New York Mets Fan Blog

Changes

The slump has lasted longer than anyone wanted or expected it to. With the 2-9 record, rumblings have started concerning the job security of Jerry Manuel and other members of the coaching staff. The Mets have recently addressed those concerns and have said the coaches are safe for now. Is that the smart move, or is it now time to start panicking.

I still believe the Mets are going so snap out of this slump. It is ridiculous to believe that they will continue to hit .190 the rest of the season. Still there is the fear that by the time the Mets figure it out, they’ll be too far out of a playoff spot for it to make a difference.

Unfortunately there are no difference makers on the trade market. It seems like the Mets targets are an eight-inning guy and a reliable starter. I really doubt with the players on the market, that either addition will guarantee them a playoff spot.

Alright well what about a coaching change? I don’t think that is a great option either. The last time the Mets fired a manager mid-season it was to promote Manuel, and now there are questions about him. The team did perform better under him than under Willie Randolph, but that was due to poor chemistry with Randolph than top-notch managing from Manuel. The players did not like Willie Randolph, and switching to Manuel helped make the players happy. The players still like Manuel, bringing in a new manager won’t help much.

Perhaps firing the batting coach? That is probably the best course of action. Not that Howard Johnson has done a bad job, but sometimes the players need a different voice to get out of a slump. The Mets best option would be to promote Lamar Johnson, their minor league hitting coach, someone I don’t see as an upgrade over Johnson. If the Mets continue to struggle at home, fine I can see a move being made out of panic to get back in the race, and it could work, but please don’t extend the guy.

If the Mets miss the playoffs, the best move would be to clean house. Management has had a lot of time and financial backing to make a consistent and dominant team. It is possible Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, and Bobby Valentine will be available to take over as manager at the end of the season. The opportunity to land one of those guys is too big to pass up. Manuel has done wonders for motivating his players, but he handles in-game situations poorly. Cleaning house makes the team more appealing. These new managers will have the opportunity to bring in a GM of their choice and hire the assistant coaches of their choice.

If they replace these guys mid-season, I fear the team will make the same mistake of extending the interim manager if they simply compete down the stretch. Unless they think the team will do better under someone else, it is better to replace the guy after the season to have more options open to them. No more stop-gaps, we need a good manager and GM to lead this core to the playoffs again.

If they can go on an incredible run and make the playoffs, then fine I was wrong. But if not, it has been too many years of the same results and it is time for a change. Just wait till the end of the season to make the move, as very little good can come of it mid-season, and at the very least, let’s give these guys the chance to prove us wrong.

by Evan Slavit at the Sports Fan Blog Network

July 26, 2010 - Posted by slavite | Bloggers, Evan Slavit, MLB, NY Mets Stuff, New York Mets, Original Content | Bobby Valentine, Howard Johnson, Jerry Manuel, Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, Willie Randolph | No Comments Yet