Top 5 Managers The Mets Should Pursue This Offseason
With manager Luis Rojas gone after back-to-back losing seasons, the Mets have now shifted their focus to bringing in a president of baseball operations.
And once they make this hire, the new president will likely be the one in charge of finding Rojas' replacement.
Regardless of who it might be, the Mets will have their fourth manager in five seasons. So, the hope is, they can finally make the right choice in order to build some continuity.
While the Mets probably won't have a new manager until after the new POBO arrives, here are five candidates who could potentially lead the clubhouse next year.
Carlos Beltran
The Mets had three managers in the last four seasons, and one of them was their former superstar center fielder Carlos Beltran.
Beltran was hired on November 1, 2019 to replace Mickey Callaway, but two months later, he was fired before ever managing a game due to his role in the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal in 2017.
However, A.J. Hinch and Alex Cora received second chances, and Beltran deserves his too. Whether that comes with the Mets or not remains to be seen.
But, Beltran was pegged as a hot candidate and was the runner up for the Yankees' job to Aaron Boone in 2017. Now, it seems like an easy decision for the Mets and Steve Cohen to give Beltran a shot at redemption.
Bruce Bochy
The Mets' last two managers, Mickey Callaway and Luis Rojas, were failed developmental projects with no prior experience leading a dugout at the major league level.
And for that reason, they should strongly consider someone with a proven track record. No other available candidate has a better resume than Bruce Bochy, who won three World Series titles with the San Francisco Giants.
Bochy last managed in 2019 and is set to turn 67-years-old next April, so he isn't exactly someone who comes with a guarantee of longevity.
But that doesn't change the fact that he is a winner. And this is something the Mets have lacked for quite some time.
However, it is unknown if Bochy is up for the task as his legacy has already been solidified.
If he is willing to take on the challenge and stresses of commanding the Mets' clubhouse on a daily basis, Bochy would be a home run hire for New York.
Bob Melvin
Speaking of home run hires, Bob Melvin is a three-time Manager of the Year recipient.
And while he is currently under contract with the Athletics, he could follow Billy Beane to New York if the Mets can poach Beane away from Oakland to be their president of baseball operations.
Since Melvin took over as manager of the A's in 2011, they have produced seven winning seasons and made the postseason six times.
The Mets have only made the playoffs twice in the last 15 seasons. Melvin is highly respected around the game and depending on what it takes for the Mets to acquire him, he'd be a solid choice to take over at the helm.
Buck Showalter
Another name that comes along with significant experience is Buck Showalter. The 65-year-old has not managed since 2018, but endured a lot of success across 20-years.
He is also a three-time Manager of the Year recipient and has led three different clubs to a total of five playoff appearances.
Showalter currently serves as an analyst for the YES Network and his level of interest to return to a dugout is unknown at the moment.
Regardless, Showalter is a proven manager and It'd be interesting to see him manage a big market team again, after the Yankees prematurely fired him following the 1995 season.
John Gibbons
Last but not least, we have former Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, who spent the lone two seasons of his professional playing career with the Mets.
Gibbons endured two separate stints as the manager of the Blue Jays [2004-08, 2013-18] and led Toronto to back-to-back ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016.
The 59-year-old is an intriguing candidate and one who the Mets should absolutely consider speaking with this winter if he is interested.
Although things didn't end well for him in Toronto, Gibbons is still more than worthy of a shot if the Mets decide to pull the trigger.
Honorable Mentions:
Walt Weiss, Mike Matheny, Eduardo Perez, Ron Washington, Clint Hurdle.
