The Mets have interviewed Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada as part of their ongoing managerial search, reports Andy Martino of SNY (Twitter link). He becomes the fifth known interviewee, joining Matt Quatraro, Buck Showalter, Brad Ausmus and Bob Geren.
Espada, 46, has spent the past four seasons as the Houston bench coach. His first two years were under A.J. Hinch, and he retained that position even after the club moved on to Dusty Baker in the wake of Hinch’s firing for his role the 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Before his time with the Astros, Espada spent four seasons in the Yankees’ organization, the latter three of which came on Joe Girardi’s coaching staff. Espada’s time in the Bronx partially overlapped with that of current Mets’ general manager Billy Eppler, who worked as an AGM with the Yankees from 2012-15.
To date, Espada has no big league managing experience. He’s long been regarded as a viable candidate to land a top position at some point, though. Over the 2018-19 offseason, he reportedly interviewed for managerial positions with the Twins, Angels and Rangers, and he was reported to be a finalist for the Blue Jays’ job that eventually went to Charlie Montoyo. The following winter, he met with the Cubs and Giants — making a strong enough impression with the latter organization that he was once reported to be the front-runner for a position that ultimately went to Gabe Kapler.
Espada has also drawn interest from the other club with a current vacancy in the dugout. Britt Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported earlier this week that he’s expected to sit down with A’s brass as part of their efforts to find a replacement for Bob Melvin.
Of the six known candidates for the Mets’ position, five have now interviewed. The other — Pirates’ bench coach Don Kelly — appears to be out of the running. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported this evening (on Twitter) that Kelly has pulled his name from consideration for personal reasons. Presumably, that means he’ll reprise his role as Derek Shelton’s top lieutenant in Pittsburgh in 2022.
That’s not to say the group of five known to have interviewed are the finalists for the position. Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets that the Mets have an interview with an additional unknown candidate scheduled for tomorrow morning.
Wow, passing up the Mets managerial job to stay on with the Pirates as bench coach.
The Mets must make some kind of impression in their FO interviews.
The Buck stops here!
Mets manager search keeping mlbtr lights on
Mets interviewing who have ties to Yanks, Geren, Ausmus, Espada & Showalter LOL
Ausmus has no ties to the Yanks and who cares?
Once upon a time the Rockies drafted Ausmus from the Yankees with the 54th pick of the 1992 expansion draft. Therefore Ausmus does actually have a tie to the Yankees
You mean like Joe Torre? Or the new Yankee coach Luis Rojas? LOL.
They need former Indians manager Lou Brown at this point
Absolutely, and if Lou has to take some more time off ,Jake Taylor can take over.
Even Roger Dorn declined to interview for the PoBO job…
Just don’t forget Jobu’s chicken.
Showalter is the obvious choice. Even the Mets can’t screw this one up, can they?
Are you willing to put money on that?
Why is Buck the obvious choice ?
Gravitas!
Well if they choose that loser, yes they can mess it up.
Why? I personally think as long as they don’t choose Ausmus they made the right choice. But even Ausmus I won’t judge bc Kapler.. remeber him?
Why are folks acting like it’s unusual to interview multiple candidates and take a couple months to land on a match? It’s not.
Now we know why 45 is flying into NY from Mara Lago tomorrow morning.
Just imagine THAT coaching staff!
He’d spend an hour trying to talk a player into stealing a base in a way that’s against the rules.
And the team would win every series no matter how many games they lost.
The Twitter back-and-forth would be epic.
They’re going to hire Shildt
He could have a show on WFAN.
What will they call it, “When the Shildt hits the FAN”?
I wonder if the Mets will take a long time to decide on a manager…only to have to fire him the next day after they missed something in their “due diligence”.
Wouldn’t be the first time, probably not the last.
Marlins fans trolling about anything to do with managerial hiring and firing is akin to Marlins fans trolling about fan attendance. Any insults are made moot by your own franchise’s recent history…. and will subsequently be replaced by Dan Jennings.
Dan Jennings managed 6 years ago, under the previous ownership…and you’re calling that recent? How many managers have the Mets had since 2015?
I would like to see them give Tim Bogar one more interview! I just think the guy has a good track record in the minors and he might just be the guy to fix this thing! I thought they should have hired him prior to Louis. I know guys will want to shoot me down but just look at his resume and the potential he has to help fix this mess before you shoot me!
The Astros already lost Strohm, I’d hate to see another key coach leave. At the same time good luck if he goes
Espada is a perfect fit for the Astros, would really suck if we lose him because Crane had to play GM and go over Click’s head to bring Dusty back another year.
My guess the unknown is Mike Scioscia
Would Scioscia want another interfering owner?
It’s got to be Showalter unless it’s some out-of-left-field hire. I can’t imagine with his age and resume, he’d even waste his time interviewing if they didn’t give him strong enough reason to believe he’s got the job. Not like he needs the managerial experience or anything.
The interviewees can be considered leverage, possible additions to the coaching staff later (other than manager), or even back up plans if Buck turns it down.
Showalter isn’t going to waste his time. Depends whether he and the front office click or they don’t.
The talent base is certainly on board for him to work with and no chance he has to endure a rebuild in any way. So he steps into a .500 club that has two Cy Young candidates at the top of his rotation, a top 15 closer, a home run champion, a 300 million dollar man at short, one of the top 5 OBP guys in the game, two new top 35 outfielders, young players that may or may not be traded for more pitching, three of the top prospects in the game (c, SS, 3b) along with a couple of well regarded pitching prospects who already have had their TJS.
Almost every position at the mlb level is already filled. No growing pains needed!
Has no emotional ties to any player, so they pretty much all have to impress him and earn their spots outside of the obvious big contracts.
Pretty sweet situation for Buck.
I’m not a regular Mets basher, but ask Mike Shanahan what a “sweet situation” it was being the head coach of the Washington Redskins. This looks the same to me.
I hope it’s Buck too….
Could it be that the Mets are not providing 24-hour armed security details, armored transportation and bullet-proof vests?
No bail murderers in New York and overall lawlessness plus sky high taxes might be a disincentive.
No
Except that’s nonsense
Maybe that’s why Oakland is on the verge of moving with same bullets and no- bail , defund the police as New York City, my sister-in-law is afraid to walk at night in Queens.
I’ve lived in the area my entire life and quite frankly the city is much safer than it used to be, and that paranoia nonsense you said is just that considering the mayor elect of NYC is a retired police officer.
Now, that’s living in denial. Jack Walsh
So sign Espada to be Buck’s bench coach, manager-in-training.
I do think it’s important that if the head coach is not bilingual, that his right hand man is. If I’m not mistaken, Escobar speaks very little, if any, English. Same might be said of Diaz. Two very important pieces to this club.
Can’t do that, clubs only allow interviews for higher level roles.
Kind of surprised that Ray Knight hadn’t tossed his hat into the ring? Maybe he just doesn’t want the headaches or all the travel anymore?
Espada is a cheater and would fit perfect with this front office.Kelly knows he is walking into a front office that is a living abortion and a city full of criminals released from jail.
Makes you wonder if having a high payroll, all star caliber team is a selling point or a drawback for a managerial candidate.
Maybe MLB requires a certain amount of interviews and minority as well., Just guessing, anyone know?