New York Mets: 3 Possible Replacements for Mickey Callaway
The time has come. Mickey Callaway has overstayed his welcome in Flushing. The New York Mets should be firing Callaway as manager within the next couple days.
In their last two series, the New York Mets have struggled immensely. If it was the inconsistency of the bullpen, the lack of offensive production, or a combination of everything in between, the team is underperforming and not getting it done.
They lost two out of three against the struggling Washington Nationals and then went on to get swept by the Miami Marlins, getting shut out twice.
Mickey Callaway and the Mets were supposed to use those series as turning points in their season. They were supposed to be easy wins that devastatingly turned out to be losses, falling below .500.
This was supposed to be a successful season for General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen and the New York Mets. Hope is dwindling away as the Mets are only 21-25 and stuck in third place in the National League East.
Yes, Robinson Cano has been a complete disappointment. His batting average is at a career-time low, and he has displayed little power, only having three home runs three weeks into May. Their ace Jacob deGrom has an ERA of 3.98. He has been disappointing this season, but Callaway has been a consistent cause to most of the Mets’ issues this season.
Here are three possible candidates to replace Mickey Callaway if the Mets were to relieve him of his duties.
NYM Bench Coach Jim Riggleman
Jim Riggleman knows this team, as he is the team’s bench coach. The 66-year old has plenty of coaching and managing experience. He has been coaching in the majors since 1989 and has managed during 13 during seasons.
Riggleman was the interim manager for the Cincinnati Reds last season, going 64-80 in his 144-game tenure in 2018. More importantly, he is most familiar with this team’s roster.
This is the most practical solution. The in-house hire during the middle of the season is the safest move and makes the most sense. It is rare to bring in and outside hire during the season. He already has formed relationships with players, which takes months to create and develop. The last time the New York fired a manager mid-season was in 2008. Willie Randolph was released and replaced by Jerry Manuel, who was the team’s bench coach at the time. Eleven years later, this seems like a familiar situation. Be prepared to see the Wilpons handle it the same way they did in 2008.
Going off of what they done in the past, Riggleman will be Callaway’s replacements if he is fired soon. They will name Riggleman interim manager and then look for a new manager in the offseason.
Robin Ventura
Robin Ventura is a less likely hire than Jim Riggleman but could be a possibility because of his links to the organization. Ventura plated third base for the New York Mets during memorable times in Flushing, 1999 to 2001. He has been connected to the organization after his tenure as a player concluded. He was present at the closing of Shea Stadium in 2008 with former teammates Mike Piazza and John Franco.
He managed 810 games for the Chicago White Sox from 2012 to 2016, having a winning percentage of .463. He had four straight losing seasons preceding his resignation in 2016.
Even though he was not very successful for the White Sox, he is an experienced candidate who was admired by players like Jose Abreu.
Ventura is the less likely option because it is mid-season. There could be a strong possibility that he is hired in the offseason. However, Ventura lacked interest in the Mets’ opening in the manager position in 2018, prior to the hiring of Mickey Callaway.
Ventura’s lack of interest in 2018 may continue into next offseason, making him less likely of a candidate. If he changes his mind, he makes sense because of his experience and his connections with the organization.
John Gibbons
Again, Riggleman makes the most sense to become interim manager, but John Gibbons could be an option if they were to hire an outside manager during the season.
John Gibbons does have ties to the New York Mets organization. He was drafted by the Mets in with the 24thoverall pick of the 1980 amateur draft. His tenure as a player with the Mets was rather short, only 18 games. He served as the Mets’ bullpen catcher during the 1986 postseason, the last year the Mets won the World Series. The Mets were the organization that gave Gibbons his first coaching opportunity. He became a minor league catching instructor in 1990. He coached in their minor league system until 2001, when the Toronto Blue Jays hired him.
Later, he managed the Blue Jays from 2004 to 2008 and 2013 to 2018. His second stint was more successful, making it to the American League Championship Series in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016. He got to see a team grow in Toronto and he was the main individual that fostered it.
Gibbons has plenty of experience, and like Ventura, will be a candidate this offseason. The Mets are most likely going to stick with the easy move and hire their bench coach Jim Riggleman.