After weeks of searching and speculation, the New York Mets have named Carlos Beltran as the 22nd manager in the team’s history. He beat out Eduardo Perez in the final stages, who seemed to have the job all but locked up. There are many aspects involved in this hiring and lets take a dive into it now.
There are always unknowns when a first time manager is hired. When it comes to Carlos Beltran though, there’s one thing that is known:
As a former superstar player, who is well-liked throughout the game, he immediately has the respect of that clubhouse. pic.twitter.com/pjQJrIjlL6
— Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) November 1, 2019
At first, Carlos Beltran was not even interested in a managing gig. As his name continued to be floated around, his interested slowly grew. It grew to the point where he only was interested in taking the Mets job. Beltran had a hall of fame caliber career and it included many great years as a Met. The only unfair rain cloud over his head is looking at a called strike three from Adam Wainwright in game 7 of the 2006 NLCS.
Respect is Key
Beltran garners respect from players throughout baseball, especially veterans like Robinson Cano and Jacob deGrom. He is the top manager on my list managers without any experience at any level. There is no doubt his knowledge and demeanor is suited for the job. He was set to be a manager at one point down the road, but is he ready now?
Here's a totally new, not at all old, not at all photoshopped photo of the newest manager of the @Mets, Carlos Beltrán. (reportedly*)
(*reported by @AnthonyDiComo) pic.twitter.com/L5cqMO08DV
— Cut4 (@Cut4) November 1, 2019
Outside of the lack of experience, it is hard to find a reason why Beltran cannot do a terrific job leading the Mets. He is highly respected, knows the game in and out, was a leader as a player and knows how to handle the New York media. Beltran would also prefer to hire Terry Collins as his bench coach, who would be a great person to have in the dugout.
What Role Does the Front Office Play?
A major topic of discussion will always revolve the role of the front office during the games. When Mickey Callaway was the manager, there were constant reports of him being told what moves to make.
This makes Beltran’s hiring is interesting for a couple reasons.
Beltran is a potential hall of famer, who is doing this job because he wants to, not out of necessity. This should mean he will be in full control and will take input from upstairs when he wants it. Should he be unhappy with the way he is being treated, he can easily change things because of the support from his players.
If you had no background knowledge and just read these excerpts from @BenReiter’s Astroball, you would think that Carlos Beltrán was actually Houston’s manager. #Mets pic.twitter.com/dK7a6Izz8l
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) November 1, 2019
The other aspect is a scary one. Beltran could be here just as publicity, while Van Wagenen and co. continue to run the organization into the ground with their in game decisions. This could be why handling the press was a key part of the interview process. Someone has to take the blame when moves from upstairs do not pan out. Beltran would make the simple moves, but could just be here for the paycheck.
Understanding who Beltran is, the scary aspect is very unlikely. Beltran simply get what it means to be a winner. While most of us still prefer Joe Girardi, Beltran still would qualify as top three in the list of candidates the Mets hired. Despite the dysfunction in the front office, Beltran is the one who can stabilize the franchise.