What’s next for the New York Mets after Luis Rojas leaves?

Luis Rojas is out as manager of the New York Mets after the team limped to a disappointing third-place finish in the National Eastern League. Rojas ends his tenure with the team with a 103-119 record over two seasons. Now the team’s thoughts will turn to 2022. We asked Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield what they think about the future of one of baseball’s most frustrating teams this year.

What names are we most likely to hear as Mets candidates?

Doolittle: Buck Showalter, Mike Scioscia, Bruce Bochy – recent, sort of retired managers with excellent resumes. Scioscia recently led the US Olympic team, but he seemed happy to limit his training to that. It’s hard to imagine Bochy leaving the West Coast at this point – especially when the San Diego Padres post could open. Ron Gardenhire, who played for the Mets, is an option, but he’s retired for health reasons and the job doesn’t seem to suit him. A second chance candidate like Brad Ausmus could surface, especially given Gabe Kapler’s breakthrough in San Francisco. There are several bench coaches available on successful teams, like Joe Espada of Houston, Pat Murphy of Milwaukee or Walt Weiss of Atlanta. Another Braves coach Ron Washington should be mentioned. A manager attached to a possible new baseball honcho, i.e. Bob Melvin via Billy Beane, was a hot rumor last month. In reality, however, it boils down to this: Are you going to hire an accomplished executive, and if so, are you going to let that person make that decision – as you should?

Schoenfield: To some extent, who the Mets hire as the new president of baseball operations / general manager will influence potential candidates. If it’s someone like Theo Epstein or David Stearns (the Brewers’ PBO), that person will likely be looking – though not guaranteed – to hire someone they know well. Considering Rojas ‘inexperience prior to securing the Mets job (after Carlos Beltran was ousted due to his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing program), you have to think that the odds are high. that the Mets are looking to hire someone with a long resume. That sure gives us a short list of names like Buck Showalter, Brad Ausmus, and Rick Renteria. Ron Washington is probably too old at 69 (although Dusty Baker and Tony La Russa are both 70). Ned Yost is not the savvy sabermetry skipper you are looking for these days. Andy Green had a terrible record with the Padres. Among the first-time contenders, Astros bench coach Joe Espada has previously interviewed for managerial positions, including with Epstein and the Cubs in 2019. Another option is the Brewers bench coach, Pat Murphy, formerly of Notre Dame and Arizona State, although he’s 62 and the recent trend has certainly been to hire younger executives for the first time.

Who would you hire if you were in charge?

Doolittle: At this point, I have a soft spot for young managers in the Kapler mold, who are good collaborators and who have internalized all kinds of next-gen processes to manage a team and a staff. So I’d lean towards someone like Will Venable, who worked with Theo Epstein in Chicago, or maybe Don Kelly – recently retired players who really went to great lengths to put the full toolbox together.

Schoenfield: The Mets need a bit of professionalism in the organization after the player antics this year – and not just the thumbs-down disaster. Remember when players “invented” a hitting trainer at the start of the season? And then Chili Davis got fired a few days later? Not funny, guys. Showalter would certainly provide that steady hand. At 65, he might be seen as a short-term fix – but I think that’s what the Mets need right now.

What’s the biggest thing that needs to change for the Mets to improve next season?

Doolittle: They need to stay healthier, that’s for sure. It is obvious. But even beyond the uptime issues, they need to address the root of this year’s widespread shortfall. There have been a tremendous number of really disappointing performances, and while it may just be a coincidence of bad seasons, I would like to make sure that there isn’t something systemic going on there. This would be part of the project of the new general manager (whatever the title) and the new skipper.

Schoenfield: Brad is right. The offense was a complete disaster and without mitigation. What happened to Francisco Lindor? Where has Dom Smith’s power gone? Were Jeff McNeil’s difficulties reversible? Again, they also need to tackle defense and become more athletic – Javier Baez, for all his swing and chess flaws, played well with the Mets and provided energy, defense and speed. much needed by the team. Find a legitimate center fielder, move Brandon Nimmo to the left, trade Smith (or make him a bench player) and consider re-signing Baez if he’s ready to play second.

When did Rojas have to leave?

Doolittle: It is difficult to determine a precise moment. The Mets were still in the game until September, but rather than maximize their chances, they instead lost 10 of 11. Somewhere in there, there was probably the final straw. But there were too many troubling cases where Rojas just didn’t seem to be in sync with what his club was doing, like the Francisco Lindor / Jeff McNeil / rat incident. Maybe he was just playing shy, but it’s the Mets, and they need a stronger presence than that.

Schoenfield: Yes, he seemed a bit out of his league, even dating back to last year. From a tactical standpoint, he appeared to better manage pitching staff in 2021 after drawing the wrath of Mets fans for many of his moves in 2020 – and given the injuries in the starting rotation, this no. was not the case. easy going this season. To steal NCAA terminology, it was the lack of institutional control – which, of course, has been sort of a problem with the Mets for a decade now.

How long will it take before the Mets are legitimate title contenders?

Doolittle: There is no reason why they should not be here in a year, given the right actions and the right leadership. The top talent is there. But they need to improve the depth.

Schoenfield: Next season. Hey, the Braves just won the division with 88 wins. The Nationals and Marlins aren’t good (although the Marlins have some interesting young pitchers). The Phillies are stuck in mediocrity. The Mets can win that division next year, especially if Jacob deGrom is in good health.

What’s the next turn in direction we’ll see now that the MLB offseason has begun?

Doolittle: Guess Jayce Tingler in San Diego is next. How fair it is to blame him for the Padres’ disappointing finish is hard to say. But all the rumors point to his sacking, and, again, Bochy is there. It’s hard to say if he and GM AJ Preller would get along, but even if that doesn’t fit, I guess the Padres are leaving Tingler.

Schoenfield: It feels like another light year of executive layoffs – MLB is no longer like NHL or Premier League football, where coaches come and go. I think Tingler might be the only other manager to have the ax. Of course, Aaron Boone remains without a contract for 2022, so he could be the third possibility, especially if the Yankees go into the playoffs.