The Mets' Managerial Merry Go-Round

I believe that one underlying factor has succeeded in keeping Willie Randolph in the Mets' managerial office: there is no logical, ready-made candidate who is primed to step in and take the job. If there were, Randolph would have been fired by now, rather than allowed to twist in the gale-force winds swirling around Shea Stadium.

As many times as I've heard Mets fans and members of the media say that Randolph deserves to be fired, I have yet to hear any of those same observers deliver a clear and concise answer as to who should be the next Mets' skipper. The Mets' front office seems to be facing the same dilemma. Let's consider each of the candidates, all of whom carry considerable "buyer beware" tags of one kind or another.

Jerry Manuel: Good organizations usually look within in making mid-season changes. Of all of the Mets' coaches, Manuel is the only one with major league managing experience. But that came in a non-descript tenure with the White Sox, where Manuel developed a reputation for being too king and laid back with his players. And that is exactly the kind of manager the Mets don't need as they try to lift themselves out of a malaise filled with bad baserunning, uninspiring effort, and a lack of clubhouse leadership.

Howard Johnson: HoJo is the only other coach the Mets will consider. (Sandy Alomar, Sr. and Tom Nieto are not candidates, nor is pitching guru Rick Peterson, given the sorry history of pitching coaches trying to make the transition to managing). HoJo's youth and name value will help him in some circles, but he's had a checkered career as a minor league coach (including a suspension at Double-A Binghamton) and was never regarded as a thinking man's ballplayer during his days with the Tigers and Mets. Perhaps Johnson will fool me, but I'd proceed with caution before giving him the managerial reigns.

Davey Johnson: He would be a popular choice among Mets fans, based largely on his connection to the Mets of 1986 and '88. He is smart, knows how to use his 25-man roster, and would bring some credibility to the dugout. But I think he is a pipe dream at this point. He hasn't worked for the Mets in years; it's hard to believe that he has many, if any, connections remaining within the organization. He also lacks the fire and discipline that the Mets need right now. Let's not forget the state of the Mets' clubhouse when he was let go as manager. It was bad--worse than the clubhouse problems the Mets are currently facing in 2008.

Bobby Valentine: Although he has a brilliant mind and the experience of managing in so many pennant races, his candidacy might be another pipe dream. He's under contract as a manager in the Japanese Leagues, where he seems quite content. The Mets need someone now, not someone who might be available this winter. I'd be shocked if the Mets were willing or able to bring back Bobby V. at this stage.

Lee Mazzilli: Maz is smarter than most people think; perhaps they don't give him enough respect because of his thick New York accent. Whatever the case, Mazzilli knows the rulebook better than most managers and has had the advantage of watching every Mets game from his perch in the SNY studios. On the down side, Maz earned only lukewarm reviews for his first managerial tenure in Baltimore. If the Mets hire him now, he will come into the job as a failed manager, something that the media will remind us of time and time again.  

Ken Oberkfell: Currently the manager of the Mets' Triple-A franchise at New Orleans, Oberkfell has quietly worked his way up the organizational ladder. He's forged a minor league record well above .500, culminating in his selection as Baseball America's minor league manager of the year in 2005. He's a diligent, hard worker, but might lack the fire-and-brimstone the Mets would prefer from their next manager. Then there's his connection to the Cardinals, which really shouldn't matter, but will definitely be brought up if he replaces Randolph.

Wally Backman: This would be the most interesting--and the most daring--selection for the Mets. Smart and tough, Backman is an excellent motivator who has won at just about every stop in the minor leagues. He also carries nostalgic memories of 1986. But he also brings with him mammoth-sized baggage in the form of a ferocious temper, past legal problems involving spousal abuse, and a reputation for excessively baiting umpires. He could be a powder keg in the Big Apple, one that might light up and explode under the spotlight of the New York media.

So those are the choices--well, at least some of them. Feel free to submit your own. Just be prepared to make a convincing argument to the Mets' front office. They're looking for one.