Note: The Mets Trust Minaya and Manuel, For Now
Basically, from what I can gather, Ownership will continue to trust Omar Minaya, Jerry Manuel and their coaching staff to direct the team over at least the next few weeks.
In talk to people close to the team and from around the league, and from reading reports and talking to other media in New York, I am repeatedly hearing these talking points:
- The Wilpons are particularly loyal to Minaya, who is essentially tied to Manuel’s success.
- The worst has got to be behind the Mets, who are not going to keep losing 13 of every 17 games they play.
- They hit well with Howard Johnson as the team’s hitting coach earlier this season, so they’ll be able to hit with him again.
- The Mets and Phillies had their big slump, the Braves will eventually have one too.
- The National League Wild Card is still up for grabs.
- There is still 30 percent of the season left to play.
- This group of players and coaches won in June, they can win together again.
- If the Mets end up making the playoffs, it will because of Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Johan Santana, Mike Pelfrey, etc., not because of a new manager or a big acquisition at the deadline.
- The Mets do not believe in ‘change for the sake of change.’
The one talking point I agree with is that Beltran, Bay, Pelfrey, Santana, and so on, and how they perform, are FAR more important to this team’s success than any coach, manager or acquisition.
The thing is, like I asked last week, can the players stay focused, can they get it right, quickly enough, before too much doubt creeps in, people panic, and the losing begins to snowball?
This is why I hope Minaya at least makes an acquisition or two to bolster the pitching staff and stabilize the roster in some way, shape or form. This way, everyone – from the players to the manager – will know their role.
This consistent roster and mindset can pave the way, hopefully, for consistent play… and if it doesn’t, well, then heads should roll.
