Mets hire Mendoza

[Edgy MD]

I wouldn't make too much of those Berra/Green/Stengel/etc. parallels, but Mendoza is more analogous to Willie Randolph, in that he previously had a tenure with the Yankees as a base coach and a bench coach, but not as a big-league manager.

Unike Randolph, though, he has had a meaningful amount of minor-league managerial experience.

[TransMonk]

Counsell to the Cubs.

That's pretty funny. I'm sure Brewers Twitter is having a meltdown.

[Edgy MD]

Cubs fans are unique in that, instead of having a singular and all-consuming arch rivalry, they actually viscerally hate three teams, don't they?

[metirish]

Cubs fans are unique in that, instead of having a singular and all-consuming arch rivalry, they actually viscerally hate three teams, don't they?

White Sox
Cardinals

And Brewers or Pittsburgh?

[nymr83]

Yankee coach for last several years, been getting manager interviews for last two years.

I'm personally glad we didn;t hire Counsell who's such a wisconnsin guy he'd only be here for the $$

Personally I think we'd be just as well off with Buck.

Seriously, I would have stuck with Buck

Yup.

[nymr83]

Cubs fans are unique in that, instead of having a singular and all-consuming arch rivalry, they actually viscerally hate three teams, don't they?

Why is that unique? I hate the Braves, Phillies, and Nationals. I'm sure older Mets fans hate the Cardinals too

[Edgy MD]

I don't know. It just seems the Cubs fans have some deliriously nasty things to express about the Cards and Brewers, even if the day's opponents are the Angels or Rockies or something.

[Frayed Knot]

$8mil/yr x 5 years for Counsell
No other Mgr is the game is making as much as $5/per

[MFS62]

$8mil/yr x 5 years for Counsell
No other Mgr is the game is making as much as $5/per

He must have walked across Lake Michigan to sign his contract.

The Cubs fans really hate the Cardinals, but tend to ignore the animus the White Sox fans have for them. They look down on them. (from a long time friend who loves his Chisox as much as we love the Mets)

Later

[nymr83]

I don't know. It just seems the Cubs fans have some deliriously nasty things to express about the Cards and Brewers, even if the day's opponents are the Angels or Rockies or something.

I distinctly remember leaving the Todd Pratt homerun game down the giant old ramps at Shea, the crowd was chanting "Yankees Suck" - that's not a unique feature of the Cubs either

[Edgy MD]

Sure, I just mean to suggest that they seem to have more such targets. I could be wrong.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

The Cubs' statement doesn't make a lot of sense. If all this is true .... then why did they fire him? I know they have to say nice things. But usually you throw a line in there with "we needed to go in a different direction.." or something.

Here is the full statement from Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer:

“Today we made the difficult decision to dismiss David Ross as our Major League manager. On behalf of the Cubs organization, we express our deep gratitude for David’s contributions to our club, both on and off the field. First as a player and then as a manager, David continually showcased his ability to lead. David’s legacy will be felt in Chicago for generations and his impact to our organization will stack up with the legends that came before him.”

[metirish]

A contradictory column from Jon

[metirish]

From The Athletic

With a background in player development over several years with the Yankees, Mendoza carries a strong reputation in the industry for being detail-oriented with an advanced ability to make decisions using evidence. He’s also expected to add a veteran presence to the dugout as his bench coach, according to a source. As of Monday night, the holdovers from Showalter’s coaching staff were unsure of their status.

Curious to see makeup of his staff

[Fman99]

Oh good a manager with no MLB managing experience. That won't be a massive clusterfuck like the last two guys were

[MFS62]

an advanced ability to make decisions using evidence.

WTF does that mean?
Are we filming an episode of Law and Order?

Later

[dgwphotography]

Sounds like he lit up the room...

All kidding aside, I'm curious to see what this offseason brings before I pass any kind of judgement.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I'm wondering now if they don't go looking for takers on Alonso and just go scorched earth on the rebuild.

They need an awful lot of talent, and an awful lot to go right, just to compete next year.

[Lefty Specialist]

I'm wondering now if they don't go looking for takers on Alonso and just go scorched earth on the rebuild.

They need an awful lot of talent, and an awful lot to go right, just to compete next year.

Their 'scorched earth' was the trade deadline deals last year. I don't think there's an appetite for more of that with a new PBO and manager. I think they'll add (they certainly have to do something about the rotation at least).

[roger_that]

Has any franchise in history relied as heavily on one team to supply their managers as the Mets have relied on the Yankees?


Jerry Blevins is excited:

[Edgy MD]

I don't care about the Yankees. Nor do I think the Mets "relied" on the Yankees in any meaningful way when they hired Buck Showalter, for instance.

More interesting to me is that he's the fifth managerial hire since Terry Collins retired at the end of 2017, four of which have been first-timers.

[ashie62]

Mendoza will do what the numbers guys tell him to do

Has watched Boone do it daily and knows the drill

I saw something in Sports Illustrated speculating about Mets interest in 3B Matt Chapman

Writer didn't really have a source (his own mind I guess) but I can see where Baty and maybe to a lesser extent Vientos may not have much of a future here.

Time will tell

[roger_that]

I don't care about the Yankees. Nor do I think the Mets "relied" on the Yankees in any meaningful way when they hired Buck Showalter, for instance.

It's a factual question, and not particularly concerned with how much you care or don't care about it.

I find it very odd, damned peculiar in fact, that the Mets have hired so many former Yankees managers, coaches, players to manage their team over the decades, especially considering the animosity that has consistently existed between the teams' fans. It's almost an admission of the Mets' inferiority to the Yankees, a confession that they would, to paraphrase Willie Randolph, like to export the Yankees' winning ways to their sad losing franchise. Just as a matter of policy, I'd rather they had far fewer ex-Yankees managing the Mets rather than far more than you might expect.

Have the Yankees ever hired a former Mets' manager, coach, or player to manage their team? Probably once or twice, which would merely be what the odds would dictate, given the number of major league teams. I'd prefer a policy that promotes former Mets, and former ex-other MLB teams, before hiring so extensively managers with a Yankee pedigree. Maybe that's just me.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

I don't care about the Yankees. Nor do I think the Mets "relied" on the Yankees in any meaningful way when they hired Buck Showalter, for instance.

It's a factual question, and not particularly concerned with how much you care or don't care about it.

I find it very odd, damned peculiar in fact, that the Mets have hired so many former Yankees managers, coaches, players to manage their team over the decades, especially considering the animosity that has consistently existed between the teams' fans. It's almost an admission of the Mets' inferiority to the Yankees, a confession that they would, to paraphrase Willie Randolph, like to export the Yankees' winning ways to their sad losing franchise. Just as a matter of policy, I'd rather they had far fewer ex-Yankees managing the Mets rather than far more than you might expect.

Have the Yankees ever hired a former Mets' manager, coach, or player to manage their team? Probably once or twice, which would merely be what the odds would dictate, given the number of major league teams. I'd prefer a policy that promotes former Mets, and former ex-other MLB teams, before hiring so extensively managers with a Yankee pedigree. Maybe that's just me.

Joe Torre. Started his managerial career with the Mets, then lowered his standards.

[MFS62]

It's almost an admission of the Mets' inferiority to the Yankees, a confession that they would, to paraphrase Willie Randolph, like to export the Yankees' winning ways to their sad losing franchise. .... Maybe that's just me.

Not just you. I feel the same way.
And it isn't as though they were the fine example of a winning organization the past few years when he was there. Wining tradition is one thing. But I'd prefer someone from a major league team that actually, you know, has won while he was sitting on the bench.

Later