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Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Baseball players know a dead team when they see one – and here's a sample of words from the text of several veteran raters, leaders and former players in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins, historically very bad:
"Indifferent."
"No energy."
"Something is missing."
"Pathetic."
"Something must change."
These are not angry Mets fans talking. They are people who know the game. And they are all people who liked the team 's off – season and felt that the club would be better than last year.
the Brodie Van Wagenen/Sandy Alderson The list is flawed and redundant, but it is strong – and certainly not as bad as the one we have seen in recent weeks.
The next natural step, because that's how the game works, is to speculate on Mickey Callawaythe status of employment. We are not the first to do it and we will not be the last.
A little over a week ago, we reported that Callaway's work was safe for the moment. We added that he probably needed to start winning games quickly, for that to remain the case.
Since we heard this, we have seen the Mets win two home games against Miami, lose a series in Washington and endure consecutive humiliations this weekend in South Florida.
Manager changes are generally overestimated and Callaway is not the only one responsible for the disappointing start of the Mets. But we are also watching a lifeless team, which still has the talent to feel pressured to save its season.
Maybe a bench coach Jim Riggleman could change the tone, mentoring in the making Luis Rojas, a young coach that many consider a future manager. If the Mets need an interim skipper, Riggleman is the obvious choice. But as one baseball player said, Riggleman would tend to give the impression that the Mets had hired him for that purpose, rather than acting as Callaway's mentor.
Because of this – and because Riggleman may seem an overly safe selection – the Mets would also consider an outside contender like the former Met and a longtime skipper from Toronto. John Gibbons, former director of the White Sox Robin Ventura, or long-time managers Dusty Baker or Buck Showalter – which could bring instant credibility (do not expect to Terry Collins or Wally Backman back in blue with fine stripes).
Some fans will ask Joe Girardibut Girardi left the Yankees with a bad-for-nothing reputation, little collaboration and unpopular in his clubhouse. It's not an adjustment.
This subject is so important. Yes Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler do not run like aces, no matter who writes. Ditto for if Robinson Cano and Wilson Ramos do not hit.
But the team is playing so poorly at this time and with so little apparent energy that we wonder if we are approaching this rare moment when change for the sake of change will be the obvious gesture.
Van Wagenen has devoted so much time and political capital to the offseason, aggressively building his list and exalting him publicly. He might need to shock his club in a different mood. Passing a manager that he has not hired would be an obvious way to try this.
Stay tuned. This subject will not go away, no matter what happens in the final of the Sunday series.
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