The events that happened last night in the Mets clubhouse after the game warrant some kind of immediate action this week.
I had hoped that Mickey wouldn't be around this long, but now, there doesn't seem to be anymore options for him.
I've been in that clubhouse and watched the gaggle of reporters go after a player or manager for actions and plays that happened in the game that just was completed.
I've also watched members of the press suck the kneecaps of ballplayers for a decent line or two for an article they were writing, only to find the player the next morning shaking his head while he read the snarky opinions that same reporter said about him the day after that interview. Back in those days, the Mets used to lay out the NY press sports sections for all the players to see.
Not anymore.
I haven't said the nicest thinks in the past regarding the press pool. They treated me like crap (minus Kevin Kernan and Adam Rubin), but I will tell you this...
They are unionized and have an iron clad contract.
They can't even be removed from covering this team unless the editor of their newspaper agrees to replace them for unprofessional actions.
Lastly, Tim Healey of Newsday was NOT the unprofessional here.
(I was in the Mets clubhouse when Jay Horvitz had his dust up with Adam Rubin and accused him of trying to take away his job. Rubin was not the unprofessional here and remained on his job)
I don't know where this is going but I will tell you this... Mickey is dead to the NYC press now. They will never come back from this. POTUS will get better press than him in the future.
For this reason, and this reason alone, he must (at least) be replaced with his bench coach and a new search be made for a 2020 manager.
14 comments:
I agree Mack. It needs to happen today and they need to bring in an experienced winning manager sooner than later.
Well put Matt
While it should happen today as it would send the signal about professionalism, the fact is that mid-season you can't necessarily instantaneously find the appropriate replacement without going through the rigors of a proper interviewing and screening process...wait, this is the Mets we're talking about. Someone just has to say, "Jeffy, you're MAAAAHVELOUS" and we'll hear how the candidate lit up the room.
Seriously, though, they should have been doing this screening since about week three of the season...being prepared just in case...
My first reaction to the news was to suggest that this should be the impetus for finally firing Mickey Callaway, who otherwise seems like a very nice man that just shouldn't be managing an MLB team. I have reconsidered that perspective, because a single misstep in dealing with the press shouldn't lead to someone losing their job.
However, there's nothing left for Mickey to hang his hat on now. He hasn't demonstrated the tactical acumen necessary for being a major league manager, and I think that neither the front office nor the fan base has the patience to continue allowing him to learn on the job. The only good argument for keeping in the dugout was supposed to be the way he handled the team and the image he projected of the organization. That's been blown away now.
I don't think Mickey survives the next series loss.
Oh, and while we're at it, wouldn't it be the perfect time to sell high (on results) on Jason Vargas, too?
Other thoughts:
* Wally Backman could've gotten away with something like this, because he has the reputation for being one of the last real redasses in the game. It's ironic that he can't get a manager's job in MLB, but if he had and acted like this, the whole thing would've blown over the next day once Wally apologized and bought Healey a beer. Mack is right when he asserts that the press is NEVER going to forgive Mickey for this, no matter how sincerely he tries to repair the relationship.
Part of the reason why Mickey can't get away with it is that his behavior on Sunday was such a departure for his real personality. Part of me wonders if this was performance theater gone horribly wrong, by a person who cannot credibly play the role of Angry Man. It's an odd quirk of human behavior that someone like Wally would be treated with a "forgive-and-forget" mentality, simply because he would be acting like his authentic self, but Mickey won't be forgiven to a certain extent because his behavior was both unprofessional AND phony.
* I suggested in the writer's text thread yesterday that the Mets should consider DFAing Vargas for his behavior. I'm backing off that as well, but there should be consequences for his behavior. Mickey Callaway is a grown man who can handle his business. Vargas deciding that he was angry at the reporter just because his manager was strikes me as an amateurish way to comport himself. Vargas may harbor his own animosity toward the press, which has been appropriately harsh on his performance until this recent run of competence, but he acted like a green rookie on Sunday and should be called out for it just as much as Mickey has been.
To go away today is OK. Forget the blow up...the impaired talent has performed below where this team should be in wins. We need someone who will produce more Ws with the talent on hand
Both the manager and the GM have cost this team dearly. The smart thing should be to get rid of both.
I'm telling you...
the press will NEVER let him come back from this
Reese -
You are correct about Vargas.
There are stats like fWar
Is there an M War stat - wins above or below replacement for a manager? Mickey is failing on the job. Negative M War.
He should offer up a novena to Terry Collins who set the bar at limbo champion height for on-the-field expectations, though his problems were more with his players than with the press. Earlier in his career TC was considered fiery but by the time he'd gotten to the Mets you had to hold a mirror under his nose each day to make sure he was still breathing. Fans have become inured regarding tactics and lineups, so Mickey has not gotten the flack he rightfully should have gotten in spades already.
Considering how much sway the front office has over who gets on the field the managers job is to take care of his players and manage the media/perception of the team. Up until now i just thought he was a little over his head in game moves. Like try someone other then gsellman once maybe? Not likely the variable in the equation. But now, he's done, whether its today, tmrw or 2 months from now, he's done in ny. You cant let the media beat you and they did. I'll say this though, he clearly has the players behind him, now if only they'd pitch 9 innings of cohesive baseball maybe he would have these issues off the field.
Whats the surprise here? We have a manager who has never managed a GM who's never GMed (can I say that) AND was the player agent for one of his former clients who comprised half of his biggest off season trade. Look Mickey at this point is a dead man walking so how long do the Wilponzies string this guy out? Like "Shark Tank's" Mr. Wonderful Jeffy's probably saying to MC "your dead to me" so get it done and give the guy some peace. On the brighter side at only 3.5 games out in the WC hunt and a ghastly 17 blown saves we half that and we're in first place!
Post a Comment