The Mets are one of several teams looking for a new manager, with Buck Showalter having been fired last month. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that Craig Counsell, seen as some as the favorite for the gig, is heading to New York today with an interview to take place in the coming days. Meanwhile, Andy Martino of SNY reports the club is narrowing the field and will make a hire within the week, with Carlos Mendoza and Athletics’ manager Mark Kotsay also in the mix with Counsell. Martino adds that Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada did not interview for the Mets.
The fit with Counsell has been speculated upon for quite some time. David Stearns was general manager and president of baseball operations with the Brewers for many years, overlapping with Counsell’s time as skipper in Milwaukee. Stearns was recently hired by the Mets for the POBO job with that club and one of his first actions was to fire Showalter, immediately causing many to assume that Counsell would follow Stearns to Queens.
Counsell was under contract with the Brewers through the end of October but the Mets received permission to interview him last week. It seems that interview has still not officially taken place, though Martino reports that he did speak to the club on the phone. He has also interviewed with the Guardians and has attracted the interest of the Astros. While a return to Milwaukee could still be possible, it seems Counsell is being thorough in assessing his options.
Mendoza’s involvement in the search has previously been reported but Kotsay is a new entry. He is currently the manager of the A’s, having been hired to be the bench boss of that club prior to the 2022 campaign. The club has been terrible in that time but that could hardly be blamed on the skipper since the A’s have been aggressively rebuilding, trading away just about every established big league player making a notable salary.
If the Mets are seriously interested in Kotsay, they may have to work out an arrangement with the A’s. Oakland let Bob Melvin jump to the Padres prior to hiring Kotsay, not asking the Padres for any compensation in return. It was speculated that the A’s were happy to let Melvin walk to save on his salary, which was reported to be about $4MM per year. It’s unknown how much Kotsay is making but it’s presumably less than that. Whether the A’s would have any reluctance to letting their manager jump ship this time is unknown.
Espada has been the bench coach in Houston since 2018 and has been connected to various managerial openings since then. He has yet to move on from that gig and it’s unclear if the lack of interview with the Mets was a decision of his or of the Mets. The Astros have their own managerial vacancy with Dusty Baker stepping down and Espada has been floated as a possible fit for that job, though it doesn’t seem as though that club is in a hurry to fill that vacancy.
Who was that joke of a manager in Houston before Hinch took over?
Bo Porter?
Your mom
KOTSAY???
Does anyone really envision Craig Counsell holding up the World Series trophy?
When has anyone like Counsell ever done it? It’s usually the Bochy or Dave Martinez/Cora type
What distinguishes the Counsell type from the Martinez/Cora type? They seem pretty similar to me in terms of the playing careers they had.
Dave Martinez and Alex Cora managed rosters that out-played all of the other 29 teams, whereas Counsell has not (yet). That’s the different type
Martinez and Cora took over teams that were already built to be competitive (high payrolls, significant young talent) and quickly won championships. I don’t think that’s a realistic standard to judge every potential manager by.
Boston cheated in 18… so did he really?
And to put it another way: how would you feel if your team hired a manager with a .494 winning percentage, an 8-16 playoff record, and no rings? That was Bochy’s track record when the Giants first hired him. I think those 2000’s Padres teams aren’t too different than the Brewers teams Counsell has managed.
So you only envision managers that have won a championship as being able to win a championship? I guess you felt the same way about them until they actually won one.
If Kotsay walks out, Stephen Vogt walks in!
“…reports that Craig Counsell, seen as some as the favorite for the gig, is heading to New York today with an interview to take place in the coming days.”
——
A huge bag of money has been left in Craig Counsell’s hotel room!
If they’ve talked by video already, and now he’s flying into NY, and the Mets plan to make an announcement next week, I’m going to connect the dots and assume Craig won’t be leaving NY.
That’s a reasonable surmise, LordDgg.
Joe Girardi is right there for the taking, he better get an interview. While I like Counsel, they need a backup option. Just because a manager did bad with one team doesn’t mean they can’t manage (Girardi with the Phillies), just look at Joe Torre or even Bruce Bochy. Girardi would be perfect for this team. They need a no-nonsense presence in this lockerroom. Showalter this year let the players just deal with stuff themselves. I want someone thats going to go on out their and argue/stick up for the team when something goes agaisnt us. Showalter was too old and didnt have that same drive to put his foot down
Joe Torre seemed to do all right after the first so so managing job. Same with Tito Martinez.
Difference is that Girardi already had a track record before Philly. Sometimes voices are never heard or grow old.
Who’s Tito Martinez?
@LFGMets: Why must Girardi get an interview? Have the Mets invited you to participate in the hiring process?
Luke Voit for Mets player-manager
LOL…he can start a fashion trend by requiring all the Mets players to sport that open chest uni.
I have officially withdrawn my name from consideration.
Kotsay for a years supply of soda.
I like the idea of Stephen vogt.