The Mets’ managerial search is down to two names, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports (via Twitter). Former Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran and former Astros bench coach/current ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez are the last two men standing. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman recently tweeted that Milwaukee bench coach Pat Murphy was out of the running, though Heyman suggested shortly before Feinsand that Twins bench coach Derek Shelton was still involved alongside Beltran and Perez.
Neither Beltran nor Perez has any big league managerial experience, but Perez did manage a pair of winter ball clubs in Puerto Rico and managed Team Colombia in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. In addition to a brief stint as the bench coach in Houston, Perez spent a pair of seasons as the Marlins’ hitting coach earlier this decade. Beltran, who only retired as a player after the 2017 season, has spent his short post-playing days as a special advisor to Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.
Hiring Perez would, in many ways, mimic the crosstown Yankees’ hiring of Aaron Boone and the Cubs’ recent hiring of David Ross. Both were retired players hired away from ESPN jobs, though Perez, unlike that duo, does have the aforementioned coaching/managing experience. Beltran, notably, would jump from player to manager even more quickly than Ross did — if he is indeed hired. Ross retired after winning a World Series in 2016, while Beltran retired after winning a World Series in 2017. Perez was reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale last week to be the “clear front-runner,” but the search then carried on into a third round of interviews.
The Mets’ managerial search has dragged out even longer than the GM search that led the organization to hire then-CAA-agent Brodie Van Wagenen late last October. While a whopping eight teams entered the offseason in search of a new skipper, most identified a smaller set of initial candidates than New York. The Mets, meanwhile, not only conducted first-round interviews with a wide slate of candidates, they also carried a significant list of hopefuls all the way into a third round of interviews. (Most other organizations seemingly only went through two rounds.) At least five candidates — Perez, Beltran, Shelton, Murphy and Nats first base coach Tim Bogar — seemingly advanced to this stage.
The Mets, Pirates and Giants are the three remaining clubs that have yet to name a manager for the 2020 season. The Angels (Joe Maddon), Phillies (Joe Girardi), Cubs (Ross), Royals (Mike Matheny) and Padres (Jayce Tingler) have all hired new skippers since the regular season ended.
Why do I get the idea they want Perez but feel like they don’t want to disrespect Beltran?
If the rumors are true about Beltrán than no one should make him a manager.
And what rumors might those be? Other than the ones you are undoubtedly making up as you go along to fit whatever narrative you deem appropriate….
welcome to internet 2019.
Rumor has it:That your just a “Talker” or you have “Low” connections
Given Beltran’s lack of any track record as a coach or manager, I hope they are seeing things they really like in Beltran’s approach and demeanor and relationship-skills. I hope that they aren’t hiring him because he’s the best known- though I think that if that was what they wanted, they would have gone after Girardi harder.
Because you are making up stories in your mind to feed the narrative you prefer…
Well, Moe was a leader, Larry was artistically talented, and Curly was strong willed. That leaves Shemp. The wild card!
I sure hope they at least hire a former manager to be bench coach or, at the very least, someone from within the organization.
All this does is create more drama and distraction with questioning daily in game decisions. I highly doubt either one of them have a grasp on managing a bullpen.
Hire Pérez and his father as BC. Let the circus begin
The New York Mess !!!!
Gotta love em
It’s actually optional.
Not in my family’s it ain’t lol
There was no way they were going to pay Girardi. He was actually my first choice,although I didn’t hold out ANY hope.
Why not Jessica Mendoza?
Put her in spandex pants and no one would miss a pitching change.
What a sexist, asinine comment.
Settle down, Francis. If you don’t agree with a comment you don’t have to reply.
Me to me: Yeah, same to you buddy!
Me also: Who, me? I don’t remember talking to you.
Me in response: Shove it bucko.
Because the best way to deal with sexism is to ignore it and pretend that it’s OK..
I was joking, trying to diffuse. But ok, thanks for the moral epiphany. Ignoring here is not the same as ignoring social injustice elsewhere. We aren’t going to solve unsolvable human behavior in a Mets comments section. Save it for another avenue.
Back to baseball now, please?
Telling people to settle down, or lighten up, isn’t a particularly good way of defusing or diffusing a situation. People take things like casual sexism and racism pretty seriously, because they’re serious problems. But, sure, back to baseball!
Actually it was pretty funny, but I see you’re still recovering from that Senseofhumorectomy you had last year…
I have it on the BEST authority that the broadcaster the Mets are interested in is Bob Uker…..who looks sensational in a pair of spandex, if you like that sort of thing.
Thought he was still with Wahoo Nation?
No, that’s Bob Uecker, the actor. Bob Uker must be an up and coming local journalist.
The Mets are ready to buy a house finally?
#AmazingMets
I’m happy with either – but selfishly I would like Beltran for no other reason than I can wear his jersey again. That said – he wasn’t normally one to take interviews – leaving that to Wright and Reyes. I listen to Perez on Sirius-XM in the mornings and he knows his stuff. Either would be fine with me. Glad it’s not Girardi.
Beltran certainly could be a coach, but it always seems great players make poor managers. hope he’s better than Ryno was.
Let’s be honest – Mets chose someone who was cheaper. That’s their Modus Operandi.