Reese Kaplan -- Replacement Managerial Speculation

It seems as if Mets fans have seen this movie play out before.  Off to a good start, the ballclub falls into a major tailspin, partially due to assortment of injuries, partially due to roster mismanagement and partially due to lack of execution by the players. 

There’s nothing the manager can do to address the injuries except play the hand he is dealt.  However, the GM and owners can pay attention to what’s happening and act accordingly to address the issues.  

One of our faithful readers here, for example, pointed out that if they really wanted to demote one of the underperforming outfielders to make room for Carlos Gomez, they zigged when they could have zagged.  Just as Juan Lagares’ contract makes him virtually untradeable, it’s entirely likely that had he been the one DFA’d no one would have claimed him (and be stuck with his full salary).  Thus he could have been outrighted to AAA.  Then they could have reserved the minimum wage Keon Broxton for the next few years.  

I’m not crying any tears over their decision to DFA Broxton but I am puzzled why Carlos Gomez has been sitting on the bench when they know what little Lagares contributes while Gomez was on fire in AAA.  Wow, does that give you TC flashbacks or what?

Speaking of managers, people have already begun speculation on who would be the best man for the job should they decide Mickey Callaway (Terry II) has worn out his welcome?  Getting swept by the lowly Marlins certainly suggests that the end may truly be near since he was not the manager chosen by the current GM.


The obvious choice is bench coach Jim Riggleman, a BVW selection and the man who has experience with the interim managerial role.  Furthermore, he’s been there to advise Callaway on what to do and we’ve seen how that’s worked out.  He has performed this job with the Reds, the Nationals, the Mariners and the Padres (as well as a stint hired from the beginning with the Cubs).  In all that time he’s compiled a shockingly sub-Terry record of 726-904, a winning percentage of just .445.  (By comparision, TC was .486 for his Mets career and .495 overall).  That would be a colossally stupid move, hence it is the likely one.    

Just a few short years ago when the plug was finally pulled on the last manager, the usual suspects were lined up and the team caught us by surprise by going with the fresh-faced (and minimum wage) Mickey Callaway rather than a more experienced (and more expensive) name of others who had greater track records.  This time BVW has the opportunity to correct that mistake, but in mid-season only has folks currently not under contract to consider for the role.

Joe Girardi

The former Marlins and Yankees field general has a WINNING lifetime record of .988 and .794.  He’s been out of baseball since being relieved of his duties with the Yankees but given his successful history, he would command more money than the frugal Wilpons would want to pay.  Furthermore, he has shown enough gravitas and backbone that he may not condone the front office meddling that’s been well documented.

Buck Showalter

Back in the early 1990s the Yankees took a chance on the somewhat unknown Showalter and were rewarded with a steady progressing from 4^th to 2^nd to two straight divisional titles after which Showalter resigned.  He subsequently managed the Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles, but he has not done quite as well, having only finished first once with the 2014 Orioles.  Overall his record is a .506 winning percentage which puts him in the plus column, but not by much. 

Carlos Beltran

After the Mickey Callaway results they may be reluctant to go with another unproven name for the managerial job, but Beltran’s borderline Hall of Fame career, his long stint with the Mets and the thumbing of the nose towards the Yankees (common with the top three candidates), he is a bit more understandable than was the current skipper.  Although the Yankees passed on him after interviewing the multi-All Star for their vacant managerial job, they did extend him an offer as an assistant to the front office and they likely would not grant permission for him to interview for the Mets’ theoretical opening.

David Wright

Of course, the Mets do have their own in-house option already on the payroll who the fans would greet with great enthusiasm after having spent his entire career with the organization.  David Wright has the respect of everyone, has done some front office work as well, and, more importantly, could be given the job with no additional out-of-pocket money, relieving him of his make-work job and giving him a real one.  The problem, of courses, beyond the lack of experience which is partially how they dug themselves into the current hole, is what it does to his image.  Right now David Wright stands as an icon in Mets history, someone who is revered by Mets fans the same way Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and many other recent folks are evaluated by fans in the Bronx.  Should he take this job and not succeed in it, then it would greatly tarnish his overall reputation with the fans and all that goodwill capital he’s built over the years may be spent.

Tony DeFrancesco

The twice-named Manager of the Year in the minor leagues, DeFrancesco has had limited major league experience as a third base coach with the Oakland A’s and as a short-term (and unsuccessful) interim manager for the then National League Houston Astros after they fired Brad Mills.  He’s in-house now as the manager of the Syracuse Mets and should be familiar with some of the players who came up through his time with Las Vegas and now Syracuse.  He is already on the payroll, so he has that same advantage as David Wright.  As a sacrificial lamb, if he did not succeed, the Mets would not have jeopardized any PR value by firing him when his time was up.  As such, his selection would seem the most likely in Mets-think to finish out the season should they come to their senses and realize that the odds of winning with another career loser like Jim Riggleman would be greeted with disdain. 

Who is your first choice to replace Mickey Callaway when the ax inevitably falls?