Who is in the running for the Mets managerial opening?
Multiple reports suggest the Mets have 3-4 candidates in mind, with a decision possibly coming within a week. Plus, a note on Pete Alonso and the possibility of a contract extension
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
Craig Counsell - whose contract with the Brewers expired on October 31 - interviewed with the Mets on Thursday (New York Post)
Yankee bench coach Carlos Mendoza - who interviewed with the Mets last week - is considered a, “serious candidate” for the club (SNY)
In addition to Counsell and Mendoza, former Padre manager Andy Green interviewed and is in consideration for the job (New York Post)
The Mets could make a decision on their new manager within a week (SNY)
Scott Boras - who now represents Pete Alonso - said he would welcome an offer from the Mets to retain him long-term before he hits free agency (New York Post)
Roster Moves 🗞️
Claimed RHP Penn Murfee off waivers from the Rockies
C Omar Narváez exercises his 2024 player option
Mets managerial candidates… ✍️
Craig Counsell
Counsell, 53, just completed his ninth season as Brewers manager while compiling a 707-625 record during his tenure in Milwaukee. He has finished in the top ten in manager of the year voting in five of those nine seasons, earning five playoff appearances and three division titles.
Counsell’s big league playing career spanned 16 seasons from 1995-2011. He scored the winning run in game 7 of the 1997 World Series against Cleveland while with the Marlins and was also a part of the Diamondbacks championship club in 2001. A middle infielder by trade, Counsell hit .255/.342/.344 during his 16-year career with the Rockies, Marlins, Diamondbacks, and Brewers.
Counsell worked under now Mets president David Stearns throughout his time in Milwaukee, and remains the most obvious fit for the Mets should Counsell decide to leave Milwaukee, although Counsell will likely have many other suitors as well, including the Brewers as well as the Guardians who interviewed him last week.
Carlos Mendoza
Mendoza, 43, is a former Met who has been serving on the Yankee coaching staff since 2017 and was named Aaron Boone’s bench coach in 2019.
He was a career minor leaguer over parts of 13 years with the Giants and Yankees organizations. He began his coaching career in 2009 with the Staten Island Yankees, joined the coaching staff of the Charleston RiverDogs in 2010, returned to the Yankees to manage their Gulf Coast league squad in 2011, then went back to manage the RiverDogs in 2012. He returned to the Yankees again as a roving instructor in 2013 and never left again, working his way through the Yankee system before joining the major league coaching staff in 2017 as an infield coach.
Andy Green
Green, 46, played parts of four seasons in the big leagues which culminated in a stint with the Mets in 2009, during which he appeared in just four games. His professional playing career spanned ten seasons, beginning in the Diamondbacks organization in 2000 before concluding in the Mets organization in 2010.
Green’s managerial career began in in 2012 in the minors and he was added to the Diamondbacks coaching staff in 2015 as their third base coach. He spent one year with Arizona before being hired by the Padres as their manager for the 2016 season. During the 2017 season, the Padres gave Green a contract extension through the 2021 season, but was let go midstream after the 2019 season.
During his time in San Diego, the Padres went 276-366, having never finished with a record above .500 in his four seasons at the helm.