The Callaway Era: Over or Just Beginning?

Happy Sunday everyone!

Today, Lets talk about Managers, but one in Particular....Mickey Callaway.

In 2018, The New York Mets hired Indians Pitching Coach, Mickey Callaway to be the New Manager of the team and the Successor to Terry Collins who stepped down after the 2017 season.

With a glowing reference from his former Manager in Cleveland, Terry (Tito) Francona, It was foolish to deny Callaway of a Managerial Job, especially coming from a Great manager.  So, Here's Mickey Callaway, A Great Pitching Coach who was getting his First shot as a Major League Manager, but in the National League which is a lot different than what he was accustomed to in the American League where he spent his entire Career in the Majors.

He inherited what was a very talented pitching staff with Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz and Matt Harvey. At the time though, Matt Harvey was coming off his first season after having Thoracic Outlet Surgery. The Mets signed Jason Vargas as a backup in case Harvey or any pitcher got hurt or anything relating to that.

With Callaway as Manager, he can't act as a pitching coach too, so the Mets hired a Terrific name in Dave Eiland, a 2 Time World Series Champion Coach, once with the Yankees in 2009 and the other with Royals in 2015. The Two would be considered the Best Manager/Pitching Coach duo in the League at the beginning of the year.

Fast Forward past April till about May where Callaway made rookie mistake, a foolish one, but a mistake nonetheless in the form of Batting out of Order in the First Inning against the Cincinnati Reds. That's where fans were showing red flags towards Callaway.

Fans were clamoring that After that, Callaway wasn't Managerial Material, especially only a month into his Managerial Career. Here's the thing, Though it is extremely uncommon to bat out of order, it happens at times. For instance: Brewers manager Craig Counsell batted out of Order in his 2nd year of being a Manager in 2016 against the Washington Nationals in the First Inning.

In June of 2018, Callaway's Mets went through an Offensive Drought, going 5-21. Fans were demanding for Callaway's Job, but their wishes weren't coming true. 

Fast Forward to the 2nd Half of the season after the All-Star Break, The Mets had one of, if not the Best 2nd halves in all of Baseball under Callaway, Going 33-25 Under him for that 2nd Half. Was it enough to get the team into the post season? No, but it showed what the team had and that was fight, instead of sitting down and waiting for the game to end. 

This season though with a New General Manager in Brodie Van Wagenen and some new Coaching Changes in the form of Hitting Coach Chili Davis, Bullpen Coach Chuck Hernandez and others, This team on Paper looked to be a contender and not a pretender.  So far, The Mets are 20-24 and 4 games under .500. 

2 Months into the Season and fans want Callaway gone. This isn't anything short of surprising. The Mets just Lost a series to the Lowly Miami Marlins with a 2-0 defeat Saturday night and are looking to avoid the sweep Sunday. Fans are demanding that a Manager come in and ignite a spark to the team in the form of Former Met player and AAA Manager Wally Backman.

Backman, who is currently the Manager for the Atlantic League Long Island Ducks (Who have no affiliation to the Major Leagues or Minor Leagues) is a favorite to fans all because of a few videos of him throwing Temper Tantrums and his play as a Player. Backman is assumed to have been gotten black balled from the Major and Minor Leagues for bashing Former Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson in Public, but also Lying in a Managerial interview with the Arizona Diamondbacks while conveniently forgetting to include a Domestic Violence incident that he was involved in with his wife.

This is a man who Mets fans want as Manager. When The Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Anaheim Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins were looking for Managerial Candidates, none of them looked to Backman as a candidate. He couldn't last 42 games in the Mexican League as a Manager, survived the remainder of that season as a bench coach for another team, Next season (2018) He was Manager of the New Britain Bees, Wasn't retained after the Season and is now the Manager for the Long Island Ducks. Backman isn't destined for a Major League or even Minor League Managerial role!

Joe Girardi is a name that has surfaced as well from fans. Girardi had success as the Yankees Skipper from 2008-2017. He won a World Series with the Bronx Bombers in 2009 but didn't reach a World Series since, however he would make the playoffs 7 times out of the 11 years he was manager. A Successful manager yes!  However, It is known that the Only Job that Girardi has his heart set is the Managerial Job for the Chicago Cubs.

There is an Issue with Girardi that teams nowadays don't want. Girardi is a Manager that can't be controlled, which is what Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman wants and what he got when he replaced Girardi with The Soft Speaking, Controllable, Yes Man Aaron Boone.

Teams nowadays are highly invested in Analytics and The Managers role has diminished. Managers like Billy Martin, Joe Girardi, Buck Showalter, Terry Collins, John Farrell are all "My way or the High Way Managers". Those kinds of Managers are no longer wanted in today's game Managers like Mickey Callaway, Aaron Boone, Brandon Hyde, Brad Ausmus, Craig Counsell, Joe Maddon are all "Yes Men" and are very Controllable by the General Manager and Analytics department!

As much as I hate the way the game is nowadays, it's what it is and there's nothing to do to change it. 

If Callaway is given the Pink Slip, What good will that do exactly? Appease the fans and Radio talk show hosts? The Mets are inconsistent when it comes to hitting and starting pitching. Bullpen and Defense have been the only somewhat bright spots of the season. Whomever the Interim Manager is, If Callaway is given the Hook, will most likely be staying the course, doing what was asked of Callaway. There really isn't a difference anymore with Today's Analytical standards. Also, The Interim Manager will be someone from within the Organization, The Mets wouldn't look outside for Managerial help until at least the Off-season or whenever their season officially ends by MLB Standards and not by Fan Standards. 

In Conclusion, This season isn't going as expected at all. What with players being inconsistent, Defense, Offense and Starting Pitching being as Inconsistent as it is. This can't all be put on Callaway, but knowing how These situations work, the Manager is usually the first one to get the Heave Ho from the Team in hopes of creating some sort of spark to put everyone on notice. Do I agree with it?  No, But Again, I don't think Callaway is to blame at all.

That's all for today everyone!

Happy Sunday and Until the Next Article my Friends,

LETS GO METS!!!