New York Mets Start Search For Their Next Manager After Firing Mickey Callaway

By Jordan Long

The New York Mets are now looking for their 4^th manager in 19 years.  They decided to fire Mickey Callaway after 2 years behind the bench.

                Callaway was hired by the Mets prior to the 2018 season.  They were hoping he would lead the New York Mets back to the postseason for the 1^st time since 2016.  That year they were in the Wild Card game and lost to the San Francisco Giants.

                Callaway came to New York after serving as the Cleveland Indians’ Pitching Coach.  He was in that role from 2013 to 2017.  The Mets anticipated he would help the pitching staff become one of the best in baseball. Callaway was going to take pitchers out when they didn’t have it and the bullpen was going to save the day.

                He didn’t live up to the expectations put on him.  In Callaway’s 1st year, 2018, the Mets were off to one of their best starts in franchise history at 11-1.  It didn’t last long and they ended up finishing that season at 77-85.

                This year the Mets had the goal of making the playoffs, even as the Wild Card team.  Anything less would be a failure.  New York ended at 86-76, 3 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2nd Wild Card spot.  It wasn’t good enough for Callaway to keep his job.

                The Mets pitching wasn’t bad this season with a team ERA of 4.07, 16^th in baseball.  The starters ERA was 3.54, ranking 6^th in baseball.  They were doing their job and keeping the Mets in games.  Looking at just that, the Mets should have made the postseason.

                Callaway’s failure was the bullpen.   He kept relievers out too long when they struggled.  This ended with the Mets either tied or behind when Callaway switched them out.  The bullpen was the third worst in baseball with an ERA of 4.96. Callaway ends his New York Mets tenure with a record of 163-161, a winning percentage of .503.

According to ESPN, New York Met’s Chief Operating officer Jeff Wilpon said,“ I feel unfulfilled. I feel we left some games on the field that we should have won, and we didn’t fulfill what we really had as a goal, which was get to the postseason. We’re not playing October baseball, and that’s what it’s about.”

                The Mets will start a search for their next manager.  There is one name out there that makes sense if they want a manager with experience, Joe Maddon.  Maddon was with the Cubs the past 5 years and Tampa Bay before that for 9 seasons.  Maddon has been to the playoffs 8 times as a manager with 2 trips to the World Series.  The Cubs won it all in 2016.  He might be in high demand because of his managerial history.  The Mets should make the phone call.  Maddon knows how to turn a team into a winner.  His past history shows it. It is possible he could turn the Mets around.