Jim Riggleman is now officially the Mets' new bench coach, and during his first conference call with New York media on Tuesday, he noted that is the only job he is thinking about right now.

In his rookie season as Mets manager, Mickey Callaway saw a fantastic 11-2 start turn into a fourth-place finish in the NL East at 77-85 the 2018 season concluded. In turn, Riggleman has been viewed by some as Callaway's replacement should the Mets wish to go in a different direction mid-season.

However, Riggleman is confident the second-half Mets that finished strong will pick things right back up in 2019, and a conversation to change direction won't be needed.

"I certainly understand that, but I just don't let myself go there," Riggleman said of the manager-in-waiting rumors. "I really fully anticipate that the ballclub is going to pick itself up where it left off in the second half last year. I know the Mets did some really good things and got things going in the right direction."

The reason many look at Riggleman as the Mets' safety net should they want to part ways with Callaway is due to his situation with the Reds last year. He became their interim manager after Bryan Price was fired after 18 games. He would lead Cincinnati to a 64-80 record under his watch.

But the 66-year-old has many other seasons with the Padres, Cubs, and Nationals where he was manager. He owns a 726-904 career record as skipper.

"I don't think there's going to be any issue with any perception because I think we're going to get that out of the way real quick by the way we work in spring training and the way we get out of the blocks in April as to what our ballclub is going to be able to do," he said.

During his stint as interim manager, Riggleman was also present for one of -- if not the worst -- Callaway mishaps when the Mets batted out of order against the Reds. Mets fans will remember the lineup card that was printed for the dugout wasn't the same as the hand-written one exchanged with the umpires prior to first pitch.

Riggleman, though, says it isn't the first or last time something like that will happen.

"It's one that got by, but, believe me, it's gotten by everybody who's ever done this job," he said. "Now, sometimes it happened in the minor leagues and it's such an eye-opening experience for you that you just say, wow, as many times as we looked at that lineup, that one got by us."

Popular in the Community