling, etc. I asked who made a negative impression and he said three people were complete jerks: Andrew Miller, whose locker was right next to my friend’s, never said one word to him- not one. They were locker mates for 3 months! Mark Tiexiera did nothing but complain about everything and always blamed the young guys for a loss, and finally, he said Carlos Beltran simply did not talk to any players other than Latin guys. He said this was known in the clubhouse, that you don’t even bother talking to Carlos, because he will not talk to you at all. My friend is out of the game now and is not the type of person who usually says negative things about people in general, so those words resonated with me. I hope the Mets do some serious background checking on their candidates.
If what you say your friend said about Beltran, don’t you think the Mets already know that about him?
Teixeira always seemed like a big baby. That part doesn’t shock me.
I find it harder to believe that teams (especially the Mets) would have interest in Beltran if he were that closed off in the clubhouse. It also doesn’t mesh with everything that’s been reported on his time with the Astros in 2017. Obviously that’s not from an insider perspective, but still.
Maybe Beltran bought a clue…..
I’m 100% sure that Lucas Duda was taken under Beltran’s wing. It was well known to Mets fans that Beltran was a huge supporter of Duda and a big reason he was as good he was. Stop with your BS story.
Beltran also paid for Jon Niese’s nose job.
Also, Beltran paid for Neise’s schnoz job way back when. Oh what a horrible person he is
I’d say there is a 75% chance this is BS
I’m leaning toward 110%.
Because people make up detailed stories like this so often.
I am taking a guess your friend is Branden Pinder?
No. I have no idea who Branden Pinder is.
Slade Heathcott?
Future HOF Rob Refsnyder?
Cool story. Love a good fiction.
Ironman, believe what you want. If I was going to make up a story, why would I choose to say I’m friends with a guy who was mostly a career minor leaguer and had a cup of coffee with the Yanks? Surely I could have come up with something better than that.
Maybe your imaginary friend can help with the interviews.
Beltran specifically requested in 2016 that Aaron Judge get a locker next to his.
I guess Aaron Judge has been wrong all these years and that he is Latino and not black.
I don’t know why some of you are taking this so personally. I simply passed along what I heard from the mouth of someone who played for the Yankees with Beltran. It is not BS at all, it’s almost word for word what he told me and another friend of ours at a wedding we all attended. The guy had nothing to gain by saying it and I have nothing to gain by posting it, except passing along something I heard.
Appreciate it Jim
I like the discussion, but you do have to ask yourself why you’re taking it personally that your friend’s experiences are – while likely true for him – are not at all an encompassing view into the clubhouse or these players’ attitudes. It is possible your friend had different feelings than dozens of other teammates.
Aaron Juez
Judge is black?
Interesting Jim.
Thanks!
You gotta at least appreciate the effort.
I have a friend who is a UPS driver, complains a lot and likes Jack Daniels!
And I have a friend named Jack Daniels who always complains about his UPS driver…
… interesting, Jim.
My imaginary friends have grand adventures, too!
My friend is ian levin. Hes head of the Mets minor league development and was working there ad a scout and intern when Beltran was with the team and had nothing but good things to say about him…so I am calling BS on the OP’s story
Name or it’s BS
sounds like your “friend” was the problem. Beltran was so bad and only spoke to latin players yet he was basically the atros second bench coach when they won the WS a couple of years ago and Cashman hired him for a front office position.
Mets are pretty white and baseball is pretty white in general so if this is true, Beltran will never be a manager or even an on field coach
Thanks for posting. I believe you, but I trust everyone until proven wrong. Good story.
Lifelong Mets fan and I dint want Beltran as manager. Doesn’t anyone remember 2006? Plus I think he was juicing after he left team. And he liked to do what he wanted, bunting when it wasn’t called etc.
I want dusty baker even less then Beltran. At least equally as little.
I would take Super Joe McQuen (sp?) if they want to go with an unproven guy.
Who is this player by any chance ? As for those racial bias claims of yours I can’t take that seriously as he helped Paxton (farthest thing from Latino) fix himself earlier this season
And this one time in band camp…
Blah, blah, blah
Believe your story. But could also be that the rookie was simply intimidated. Always thought of Beltran as a quiet or timid person, thats all. Sat next to Beltran’s wife randomly at a game once and she was outgoing and friendly.
It’s Girardi- no brainer
He’s in Chicago for interview today
It’s the year of retreads
Angels = Maddon
KC = Matheny
Cubs = Ozzie?
SD = Washington
Hey Keysox, who are the Giants going to hire ? Check your crystal ball for me.
Kapler
Kotsay
I’m not sure retread is the term, but proven winners are hard to pass up, especially when placed side by side against younger guys without managing experience. It’s fine to use the analytical approach, but the people still play the game, and the ability to lead, or manage, those people would be a starting point for me, if I were making the decision. Just my opinion.
While you’re at it Keysox, let us know who Atlanta’s manager will be next year. Snitker’s tenure might (should) be over in a few hours.
Please do not punish Kansas City with Matheny! No royals fans want him!
Id rather get Edgardo Alfonzo over Beltran
That’s the exact opposite of what every person involved with the Astros championship says about Beltran.
Didn’t Beltran just say he absolutely did not want to be a manager right now?
I think that was Raul Ibanez that said that
same thing
Braves give up a 10 spot in the 1st!
Gonna be a lot of “human interest stories” from the broadcast booth tonite…..make that 11-0…..one ugly game…….
So if the Pirates hire Mike Bell and someone beans a Reds hitter and his brother charges the Pirates dugout, does the umpires have to call their parents because they are fighting????
Why wouldnt anbody want joe he was manager of the year in florida and got rid on him world series champ in new york…
Huh
Terrible mgr. Anybody could have won the WS with his team that did
There’s a name that should be on everybody’s list that I haven’t even seen once yet and that’s Omar Vizquel. Come on Theo, he’s paid his dues in the minors and knows more about the game than anybody else. Plus he ACTUALLY KNOWS how the game should be played. Big improvement over a lot of names I’m seeing.
Right!
And Sandy Alomar Jr.
Braves need a new manager as well
Dave Roberts
You just know it’s going to be Bell. Girardi would cost too much and clash with the Wilpons micromanagement. Beltran doesn’t have the resume as a manager.
The wilpons are cheap yet they signed deGrom to an extension, signed Familia, Lowrie, Ramos, Vargas, Bruce, Lagares, Cespedes, Swarzak
You’re only going to confuse them with facts. Much easier for them to continue posting the “Mets are cheap” BS. If they’re so cheap, why did they fire a guy with a year remaining on his contract?
I hate the narrative that the Wilpons are cheap. They spend money it just seems like they spend it on the wrong guys.
Watching all the names mentioned as interested in the Mets managers job seems to indicate that they think the Mets represent a team that has a great core going forward. This would be in direct contrast to the views expressed at the trade deadline by so called experts like Joel Sherman who thought the team should have done a rebuild. He kept saying the team had no high end minor league prospects that were major league ready. He lamented the decisions to trade away the few good prospects.
I think the fact that high profile manager candidates such as Gerardi and Showalter are interested speaks volumes.
I think the media are taking their opinions to seriously. The worst part is their constant passing themselves off as experts has an effect on real people’s lives. When you constantly beat a dead horse with your personal opinions about how good a job a manager is doing you tend to influence a number of readers.
The managers decisions have a direct consequence, namely results, while the media critic has no consequences.
I want to know if you want to be evaluated on your job by people who have no direct association with your responsibilities. It is part of the aura of baseball for fans to voice how they think things should be done. But most fans are not in a position to influence a persons job status.
Worst of all is the idea a manager in NY should not be able to grow into their job. What makes NY special over any other city.
I want to use Joe Torre as the poster boy for a manager who, when hired by the Yankees, the so called experts plastered with slogans like clueless Joe. Is it possible that a manager who has players who are special can make a manager seem great.
Conversely one with a less then special group can make him seem terrible?
How many times are you planning to post the same argument?
It seems quite a few managerial candidates must regard the Mets core as very good. The fact that they are interested would indicate that they see a team that is a bull pen redo ready to kick butt.
This is in direct opposition to the stated beliefs of the experts in the NY media. ( Joel Sherman )
Or, that they realize that there are only 30 jobs for MLB managers in the entire universe…
Toofpick78. I am glad you read it
Honestly, the Mets are very well represented with Rosario, Davis, Alonso, Ramos, Conforto, McNeil and the bench with Smith and Nimmo. The pitching staff features deGrom, Stroman, Syndergaard (for now) and in improving Matz. The bullpen has Lugo, Wilson and Diaz waiting for someone to figure out if his problem is in his head or in his mechanics. Honestly, that’s a LOT to work with in an off season where a team only needs to maybe add one SP, 1 or 2 dependable relievers and a right handed hitting outfielder. To me, that’s four players away from being VERY good for a long time. I think any experienced manager would love a shot at that roster who has spent any kind of time at the helm of teams with pretty much no chance of winning due to rebuilds or low budgets.
Improving Matz or underperforming Matz ???
Hubcap. How many high profile candidates have considered the Mets since 2003. Howe, Randolph, Manuel, Collins, Callaway
For whatever reason these hirings weren’t top of the line types, even if there are only 30 of these jobs available.
Maybe because this front office wants a manager they can manipulate instead of one who will fight for winning on the field first? Just maybe, experienced managers already know the front office situation here and simply don’t want to be bothered with it?
Arte Howe?
Toothpick78
You always hear howNY is a tough place to compete in. TheNY fan is passionate and knowledgeable.
The Mets have missed the playoffs for three years, and the fans act as if a mortal sin has been committed. Just think about how long other cities are waiting.
Again why do NY fans think they have a right to have championship teams.
If you don’t win I am going to boo the crap out of you because it is my right to have you win.
And I am going to call the FAN and complain about how I am so disgusted and feel cheated out of my entitled opportunity to root for a championship team.
Yankee fans are spoiled while Mets are jealous of the Yankee fans
Much of the Mets’ fans disgust is tied to the cross town team. Both teams have a similar fan base and revenue opportunities, yet the Mets act like they are a small market budgeted franchise. It was incredibly frustrating to watch David Wright’s great career wasted with the “just until next year” mantra every time we sat at home in October instead of doing something BEFORE the end of the season to bolster the roster. Seeing this bullpen self destruct year after year after with retreads that management banks on rebounding. We have had some minor leaguers that we have drafted really come through, but what happened to all those players we restocked with while unloading the vets? This front office always seem shocked that players perform at their current trending standard instead of who they were 5 years ago or “projections”.
In short (I know, too late), they need to seriously look closely at teams who seem to be the ones to beat and figure out what the teams playing bonus baseball see that the Mets’ player decision makers DON’T see. What do Oakland, Tampa, Yankees, Astros, Atlanta, Boston, Milwaukee and the Dodgers all have that the Mets don’t? We have the starters. We have the talent at the plate. We have the financial means. We have youth and some veterans. So what’s missing? As a fan I am tell you one thing: no one ever seems pissed at losing. There is never a sense of urgency to win early in the season or to finish off a series. No pitchers seem to mind coming out if games. Outside of deGrom, no pitcher seems to ‘want’ the ball. The hitters look ready and seem to have an idea when they go up there. We need more ‘gamers’, guys who just want and expect to WIN or at least don’t accept losing. From a manager standpoint, I keep thinking Showalter or Girardi. From a player standpoint, imagine a Terry Pendleton, Keith Hernandez, Pete Rose, Dusty Baker, Frank Robinson, Gary Carter, Bob Gibson, Dennis Eckersly, John Smoltz, Dave Johnson…these guys played and managed like it was a personal failure if the team lost.
Girardi won manager of the year and then was fired. what does that say about him? my pick would be a good one, albeit a safe one for the Mets,Joe McEwing,who is a “good mix of old-school and new-school metrics” as I’ve read in a few reports.
Jim Stem
Your points are well taken. I think this team definitely lacked the kind of leadership you desire. Alonso was a great spokesman but most of the players project a nice guy that doesn’t desire to ruffle feathers.
The few who speak out do come across as self serving immature types ( Noah ).From the outside I would think Frazier comes as close to being the leader type. But he probably will not be resigned.
Looking back at 1986 team the behind the scene team leader was Ray Knight who had an in with all elements of the team. There were the so called party time types ( Hernandez, Dykstra and others ) the goody too shoe types ( Carter ) and on a island by himself ( Darryl Strawberry ). He was able to reach each type. When they refused to resign him to a two year contract he went to Baltimore and the team never again lived up to their expectations.
Of course this is my interpretation of these events as reported by different media sources. Because a team is made up of 25 diverse personalities it is important to have individuals that are able to take on leadership roles.
The late nineties Yankee teams were led by players like Jeter who was laid back on the outside but tone setting behind the scene
Parker’s, I do agree that Frazier was that type of player and he was solid, but terribly inconsistent at the plate. His rbi came in bunches but seemed to go weeks without producing. I go back and forth on firing Callaway. He groomed the young players and the team never quit, but if it was his choice to hit Cano third the first half (not the front office), then he failed. I guess I would have been ok if he returned, but I’m also ok with not as long as his replacement has actual managerial success.
The Mets should Interview their Triple A manager Tony DeFrancesco. He had a lot of these guys in the last two years at Las Vegas and Syracuse, has a lot of experience managing baseball especially at the AAA level (which Mickey Callaway obviously didn’t) and managed a lot of talent from the A’s AAA teams and the Astros AAA teams. He carries a .554 lifetime winning percentage over 14 seasons managing at that level. He’s managed Kiki Hernandez, Josh Donaldson, Carlos Correa, Yuli Gurriel, Alex Bregman, Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso, and on and on. My guess is he would be inexpensive enough for the Wilpons. I don’t understand how if the Mets want to make a splash they would consider Mike Bell and Carlos Beltran who haven’t even coached first base at the big league level. That would be a belly flop, in my opinion, without talking to Tony D who is a naturally born New Yorker,and a hell of a manager.
And if you extrapolate to a Big League 162 game season, that means he would have AVERAGED a 89-90 win season over the 14 years..
That is better than what the Mets have been at yearly average of wins currently, don’t you think? Are all Mets fans so ignorant and “out of focus”? No wonder Mets keep losing even after having so much talent and promise going into almost every season for the last 30 years.
girardi next week might be already hired by another team.
if he wants to go to that other team, yeah
Stubby clapp
Lenny Dykstra is available and interested in the position
Mets should hire Bobby Bonilla for ‘free’ , or Darryl Strawberry or Sid Fernandez..
Terry Francona was not very good with the Phillies so when the Red Sox hired him it was not a no-brainer. I think there are often good managers who struggle their first time or even their second time. It’s not easy for a former player to take the job and succeed immediately. Not sure who I want for the Mets but I will say they have a fair amount of talent and could be dangerous with a better bullpen.
So are you suggesting that the Mets bring back Mookie Wilson to be the manager?
Does anyone else get the impression Brodie Van Wagenen was micro-managing the on-field decisions last season? I suspect it was Brodie who determined who caught for Noah Syndergaard, not Mickey Calloway’s staff.
I have a situation that would be a typical Mets thing.
The Mets hire Fredi Gonzalez as their manager, and bring Mike Hill to their front office. Then, as they do with every single one of those types of moves, the Wilpons, the Mets PR department, the Mets homer beat writers and the Mets fan base start telling everyone how hiring Gonzalez and Hill were great hires that will be saviors that bring intelligence to the Mets.
Somewhere within the NL East and parts of the AL East, in Georgia and Florida and the Bronx particularly, every single baseball fan snickers until reaching unstoppable, tearful laughter.
PLEASE Wilpons! MAKE THIS A REALITY! Fredi Gonzalez as manager and Mike Hill to your front office. All five fan bases in the NL East will thank you. You will make the headlines in NY, Georgia and Florida. Of course one fan base won’t be happy half way into the season.
The relationship between the General manager and Field manager is a very tricky thing. It is important that the GM picks his own manager based on their general agreements on the direction of the team.
But ultimately each must recognize their lanes. The manager has to stay within the overall plan while the GM has to make sure nothing they do undermines the perceived field authority of the manager.
The relationship between Bobby Valentine and Steve Phillips is an illustration of how not to do it.
As we throw out names for the job it will be important to make sure the chemistry is right for long term success. No matter what we think, we really don’t know much about the candidates. Oil and water doesn’t mix!
Mets will interview Girardi. They’ll lose him to the Cubs, because everybody knows that’s where Girardi’s going.
They’ll go to their fanbase and say, “SEE!!! SEE!!! WE INTERVIEWED A TOP-TIER COACH AND HE TURNED US DOWN!!!”
And they they’ll hire somebody who has never coached a pro game for the going MLB minimum wage, and commit to flushing the 2020 season down the toilet while some n00b learns on the job for the first 3 months of the season, all to save a couple of million dollars.
Alternately, they could see if one of their players has an agent who’s interested in being a MLB manager. I mean… worked great with the GM, right?
There is a difference between the manager and being a coach. Girardi is not interviewing for w coaching position
GoAwayRod
Isn’t Dave Roberts a poster boy for success while learning on the job.
After all is said and done the manager can only succeed if the players perform up to their abilities. The games are played with the objective of finding out which group of players can do this. Managers in game decisions are really subjective and analyzed around the framework of our opinions not some absolute way it should be.
Ultimately the managers greatest influence is in the general culture that he is able to foster.
Hey Parker-You should thank Go for such great insight. If you know anything about the Mets you must accept that they will never do what makes the most sense.
The only thing I can suggest to add to Go’s insight is that dusty baker could have the inside track for two reasons:
-He will sign a CHEAP contract just to have a job again and get out of his house.
-He will get along great with Fred who will feel confident to tell Brody to hire him because Dusty agreed to have a fax machine installed in the dugout so Fred can fax him the strategy and plays. Fred told inside mole Joel Sherman that he “loves hiring Dusty because he understands technology like fax machines because they are cheaper than iPhones!”
Sidd Finch
I agree 100 percent Girardi should be the choice and I’m hoping that the reason why they are interviewing him last is so that they can hire him. But I have a feeling its going to be Beltran. No I dont want Dusty Baker he always out runs his stay his teams also get ousted in the first round.
That’s why Jose he will be the perfect choice for Mets manager. Plus Dusty meets qualification #1 more than any other candidate:
He will work cheaply-so hungry to be working at his age that he will take an under $1 million contract.
Plus this is a Brody hiring-expect him to choke and act as impulsively as the Cano deal.
Joe G. is a proven winner, he would be my choice.