A Boring Hire

It is snowing this morning in Seattle. What a better way to warm up than to talk a little baseball, namely the Mets naming a new manager.

Up to now I have stayed out of it, not wanting to speculate on what might happen, or better yet, what should happen. We all knew that Wally Backman was going to be the fan favorite, but the question seemed whether he fit into what new GM Sandy Alderson was looking for. I am going to re-read Moneyball in the near future so I can get more insight into Alderson's philosophy, but my understanding is that he believes that an organization should be run by the GM and that the manager should be no more than a face in the dugout. Because of this I never really felt that Wally had a chance. Also going against Backman was the fact that he was the fan favorite - as I said when Alderson was hired, he is a man with a plan. We may not like it. It may not get better in the short term, but he believes he can turn the team around. Fans wanted Backman because he would provide us with some excitement even when our team stunk, but I ask what happens when that wears off? If we are hiring him to cuss and kick dirt around and the team continues not to win, then how are we better off as an organization?

So yeah, I'm ok with Wally not being hired. The fact is that he has had some less than stellar moments in his past and has never managed above AA. Normally you take a chance with a young manager when you're team is rebuilding and save the big name, big money guys for when you are winning. I don't think the Mets are in that position right now because they will never be in full rebuilding mode. The cyclical Marlins' fire sale just wouldn't work in Queens. We needed someone with major league experience who can help restore pride to the franchise.

Bob Melvin may not have been a sexy choice, but I would have felt a lot better about him than I did their actual choice: Terry Collins. Collins is not an unknown, but even the most hardcore of baseball fans could not have seen this coming as it has been 11 years since he managed in the Majors. Again, I am not in the predicting business, so it is entirely possible that it might work, but we are entrusting our franchise in a GM and a manager both who have not been in their current roles for more than a decade. I know I said I was going to believe in Alderson until he proves me wrong, but this is stretching it a little.

So why Collins? Reports are that he had 'more fire' in him than Melvin, that he is familiar with the organization (minor league coordinator in 2009) and that he shares Alderson's vision. That is all well and fine, but there is a reason why he hasn't managed since 1999. I don't know what that is, but the fact that no one gave him another chance despite his >.500 win percentage sends up some red flags. Of all the candidates he was secretly the one I was rooting against. I don't know why, but to me he feels like a boring hire. Luckily be boring has nothing to do with being successful. As Matt Cerrone has been reminding us at metsblog.com, Terry Francona and Joe Torre were also considered terrible hires at the time. It's way to early to say whether Collins will have even 1/4 the success of those two, but at least their is some precedence.

So let's take an in-depth look at his managing career. From 1994-1996 he managed the Houston Astros and came in second in the NL Central every year. In looking purely at the rosters, he may have overachieved slightly in his first two years -Bagwell and Biggio were studs, but their pitching staff - Reynolds, Drabek, Hampton, Kile -was certainly underwhelming. In 1996 though, the Astros were in first at late as Sept 1 and ended up finishing 8-15 in their final 23 games. The next year, the team hired their announcer and finished 1st in the division. Collins then went west to Anaheim and led the Angels to 2nd place finishes in both 1997 and 1998 before resigning after a 51-82 record in 1999.

So in 6 years as a major league manager, Collins led his team to 2nd place finishes 5 times. So why hasn't this guy got another major league job? He is clearly seems to be competent. Well, I think I may have found a possible reason. In 1999, the Angels' players petitioned the GM to fire him. His own players disliked him so much that they went to the GM to get rid of him. This may happen in other lines of work, but in the world of baseball and sports in general, this is just not done. Teams like to deal with problems internally. If you have a problem with a decision, you take it up with your teammate/coach in the dugout or behind closed doors. You don't go to the media. And you certainly don't go above someone's head. This is purely speculation, but I wonder if this stuck to Collins like the word 'steroids' sticks to certain players.

Whatever the reason, I want this to be my last time saying anything negative about Collins or Alderson until the season starts. I said I would put my trust in Sandy and that is what I need to do. So with that, welcome to New York, Terry Collins. I hope you are here for awhile.

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In an unrelated note, the wife and I taught my daughter to booo the Yankees. I have never been prouder.