Not long after reports of the A’s conducting their first managerial interview surfaced, the Mets have begun an interview carousel of their own. SNY’s Andy Martino reports that the Mets conducted their first managerial interview today, and expect to keep the process going Tuesday. Among the identified managerial candidates include a trio of bench coaches— Houston’s Joe Espada, Tampa Bay’s Matt Quatraro, and Pittsburgh’s Don Kelly— as well as two veteran managers, Buck Showalter and Brad Ausmus.
Martino notes that the current list of candidates still has room to grow, but throws cold water on the notion that beloved Mets alumni Curtis Granderson and David Wright will interview after their names surfaced in earlier discussions. Whoever makes the shortlist and earns a shot at interviewing will meet with newly-minted GM Billy Eppler and his staff. Owner Steve Cohen will meet with vetted candidates some time after the initial round of interviews.
The identity of today’s interviewed candidate was none other than Brad Ausmus, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Ausmus has quite a few things going for his candidacy that surely helped net him the first opportunity to meet with Mets decision-makers. One such factor working in Ausmus’s favor is his relationship to Eppler, as Ausmus served as a special assistant to Eppler before being promoted to dugout manager in 2019 while the two were with the Angels. In other networking news, Fansided’s Robert Murray also notes that Ausmus is a Dartmouth alum like Mets president Sandy Alderson and assistant GM Bryn Alderson.
Unlike some of the candidates who have yet to interview, Ausmus also has a track record as a Major League manager. Between his time with the Angels and Detroit, he has compiled a 386-412 record as a manager, including two winning seasons at the helm and a playoff appearance. It probably also doesn’t hurt Ausmus’s case that his best season in Detroit coincided with Max Scherzer’s last season in the AL. Scherzer, one of the Mets’ marquee pickups this offseason, owns one of the game’s more fiery personalities and is perhaps best handled by a dugout operator who’s familiar with his tempo.
If Quatraro’s name rings a bell it may be because he interviewed with the A’s within the past couple of days. That the Tampa Bay bench coach has landed interviews for 100% of this offseason’s managerial vacancies is no surprise. The Rays have proven their division’s winningest team during Quatraro’s time as bench coach, no small feat considering the powerhouses that reside within those same confines. Martino reports that Quatraro is in line for a Tuesday interview.
There aren’t many updates for the remaining candidates of Espada, Kelly, and Showalter, though they all remain highly credible options in the wake of MLBTR’s profile of their candidacies last week. Jon Heyman does note (via Twitter) that Espada and Eppler share a “strong link” dating back to their time in the Yankees organization, and calls Espada a “serious contender”.
marrtho
Brad Ausmus to the Mets would be the most Mets move the Mets could make.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
The Mets should just wait for the A’s to hire a new manager and then offer whoever they pick double the salary.
Please, Hammer. Don't hurt 'em.
Showalter should be the first choice. Espada has garnered a lot of interest and almost had Dusty Baker’s job. Quatraro would be a solid pick. Ausmus and Granderson don’t seem to be what the Mets need. Ausmus was fired for a reason. Granderson had a lot of talent but couldn’t make the best of it until he had that porch in Yankee stadium to take advantage of. How is he going to teach Mets players to be better than him when they don’t have that porch? He’s a great guy but I don’t see him as a candidate to take over a team and tell guys like Scherzer and deGrom what to do. Those guys would probably be better managers than Granderson. If they want to go the Granderson rout they should just hire Beltran again. The first 3 choices could work out. Showalter is ready and the other two have done all it takes to deserve a shot to prove themselves.
GETBUCKETS
2 things @pleasehammer
1. You don’t have to be a great player to be a good coach to your Granderson but
2. Ausmus which pretty fired bc Angels wanted Joe Maddon after he left Cubs
Yankee-4-Lifer 75
Nonsense. The Perfect manager for the Mets would be Buck Showalter for sure. Brad Ausmus can be the bench coach next in line to Buck. Showalter would definitely be the best manager in NY.
ExileInLA 2
Ausmus isn’t taking a bench coach job. And Buck doesn’t need a manager in waiting looking over his shoulder. Buck’s bench coach should be someone raw who needs “finishing” to be manager someplace after interning for Buck.
Yankee-4-Lifer 75
@ExileInLA2- Raul Ibanez or Curtis Granderson would be perfect if Ausmus doesn’t want to be the bench coach. Joe Espada should be the next manager if Buck doesn’t want the job.
rct
I think the most Mets move would be hiring Wright and then having a terrible record and firing him after one year.
Or Beltran. He’s out there, lurking.
Or Bobby V. Or Bobby Bonilla!
Yankee-4-Lifer 75
@rct- the Mets might as well, hire Bobby Bonilla. Aren’t they still paying him anyway?
iamhector24
Do you know how stûpid you sound?
MetsFan22
Mets move? Or wilpons move. Cohen is here… they won’t have a losing season in a long time so buckle up
davidk1979
Hire Espada!
pburns65
I’m hearing Alex Cora.
FatChance65
Take him….PLEASE!
MLB Top 100 Commenter
During the lockout, the Mets will do their best to keep us entertained.
FredMcGriff for the HOF
This isn’t really news till we hear Metsfan22 and his take on this whole manager search.
davidk1979
Obsessed much and Mcgriff ain’t a hofer
Braves Butt-Head
Yet Harold Baines is lol
For Love of the Game
I loved the Crime Dog, but Dick Allen was absolutely feared in his day and hit when pitchers had ERAs of 1-something (like Bob Gibson). Allen should go before The Dog.
Texas Outlaw
The Crime Dog absolutely should. If Billy Williams is in, McGriff should be in.
pt57
Billy Williams made his mark in the 60s when pitching was actually a thing.
Texas Outlaw
Offense was not insane when McGriff played.
everlastingdave
Baseball offense was at its most insane specifically during McGriff’s career, and a few years after.
andremets
Plus McGriff was a juicer.
rct
McGriff’s prime is like 1988-94. Baseball offense was not ‘at its most insane’ then. Runs went up in the latter half of his career but the ’20s,’ 30s, and ’50s had more runs.
FredMcGriff for the HOF
@andre. Nice assumption. Here’s a article Tom Verducci wrote specifically on steroids and McGriff/Bonds comparisons. google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/.amp/mlb/2017/01/10/ha…
FredMcGriff for the HOF
@david. He isn’t as of right now but next today’s game committee vote in 2023 I bet he is. Hopefully Lofton as well.
Sheesh
metsfan22 a true met cult leader
jessaumodesto
What about a guy like Hendu? Dave Henderson?
coolhandneil
He’s been dead since 2015.
For Love of the Game
And your point is what, exactly, Neil? Some teams wouldn’t notice the difference!
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
There’s going to be some difficulties signing the contract
For Love of the Game
Try DocuSign.
Sorry, just suffering from baseball withdrawal. It’s like staining wood projects in poor ventilation…makes you loopy.
jessaumodesto
WTF! Seriously?
i like al conin
Maybe you might want to go with Don Baylor instead?
Assdribble_Cabrera
Also dead.
vtadave
How about Tommy Lasorda?
Assdribble_Cabrera
Gene Mauch?
mrperkins
Dom Mattingly?
Keithyim
Also dead. Don Mattingly murdered Dom Mattingly
trout27
Henderson in only if he is paired with Donnie Moore.
Braves Butt-Head
Yet Ron Washington cant get another chance. Seriously the guy went to 2 world series. He has done great the past 6 years in Atlanta helping the team to a world series. He has done wonders in the development of the infield. Yea he had a coke problem but that should not forever disqualify him from becoming a major league manager again.
krumbledkookie
How many guys on the 86 Mets had coke problems? And they won the World Series! Hire the man!!!
seaver41
He’s prefers 1st/3rd base ‘line’ coach
iamhector24
You’re trash and addiction shouldnt be mocked. Especially by a fn mets fan.
TJECK109
Bobby Valentine
Assdribble_Cabrera
And his collection of fake mustaches!
stuarthunky
BUCK!
dodger1958
Mets will go for Ausmus.
Melvin McMurf
Mets can take the Angel Owner as well
48-team MLB
Mets fans may not like it but I assure you that their title hopes will skyrocket if they relocate and become the Rochester Rabbits. Queens is cursed.
iuo
Buck would be a great hire for the Mets then they could get one of these inexperienced candidates Beltran/ Wright/ Alfonzo/ Granderson as a bench coach to get experience and be the heir apparent when Buck retires.
48-team MLB
Anyone who talks baseball in a serious manner with George Costanza should not be trusted.
NYMetsFanatic
I’m going with this too. After last year’s nightmare, they had better choose very carefully.
seaver41
Anyone BUT Ausmus
tigers202324
could not stand Ausmus when he was in Detroit but looking back I guess it was the end of an all in for the Tigers and a lot of things were out of his control.
GETBUCKETS
Exactly they had some nice lineups
But lost Scherzer and traded David Price
Their pitching staff was a mess outside of Verlander
I think he should get another shot
baseballpun
Costanza. He should finally get hired by the Mets after purposely getting fired from the Yankees.
Poster formerly known as . . .
Only if he always does the opposite of what his instincts tell him to do.
Metsin777
Your looking at the new director of Mets Scouting
Poster formerly known as . . .
“The Rays have proven their division’s winningest team during Quatraro’s time as bench coach, no small feat considering the powerhouses that reside within those same confines.”
I don’t know how good or not good Mr. Quatraro is. However, I also don’t know how anyone can gauge how much of the Rays’ success is owing to his contribution and how much is owing to Cash’s contribution.
I understand the assumption that he’s familiar with Cash’s management strategy; but that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily going to be able to replicate it and the success attributable to it if he’s running the show himself for another team. There seems to be more to managing in the dugout than just following preset game plans based on analytics. There’s a human component to managing 26 different human beings in a shared endeavor.
atmospherechanger
Kramer as George’s bench coach. Kramer handling the arguments with umpires would send MLB ratings skyrocketing.
Kramer coming down the dugout steps in metal cleats for the first time might draw a little attention.
rct
If Kramer is out there yelling and screaming he’s going to get canceled again.
Bulldurham
Could hire Quattraro who’s in the running for the A’s job. He caught Mickey Callaway for a few years in the minors!
48-team MLB
Someone mentioned Bobby Valentine. I just realized that this may be tied to why the Mets always collapse after February. The mystery is now solved.
SteamingGrogans
Like players, managing talent can be groomed. I’d give Buck a 3 yr deal. Let him clean up shop. Get the running like a Major League team.
Bring in a younger understudy as bench coach. Let Buck leave on his terms and hand the reigns over. Cash learned this way. Ross and Martinez too. Makes sense if your organization is a mess. They need someone to kick some a$$. Yes he’ll wear thin on the players after a few years….but that’s ok.
Just ask Mssrs Torre, Brenly, Washington if their teams were set up to win? He even cleaned up Balt for a bit. Can’t fight the Angelo’s mess.
Ausmas wouldn’t do it as bench coach. The others already have those jobs. Unless you go raw with Grandy or Wright?
GETBUCKETS
Hire Bartolo Colon as manager
Lastings Milledge as bench coach
SteamingGrogans
Why. That’s just being a child. There’s zero logic in those 2. Bartolo is still playing anyway. Or trying too.
GETBUCKETS
It’s a joke @steaming
Bob333
Oh it doesn’t matter who the Mgr is (Ausmus) we are winning the division and the WS.Just like every winter.
tigers202324
So your saying the Mets unrealistic seasons optimism isn’t locked out..
Bob333
Better yet Scherzer will be hurt most of the year the inter fighting continues and complaints about injuries and what coud have been will continue just like every other year and this year looking up at the Braves and Phillies again.
VonPurpleHayes
@Bob333 I’ll give the Mets some credit, they may indeed pass the Phillies and Marlins. Not the Braves though.
oldleftylong
Big trouble. Ausmus out-interviews all other candidates. Then, … he struggles managing.
GarryHarris
Buck Showalter is too smart to work for this current Mets organization
to4
I would give Buck the shot !
Although Grandy man and Wright should take some considerations if they want to start their management careers. Or at least a hitting coaches !
brucenewton
He most likely is not interested but Ron Washington would be a great candidate.
iamhector24
Shildt should be the only name on their list.