Today is two full months since Jerry Manuel was hired as the interim manager of the Mets. He took over for Willie Randolph on June 17th in the ill-fated late night firing in Los Angeles. Although the Mets front office took a lot of heat for the logistics of the firing, it turned out to be the right move. Now we’ve had a good sampling of the type of work that Manuel can do.
Manuel’s been able to develop positive relationships with the players. Some of the players he takes a “big brother” tact with, and others he has harsh words for in the media (e.g. Luis Castillo). That contrasts with Willie Randolph who didn’t seem to have any relationships in the locker room by the end of his tenure.
Manuel’s moves on the field have been aggressive offensively, hitting and running is getting much more than lip service now. He’s picked his spots to show faith in his pitchers to get out of jams, and he’s shown a quick hook on occasion as well. He’s working with a good feel for the team, something I always though Randolph lacked.Best of all, Manuel shows no favoritism to big contracts or veteran status. Players perform and they play, period. I hated the way Randolph made young players “earn” a move up in the batting order based on Major League tenure, not performance (e.g. David Wright).
I’m going to put my opinion out there that barring some dysfunctional collapse (e.g. 2007) I’d like to see Jerry Manuel get a contract with the Mets beyond this season. As the SNY crew mentions ceaselessly, Manuel is very self-aware and at peace with himself. What a great contrast to the paranoid Randolph, who became obsessed with denial of the 2007 “Collapse”.
Bring back Jerry!
The Mets Report 