Tag: Jerry Manuel

Manuel And Positive Change

This morning the local papers are filled with stories about the Mets new manager Jerry Manuel and the changes afoot at Shea Stadium. During last night’s SNY broadcast the announcers Gary, Ron, and Keith praised the new Mets’ attitude.

There really isn’t all that much that a new manager can do with a team. It’s essentially up to the players to perform better, we know that. But there have been a few things that I’ve liked from the team in the first week of Jerry Manuel’s tenure with the Mets:

  1. Pitchers staying on the mound during a change to encourage the incoming pitcher
  2. More “life” or energy, or whatever you want to call it. It’s hard to quantify this but I’m seeing it in this team.
  3. New tactics to improve performance. For example, I liked that Ramon Castro stayed in the middle of the plate for Mike Pelfrey’s start in Colorado. I thought that was a great way to try to keep him in the strike zone. You don’t really see anyone doing that.
  4. Players taking a game off here and there. Willie Randolph ran these guys into the ground and it showed at the end of ’06 and ’07.
  5. Carlos Beltran stealing more bases. This has been talked about forever, but it looks like it’s actually being implemented now.
  6. His press conferences aren’t filled with apologies and unfounded knowledge of better days coming in the future. Manuel talks about concrete changes that need to made to create a winning team.

All of these changes are great to talk about but they need to translate into wins and that isn’t happening yet. Manuel is 3-3 as the Mets manager, a small sample, but .500 isn’t going to get it done. Manuel can’t speed up Carlos Delgado’s slow bat and severely declined skills. He can’t fix Luis Castillo’s brittle knees. But maybe he can create a positive atmosphere and energetic brand of baseball that the fans can enjoy.

Stories in the news:

Dan Graziano of the Star-Ledger writes about Manuel having a chance to succeed here

George Vecsey of the Times writes about the “new dawn of the Mets”

Mike Fitzpatrick of the AP writes about Manuel having the power of the lineup card

Bill Eichenberger of Sporting News writes about Manuel’s touch with the players

Bob Raissman of the Daily News writes about Manuel’s media skills

Vic Ziegel of the Daily News writes about the lighter atmosphere

On Deck: June 23- Mariners At Mets

Seattle Mariners (26-49 Road: 11-25) at New York Mets (37-37 Home: 20-14)  7:10pm

Felix Hernandez (6-5 2.87) vs. Johan Santana (7-5 3.04)

TV: ESPN, SNY   Radio: WFAN

What to watch: King Felix is one of the few bright spots on a horrible Mariners team. They’re probably more dysfunctional than the Mets, which is saying something. Theoretically, this should be a premiere pitching match up. It’ll be interesting to see if it works out that way. This is also Jerry Manuel’s first home game as Mets manager. I’ll be curious to see how he’s greeted by the crowd.

Mets News Today: June 23

There’s plenty in the news today as the Mets come home to face the dreadful Seattle Mariners.

  • Jerry Manuel says that he has to prepare to go the rest of the season without Moises Alou.
  • Luis Castillo won’t play again tonight after aggravating the quadriceps injury he suffered earlier this season.
  • Brian Schneider will probably get a couple more days off after bruising a finger on his glove hand in Colorado.
  • Ryan Church plans to take batting practice with the Mets tonight and play a couple of games this week in Brooklyn. The plan is for him to return to the big league team for the Yankees series this weekend.
  • Goose Gossage says that the Mets didn’t treat Willie Randolph fairly.
  • The Mets seem to have a new trend with pitchers staying on the mound to hand the ball to the incoming pitcher. Manuel said he thought it would be a one-time thing with John Maine until Pedro Martinez did it on Saturday. Now they’re all doing it.
  • Jerry Manuel joked about Mets fans booing Aaron Heilman at Shea Stadium to fertilizer.
  • John Harper of the Daily News writes that the Mets are in good hands with Manuel. He even addressed the perception of a racial divide with the team.
  • Adam Rubin of the Daily News writes that Manuel’s comment about fertilizer was made in reference to Aaron Heilman using the fans booing him at Shea as a source of growth, not calling Mets fans “manure” as the NY Post reported.

Mets Taking Early BP At Coors Field

New York Mets third baseman David Wright before a Mets/Devil Rays spring training game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Image via Wikipedia

Reports are coming in that several Mets (David Wright, Brian Schneider, Fernando Tatis, Robinson Cancel, and even Carlos Delgado) are taking some early batting practice.  Apparently, Delgado didn’t do much of that during Willie Randolph’s reign as manager. The reports also say that Jerry Manuel is with the players running the show.

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Manuel’s New Strategy Pays Early Dividends For Mets

New York Mets shortstop José Reyes during a Mets/Devil Rays spring training game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Image via Wikipedia

For three and a half years we’ve been watching Willie Randolph bring in his closer, Billy Wagner, to pitch the ninth inning of tied or close games.  Jerry Manuel’s second game as manager of the Mets showed us a much needed strategic shift.  Manuel’s intestinal fortitude was tested by his star shortstop in his first game as well, and he passed with flying colors.

Willie Randolph followed the modern “book” for closers as Mets manager. Billy Wagner nearly always pitched the ninth inning of games that the Mets led or were tied. I always disagreed with pitching Wagner in the ninth inning of a tied game. I wondered: Why not hold onto that weapon until you really need it? Apparently, Jerry Manuel agrees with me. Duaner Sanchez pitched the ninth inning, and when the Mets took the lead Billy Wagner shut the door in the tenth inning. That’s the way to play that situation! Wagner is the pitcher to close out a win, not hold over a tie.

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