I supported Jerry Manuel very strongly when he took over. At the time I really felt that he brought a looser, more approachable, and less arrogant style to the manager’s office. I chose to look at Jerry’s Manager of the Year award rather than the circumstances of his dismissal in Chicago. I wanted him to succeed. And while he cannot be held primarily responsible for 2009’s injury-plagued nightmare of a season, he has indeed had plenty of opportunities to make a positive mark on the team this year, and I feel that he has failed completely.
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The team’s lack of solid fundamentals has been a glaring problem the entire season; indeed long before they were eliminated from playoff contention. From Church missing a base when they were still in the race to Pagan’s mystifying lack of understanding on the basepaths, to seemingly countless runners being thrown out at home and trying to take the extra base unwisely, to several dropped popups, to players repeatedly showing lack of focus on the field, all of this combines to paint a less than satisfactory picture. Missing the postseason by one game each of the last two years makes the season-long lack of solid fundamental baseball that much more disturbing.
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Wright, Shines, and Francoeur combined last Saturday night to produce the signature play of the year—Wright was not hustling, he had no awareness of the game situation, the third base coach was oblivious, and Frenchy was easily thrown out unwisely trying to take an extra base. Classic 2009 Mets—one guy was loafing when he should have been running hard, another was seriously hustling when he should have stopped at first, and the management representative whose sole purpose on the field is to coach runners failed to coach the runner, who needed coaching.
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No doubt, players at this level should come to the park prepared, alert and ready to play. But at what point in a mistake-filled season should a manager show a strong hand and exhibit an ability to correct the sloppiness?
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Earlier in the year, Johan supposedly took a swing and got a hit when the bunt sign was on. He later publicly upbraided Jerry for removing him from a game. Wright called out unnamed Mets for being unprepared, and to me, this was a clear swipe at Jerry. Shef’s recent comments were of course Shef being Shef, but all of this very strongly points to a giant vacuum where a leader should be. Maybe it’s not fair to Jerry to think this, but would any of this have happened—or gone unanswered—on a Gil, Davey, or Bobby V team?
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My personal favorite pet peeve is the incessant bunting. It has driven me nuts all year, but the last home series against the Nats was the low point. Pagan leads off in the first and doubles, and Castillo bunts. Insanity. I cannot blame Slappy, as they have enthusiastically given away outs all year to play for one run; it is the Manuel way. But bunting with a fast man on second with no outs in the top of the first? In the first they are playing for a sac fly and one run, when they are horribly out of the race and playing one of the very few teams worse than they are? As this space has cited before, stats in MLB, NCAA ball, and Japanese baseball all show that in some common bunting situations, i.e. a runner on first and no outs, a team is slightly MORE likely to score with a man on first and no outs than with a man on second and one out, especially when it is not the pitcher being called on to bunt, yet Jerry still clings to the outdated idea of excessive sacrifices. I honestly feel that this mentality will soon go the way of judging batters by BA instead of OPS, and judging pitchers by wins instead of WHIP. Outdated ideas that have simply been proven ineffective.
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He brings in Takahashi to face lefties despite his poor record against them. He yanks Thole against a lefty when Thole hit lefties and righties equally in AAA, while Santos fares better against righties, and while we should be seeing what Thole can do. Jerry is wedded to mediocre philosophies, and this is not likely to change.
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We have not seen Jerry or his staff maximize the talent of anyone. No young players have exceeded expectations and no veterans have dramatically improved due to Jerry’s handling and influence. Maybe the hitting drill in the spring has helped Beltran become a better all-around hitter, but maybe it also has destroyed David Wright’s swing, power, confidence, and ability to hit the outside pitch. Other than Beltran’s excellent partial year, is there one single Met player who has improved under Jerry’s tutelage?
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Finally, this year has provided what I feel a better manager would have taken as an opportunity to teach and mentor young players and to re-stress the fundamentals. In other words, to lay a solid foundation for next year. Can anyone argue that Jerry has done this? He has taken the same tired approach, eerily similar to Willie Randolph, seeming to think that if he just keeps saying and doing the same things, everything will turn around.
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Looking ahead, I feel that a change is absolutely essential. A cloud hangs over this team, which is simply beyond Jerry’s ability to disperse. The clearly lackadaisical manner in which the team has played overall the last few weeks also shows that it is just not responding to Jerry. He cannot get them to play hard for the most part, occasional late-inning almost-rallies notwithstanding.
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In short, the latter part of a season which was clearly lost by mid-August has not shown anything whatsoever to recommend Jerry’s return. No consistent team-wide hustle, no great individual performances, no impressive development of youngsters, the mystifying excessive bunting instead of aggressive play, and the continuation of the worst season of baserunning we have seen since the early 60s Mets.
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What to do? Fire Jerry immediately after the season. Just fire him, and all of his coaches. Who have Warthen and HoJo helped? Wright talks about working with HoJo in the offseason—what the hell have they been doing since March? We are almost certainly going to see the return of most of Johan, Pelf, Ollie, Maine, KRod, Feliciano, Parnell, Stokes, Slappy, Murphy, Reyes, Wright, Beltran, and Francoeur, with a hopeful major addition to the starting rotation, and if we are lucky, a powerful new left fielder as well. But overall, Omar and his bunch will be given another season to finally finish what they started in 2006. The only way to significantly change the dynamic is for a new face in the manager’s office to lead the group starting in Florida in February.
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It is not Jerry’s fault entirely that he is a walking reminder of Willie and the failures of the last three years. But he was next to Willie for The Choke of 2007, he could not coax one more win from this group in 2008, and he has done absolutely nothing to improve the Horror Show of 2009 in any way. Â
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Who should be next? I like the idea of Bobby V returning. This would be an inspired and gutsy choice, it would give the Wilpons a publicity boost they surely would crave, and it seems as though he would probably love to return to Queens. Maybe the success in Japan has softened the rough and defensive edges. Bobby V had a decent enough record with the historically woeful Rangers, and is the only man to lead the Mets to two consecutive postseason berths. We did not win the WS, but we made it there for the only time since 86, and we won three playoff series in 1999 and 2000. Bobby V got the most out of his roster. In addition, Bobby V was fired in Japan before he became manager of the Mets, and then went back to the same Japanese team after the Mets fired him—and won a title. Precedents, anyone?
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Buck Showalter would be another fine choice. An experienced guy who has guided teams that improved, but whose alleged personality flaws led him to wear out his welcome. Perhaps he has mellowed with age, and maybe he would be so thrilled to get back to MLB (and in NY no less) that he might show the willingness to change. In addition, a firm hand at the helm could be exactly what this team needs. I seriously doubt that Showalter would be bunting in the first inning of a meaningless game, or watching Pagan run into comical outs again and again.Â
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I liked Tim Teufel as a player very much, and while I would like to think of him as a potential Scioscia or Gardenhire, Timmy T’s minor league record is rather poor. Gardenhire’s was quite good. LaRussa? In a second, but unless he wanted a change of scenery and the chance to win a title in a third city, why would the Cards let him go? Jaramillo? He might really be the next Scioscia/Gardenhire, but after the Willie experience, it is doubtful the Wilpons will hire another rookie manager.
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We are going to see the same GM and largely the same group of players. They should be greeted by Bobby Valentine or Buck Showalter when they limp and waddle into Port St. Lucie next spring. Both of these men would arrive with an extreme hunger to win, and would most likely be thrilled with the group of talent they would have to work with. In addition, this would show the fan base that the team is not content with the three year downward spiral, and is going to make the most potentially significant change it can, as signing and/or trading for multiple stars is very unlikely under current circumstances.
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2007 and 2008 showed how essential one game can be when it comes to earning a postseason berth. The style of play engendered by Jerry simply is not the right fit for this group. There is a cancer of sloppiness infecting this team. It is most certainly not entirely Jerry’s doing or his fault, but his style and manner clearly enable it, and he is standing in the way of excising it and moving forward. Jerry might be a good man, but he is quite clearly not the man to lead these wayward Mets out of the wilderness of mediocrity which they now inhabit. The injuries cannot reasonably excuse the consistently shoddy play any longer.
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The manager makes the decisions and sets the tone. We have seen myriad questionable decisions and a tone which desperately needs changing.
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It’s time for a new sheriff in town – one whose guns aren’t loaded with excuses and devoid of answers.
36 comments
darknova306
9/30/2009-8:09am at 8:09 am (UTC -4)
Man, you could write a book on why Jerry should go. Great post, Kingman. I won’t be happy until Jerry the Joker is gone. Pleeeeaaaase let it be Sunday night after the game. This needs to happen soon and swiftly so the replacement has as much time as necessary to assess the coaching staff and get his new organization in place and settled, and so he can get a plan together for Spring Training and the 2010 season. It’s gonna be a tough year as is with the rest of our division getting better (especially if those Braves get some offensive help… with that up and coming pitching staff, yikes), so if we come out of the gate with no cohesion or solid plan, we’re gonna have a real rough time.
Alas, this is the Mets, so I don’t expect anything more than the status quo with injuries being the excuse to keep everyone around.
trs86
9/30/2009-8:22am at 8:22 am (UTC -4)
Whew, I am tired now. LOL. You know I just got to mess with you a little.
I would not be up in arms if Bobby V or Buck came in but they are not my first choice. I would much rather find the next Bobby V than to try and relive something from the past.
I do however, as I was going to make a post about this, love the idea of Rudy. Especially if Omar is going to return next year. It would still help to have someone he could work with. Not to mention he may be able to actually teach our hitters how to hit. After him I would look at a guy like Tim Bogar. Of course my first choice was Joey Cora but he has signed an extension and appears to be Ozzie’s successor in Chicago.
Any way, it is clear that Jerry will not make it all of 2010 without a miracle. Thus why wait?
prismo
9/30/2009-8:35am at 8:35 am (UTC -4)
Come back Bobby! I know I’ve been drinking the Kool Aid, but I salivate thinking of the manager Bobby V was while on the Mets…plus the knowledge he gained while coaching in Japan. He’s had first hand experience with all new types of training and coaching procedures over there, and I bet he’s learned some things that could help out an MLB team.
trs86
9/30/2009-8:40am at 8:40 am (UTC -4)
I am sure he did. Hopefully we will be playing against him when he is managing the 100 year old Astro’s. LOL.
metsfan4decades
9/30/2009-8:41am at 8:41 am (UTC -4)
I’ve been reading Met blogs across the board this week and I haven’t found one poster on any blog defending Jerry, saying he should be back in 2010. We can’t all be wrong, can we?
I’d really like to see Omar go, but it’s probably not happening. Look at the way he fired Willie. It was clear he really didn’t want to. It’s like he made that fated west coast trip hoping for some miracle to get out of it. They way that all went down, to me it was like he was backed into a corner, with no time left, and had no choice.
This year, I’m thinking even Omar can’t be that dumb. He has to realize his job is on the line. He has to know that Jerry does not remotely give this team the best shot at winning in 2010. If he wants to keep his job, wouldn’t it be prudent for him to do everything he can to see a big turn around in 2010?
I’m not sure who I’d like to see as Met manager come next year. My feeling is rather than try and relive the past with former Met managers, or hire managers in spite of personality flaws, they go with someone whose experience and personality is felt to be the best fit coming out of the gate. We’ll have enough question marks coming into ST with the team.
trs86
9/30/2009-8:48am at 8:48 am (UTC -4)
I completely agree 4D. Why ruin what was a great legacy for Bobby V. He did enough damage on his own here in his last season.
I would really like to get the next Bobby V. I think Rudy is that guy.
prismo
9/30/2009-9:45am at 9:45 am (UTC -4)
What damage? You’re the only one who seems to remember that. He wasn’t exactly given a great team to work with either.
trs86
9/30/2009-9:51am at 9:51 am (UTC -4)
I know I seem to be. We do that though don’t we? We always forget the negative. You really don’t remember his last few months? Seriously? How the team quit on him? No he did not have a lot of talent, but they quit on him for one reason or another.
saltygary
9/30/2009-8:43am at 8:43 am (UTC -4)
Holy Wall-O-Text… Good point on him being fired by the same team that brought him back.
I need to get one of those Japanese “Bobby V 2010″ Shirts.
trs86
9/30/2009-9:09am at 9:09 am (UTC -4)
Why does it seem to be a prerequisite that MC come off as arrogant?
Today: After learning the Mets have been looking at what needs to be done and who has to stay or go.
“umm, are you sure six weeks is enough time, guys…
…here, let me take a crack at it: everyone on your team got hurt, your GM struggles with foresight, you have one reliable starting pitcher, and your players are soft…”
I vote MC for GM, he’s got it all solved.
metsfan4decades
9/30/2009-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
I read that this morning. Just shaking my head….
trs86
9/30/2009-9:19am at 9:19 am (UTC -4)
And now this:
“i believe hudson fits in better with what the Mets should be trying to do, in terms of his specific talent and type of leadership”
Hmm, so the guy that got benched for Ronnie Belliard that could not even find a multiyear deal and has shown even more signs of aging than Castillo is the answer to our problems. So we should take a hit and trade Castillo and then bring in Hudson and pay him MORE than Castillo made this year or more than he will make next year. Nice.
I take back the MC for GM. Of course I would say these things on MCBlog but I still can’t comment.
trs86
9/30/2009-9:21am at 9:21 am (UTC -4)
Hmm, I wonder if we could sum up what is wrong with Metsblog? Yes they are much larger and more successful than us and we don’t really know how to run a major blog like that. But that did not stop him in dumbing down the Mets problems.
wannybackstra
9/30/2009-10:20am at 10:20 am (UTC -4)
Great great post, Kingman.
If this blog had unlimited server space we could go on forever talking about Jerry’s mismanagement of games and people, from the Matt Diaz incident to the Murphy/Church circuses and jerk arounds to the various contradictions of his actions to his own words.
He’s a buffoon.
prismo
9/30/2009-10:26am at 10:26 am (UTC -4)
Wow guys, look at this article from 2002. You could replace most of that with stuff from this season!
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2002/10/01/valentine021001.html
Replacements are in (parenthesis):
“The New York Mets had a payroll this season of more than $100 ($140) million US, but finished with a 75-86 (68-93) record. That dismal performance cost manager Bobby Valentine (Jerry Manuel) his job Tuesday.
The Mets finished (second to) last in the National League East, 26 1/2 games behind the first-place Braves (Phillies), despite numerous high-priced additions to the team, including Roberto Alomar, Mo Vaughn and Jeremy Burnitz (KRod and Putz).
‘For me, this is a painful decision following a very painful season,’ said owner Fred (Jeff?) Wilpon in a statement.
‘I understand there will be questions about why I changed my mind after I previously stated that Bobby (Jerry) would be the manager for 2003 (2010). The performance of the team, especially in the last two months of the season, was extremely disappointing and I concluded that a change was necessary.’
Wilpon said the team would begin the search for a new manager immediately.”
stickguy
9/30/2009-10:53am at 10:53 am (UTC -4)
that’s good stuff right thar. Now just git er done (Fire jerry that is).
CaseStreet
9/30/2009-4:27pm at 4:27 pm (UTC -4)
Didn’t Omar get hired after the following season? So we can expect a new gm after next year
trs86
9/30/2009-5:05pm at 5:05 pm (UTC -4)
I remember the season very well. Lots of high expectations, lots of tanking and a team that gave up on their manager. Seems as though many on here have forgotten it.
wannybackstra
9/30/2009-10:58am at 10:58 am (UTC -4)
Excerpted from today’s Newsday:
Manuel said last weekend that he planned to sit down with Minaya and perhaps the Wilpons on Monday, before leaving for his Sacramento home, to discuss the fate of his coaches. A person familiar with the team’s plans suggested Tuesday that changes will indeed be coming, but did not specify who would be getting the ax.
It also appears that Manuel’s input will be relied on heavily in making those changes, but there will be pressure from the front office, as well. That puts Manuel in a tough spot and he didn’t exactly rally to the coaches’ defense when asked Sunday.
The most likely candidate to be gone is third-base coach Razor Shines – a friend of Manuel and his personal addition to the staff for this season. Not only did Shines do a poor job of handling runners, even Manuel threw him under the bus for his failures with Daniel Murphy’s development in leftfield.
As for pitching coach Dan Warthen – probably next on the list – he was promoted from Triple-A on the same day that Manuel replaced Willie Randolph, so the manager doesn’t quite have the same close attachment to Warthen as he would a longtime friend.
The biggest criticism of Warthen this season has been the staggering number of walks allowed by the staff; its total of 607 is only 12 short of the franchise record. Even so, Warthen had to deal with losing four of his five starters from the Mets’ Opening Day roster to serious injury and juggle a staff patched together with mostly minor-leaguers.
“I just think it’s difficult to evaluate based on what went wrong,” Manuel said.
stickguy
9/30/2009-11:03am at 11:03 am (UTC -4)
just bite the bullet, and when he walks in tuesday, hand him a paper bag with his gansta stuff and show him the door.
why would anyone want his opinion on anything related to the team?
stickguy
9/30/2009-11:01am at 11:01 am (UTC -4)
It has become abundantly clear that Jerry has to go, for many reasons, as you so thoroughly detailed.
And enough has happened since Fred (jeff?) made his proclimation that it is a no brainer to back track from it. Even if Jerry was just being made a fall guy, it is probably a sacrifice to the fan gods that has to be made.
One area I don’t worry so much about is the personality of th ereplacement. You mentioned Jerry’s looser, more affable personality as being a nice change. Well, that is fine to have, and you don’t need to find an arrogant hard ass to replace him.
What you do need is someone with solid strategic skills, and real leadership ability, and that comes with all personality types.
I am also with TRS that finding the next big thing is better then recycling someone with baggage. There are plenty of risks with that approach too. Tim Bogar? Could be worth a shot. Heck, you like ex-mets? I hear that Carter is available!
The other concern is money. If the budget is really tight, would you carve 5mill out of the money available to spend on players and give it to a manager instead?
mrbill
9/30/2009-11:10am at 11:10 am (UTC -4)
Yep, Jerry must go. I did not like him from the beginning… Btw, Bobby V on back page of NY paper… it might mean something.
mrbill
9/30/2009-11:10am at 11:10 am (UTC -4)
Great article Kingman.
CaseStreet
9/30/2009-12:26pm at 12:26 pm (UTC -4)
Great job kingman. There is only one reason why Omar shouldn’t fire jerry, to protect his own butt.
If Omar fires Jerry and the team doesn’t improve, Omar is next on the chopping block.
If Jerry returns he would be next years fall guy and Omar is safe.
trs86
9/30/2009-12:30pm at 12:30 pm (UTC -4)
Omar is not safe regardless Case. This is put up or shut up year for Omar I am 100% convinced. The Wilpons won’t put up with another year of no return.
CaseStreet
9/30/2009-1:29pm at 1:29 pm (UTC -4)
should’ve said wouldn’t.
no way wilpons fire both at the same time
trs86
9/30/2009-1:43pm at 1:43 pm (UTC -4)
Point still remains that 2010 will be Omar’s last year unless we make the playoffs.
CaseStreet
9/30/2009-4:03pm at 4:03 pm (UTC -4)
And my point still remains that Omar would be dumb to fire Jerry now because he’d be more vulnerable.
So unless Omar is dumb he’s not firing Jerry now and we can stop fantasizing about Bobby v, buck or anyone else.
trs86
9/30/2009-5:06pm at 5:06 pm (UTC -4)
I understand that, but wouldn’t Omar want to give the team the BEST chance to win considering if they don’t Omar will lose his job at the end of 2010 with or without Jerry?
wannybackstra
9/30/2009-1:49pm at 1:49 pm (UTC -4)
Omar hasn’t been very good at hiring managers.
He shouldn’t get the opportunity. They both should be shown the door together.
trs86
9/30/2009-1:51pm at 1:51 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, but I still have to wonder, was Willie THAT bad of a manager or did 2007 happen and after that the players and Willie could no longer function?
stickguy
9/30/2009-2:28pm at 2:28 pm (UTC -4)
good point. They did have some pitching staff problems though. So even if the had managed to win those couple last games to make the playoffs, quite possible they would not have made it too far (look at what the rockies did to the Phils).
So, no epic collapse, and Willie probably gets credit for dragging the team past their issues and into the post season.
Who knows what happens in 2008 (team composition), but most likely Willie is here until the end.
sometimes the baggage weighs too heavily, and a change is needed, even if it isn’t really “fair”. A large part of the reason that Jerry needs to go, even if it is partially scapegoating.
trs86
9/30/2009-2:49pm at 2:49 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed, it was time for Willie to go more based on the fact that the team could not get passed what had happen more so than what Willie had done. After next year if the team still can’t get passed what happened then Omar has to go.
dirtysanchez
9/30/2009-1:59pm at 1:59 pm (UTC -4)
great piece king…i obviously do not disagree with your POV on this one lol
trs86
9/30/2009-9:31am at 9:31 am (UTC -4)
I am telling you this, not to brag, but if MC increased his ads a little and paid our staff to write the articles his blog would explode. The quality of writing there is just so bad.
But what gets me is the arrogance. I just can’t understand it.
trs86
9/30/2009-9:49am at 9:49 am (UTC -4)
LOL, thanks for the last one.
But I do think that what we have done here, Dirty and I, by letting go control of what is posted has allowed this site to much more represent the ideas of true fans. Not just one talking head.