Buzz: Heyman says Bob Melvin is On Deck
Jon Heyman of SI.com still believes that if the Mets eventually fire Jerry Manuel, he will replace him with Bob Melvin – who was hired by the team to be a scout last winter.
Earlier this week, in his regularly-scheduled, weekly interview on WFAN, Steve Phillips said no team is likely to hire from outside when replacing a manager during the season because they’re obligated to go through an extensive interview process, or else be fined, and there is not normally enough time for such research – and so the Mets are far, far more likely to hire from within, such as Melvin or Wally Backman, both of whom were hired in the off season.
…i don’t know much about melvin, but i’m going to start asking around…
…that said, if the Mets decide to let manuel go, only wally or Bobby Valentine will fire up the fanbase enough to create immediate ticket sales and an exciting buzz… the problem is, none of the three are miracle workers, and until Jose Reyes and Jason Bay start hitting, and until Carlos Beltran is back, and until the starting rotation gets in order, no manager is going to magically get this team to be more consistent and successful…
Heyman says Manuel wanted to bring back Rick Down to be the team’s hitting coach, in place of Howard Johnson, because Jose Reyes did so well under Down from 2005 to 2007, ‘but the request was rejected by higher ups.’
…see, now, this is not good… i’m not saying down makes reyes hit… but, if the Mets believed jerry was their man, if they truly believed he was the best person for the job, then he should have been allowed to pick his coaches… and, if the team didn’t think he was the best person for the job, and someone whose opinion can’t be trusted to pick a coaching staff, then he should never have been brought back for this season…
Speaking of coaches, Dave Singer of NY Sports Dog explains why third-base coach Chip Hale would make for a good interim-manager, in the event Manuel is let go.
…it’s also worth noting that hale was one of mevin’s coaches in Arizona back in 2006…
Lastly, Heyman writes, “There’s no real evidence yet that Mets GM Omar Minaya is under the same sort of scrutiny from above,” because Fred Wilpon still likes Minaya, his under contract through 2012, and replacing a GM mid-season is a ‘much bigger undertaking.’
To read more about the Mets, as well as the latest on free-agent-to-be Jayson Werth and Willie Randolph’s possible future in Oakland, among other things, check out Heyman’s report here.
