After parting ways with Mickey Callaway, the Mets are searching for a new manager. Here's the latest on candidate Joe Girardi...

Oct. 18, 12:33 PM:

"There is word of at least one more mystery candidate" for Mets manager, SNY's Andy Martino reported on Friday, adding that a "surprise" hire is more than possible.

CC Sabathia walked off the mound Thursday night for what was in all likelihood the final time after departing with a left shoulder injury. 

Throughout the night, praise poured in on social media from across the baseball world as former teammates, opponents and managers paid respect to the left-hander, who won 251 games in his MLB career. 

After parting ways with Mickey Callaway, the Mets are searching for a new manager. Here's the latest on candidate Joe Girardi...

Oct. 18, 8:44 AM:

The Phillies have "heavy interest" in Girardi, reports SNY's Andy Martino, who says Philadelphia has not yet made a decision on who they will hire between Girardi, Buck Showalter, and Dusty Baker. 

Girardi's interview with the Mets has already taken place, Martino reported. 

With the Mets managerial search well underway, another candidate has been thrown into the mix in Nationals first base coach Tim Bogar, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Bogar adds to the list of highly experienced candidates for the job, based on his track record coaching in the minor leagues and Majors. His managerial career began with the Greeneville Astros back in 2004 in the Appalachian League, and he worked his way up. 

From there, Bogar would manage in low Class-A with the Lexington Legends in 2005, and would move on to the Akron Aeros in 2006 -- the Indians Double-A affiliate. 

It was on this date 20 years ago that Mets fans will always remember what Robin Ventura did at Shea Stadium to keep the NLCS against the Braves alive. 

The bases were loaded in the bottom of the 15th inning with one out. All Ventura needed to do is hit a ball into the outfield and the Mets were moving on. But he did much more than that. 

Ventura sent the ball over the right field wall for a grand slam...well, until Todd Pratt picked him up halfway to second base. It was forever called the "grand slam single," and here is a quick mini-doc on that night...

The Mets will not be renewing the contract of Edgardo Alfonzo, who managed the Short-Season A-ball Brooklyn Cyclones to the New York Penn League championship in 2019, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed. 

Alfonzo will remain with the team as a club ambassador, according to Martino.

The 45-year-old Alfonzo had been working for the Cyclones since 2014, when he was their bench coach -- a role that he held until 2016.

It's easy to scapegoat Edwin Diaz for the Mets missing the postseason by just four games in 2019.

However, high-leverage relievers not named Mariano Rivera have a long history of up-and-down seasons, which is exactly why Diaz should be on next year's roster.

Things change and so can Diaz -- and he doesn't have to go far to get there...

Playing the 2019 minor league season as one of the youngest players in Double-A, Mets infield prospect Andres Gimenez underwhelmed, hitting just .250/.309/.387 in 117 games. His play in the Arizona Fall League has been a different story.

Now 21 years old (his birthday was Sept. 4), Gimenez is hitting his stride. 

Shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the most promising prospects in baseball, Gimenez has been one of the best hitters in the AFL, slashing .352/.407/.556 with four doubles, two triples, one homer and two stolen bases in 14 games (54 at-bats).

After parting ways with Mickey Callaway, the Mets are searching for a new manager. Here's the latest on candidate Eduardo Perez...

Oct. 16, 5:48 PM:

Eduardo Perez was a guest on MLB Network Radio's "The Leadoff Spot" Wednesday. While he couldn't get into specifics of how his interview with the team went, the current ESPN analyst said he was "honored" to receive an interview.

Mets 1B Dominic Smith has gone from top prospect to major-league question in less than 18 months.

Entering 2017, the then-21-year-old Smith was ranked the organization's second-best prospect and the top first base prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com.

However, the emergence of Pete Alonso in Triple-A in 2018 pushed aside Smith, who ended that season hitting just .224/.255/.420 while striking out in 23 percent of his at-bats. With Smith having struggled and Alonso having surged, Smith was asked to learn left field before the 2019 season. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The year was 1983 and Eduardo Perez, who seems to be emerging as a serious candidate for the Mets' managerial job, was spending most of his summer at Veterans Stadium where his dad, Hall of Famer Tony Perez, was playing with the Phillies, reunited with former Big Red Machine teammates Pete Rose and Joe Morgan. 

The way Eduardo has told the story to friends, he was always hanging around the dugout, even during games, when one day Rose called him over to sit beside him and said, "If you're going to be here every day you're going to learn something about this game."

And from there Rose made a point of tutoring young Eduardo, teaching him how to de-code the opposing team's signs, how to look for the various ways that pitchers can unknowingly tip pitches and how to pick up a pitcher's patterns that can tell a hitter what to expect at crucial moments in a game. 

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, former Mets pitcher Matt Harvey is among the list of six current and former Angels to be interviewed in the Tyler Skaggs investigation. 

Four of the six pitchers who were interviewed by federal agents were identified. The list includes Harvey, Andrew Heaney, Noe Ramirez, and Trevor Cahill. 

The report notes that people familiar with the interviews said the players involved were not targeted for any specific reason and are not suspected of opiate usage, not have they been implicated in any crimes. 

After parting ways with Mickey Callaway, the Mets are searching for a new manager. Here's the latest on candidate Derek Shelton...

Oct. 15, 10:48 PM:

According to a report from the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Derek Shelton will interview with both the Mets and Pirates this week. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Eduardo Perez is a popular broadcaster with a famous baseball father, and he is now interviewing for a managerial opening in New York.

Sound like anyone else you know?

"Yeah, it's very similar [to me]," Yankees skipper Aaron Boone told SNY. "He grew up in the game, too."

Anthony McCarron, SNY.tv | Twitter |

J.D. Davis emerged as one of the most intriguing Mets this past season, a Brodie Van Wagenen success story who had a knack for big hits, a glittering stat line and a catchy nickname: "Just Dingers."

But while Davis mashed enough that the Mets must find a regular lineup spot for him, there is some uncertainty around the 26-year-old slugger this offseason. That means he could be one of the most intriguing Mets of the winter, too.

Is Davis the club's starting left fielder in 2020? What about all those other outfielders on the roster? Perhaps he could start at third base, his regular position in the minors. One former Met believes if Davis were given that job before spring training, the confidence boost would help him handle the position defensively.

ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" reportedly could have changes coming on the horizon.

According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, ESPN is considering scrapping its current broadcast crew as it examines other potential personalities in the booth for MLB's 2020 season.

While Alex Rodriguez is safe no matter what with one more year left on his contract, he could have new teammates alongside him when the program returns next spring.

As he prepared to interview for the Mets' managerial vacancy, popular former player and broadcaster Eduardo Perez has sought advice from a person who made the same transition, according to major league sources: Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

Pérez has been on Brodie Van Wagenen's radar for at least several months, according to sources. A highly respected former player, he has showcased his knowledge of the contemporary game as an analyst on ESPN's occasional Statcast broadcasts.

He is also a colleague at that network of Mets advisor Jessica Mendoza.

Here are the key 2019 MLB offseason dates, and how they impact the Mets...

Day after World Series ends: Free agency begins

The Mets should be returning most of the 86-win team that fell three games short of a playoff spot in 2019. However, they need massive improvements in the bullpen and will also likely need to find a starting pitcher to replace Zack Wheeler, who is expected to depart via free agency. 

Among the biggest names expected to hit the free agent market: Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, Marcell Ozuna, Dellin Betances, and Will Smith. 

The Mets' notable free agents are Wheeler, Todd Frazier, and Juan Lagares (whose contract is expected to be bought out for $500,000).

After parting ways with Mickey Callaway, the Mets are searching for a new manager. Here's the latest on candidate Mike Bell...

Oct. 14, 7:55 PM:

Bell interviewed for the Mets' manager position Monday, as first reported by MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

Bell wasn't the only one to interview for the manager position Monday, as Eduardo Perez met with the team as well, as reported by SNY Insider Andy Martino.The Mets have already interviewed Carlos Beltran, and Tim Healy of Newsday reported Monday that they've already interviewed Luis Rojas, as well.

The Mets have nine arbitration-eligible players this offseason, with Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto, Edwin Diaz ,and Marcus Stroman the biggest names in that group. 

Once a player is offered arbitration, the team and that player's agent have until a set date -- usually at some point in February -- to come to terms on a new contract. If that doesn't happen, both sides submit salary proposals and the player's salary is determined at a hearing by independent arbitrators. 

According to MLB Trade Rumors, here's what the Mets' arbitration-eligible players are projected to make in 2020...

As the Mets' search for their new manager continues, one former New York star publicly expressed his desire to lead an MLB team for 2020 and beyond, but will the opportunity come in orange and blue?

Before the Yankees played Game 2 of the ALCS against the Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston, former 20-year veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran expressed his desire to become a manager when he caught up with SNY's Andy Martino on the field.

Beltran, who spent 2005-10 as a Met and slashed .279/.366/.499 with 134 home runs and 493 RBI in 741 games over six seasons, interviewed Thursday for the New York job and turned down chances to do the same with the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.

As the Mets search for Mickey Callaway's replacement, find out who would be your perfect fit as manager.

Take the quiz below to find out which skipper would best suit what you think the team needs.

SEE THE QUIZ

These three Mets didn't have strong seasons in 2019, but there's reason to believe that the trio could turn things around in 2020 and beyond ... 

Robinson Cano

It was a tale of two seasons for Cano, who is 36 years old, under contract the next four years and due just under $80 million. The problem is, given his 2018 suspension for PEDs, his age and his up-and-down 2019, it's almost impossible to know what to expect of him in 2020. 

He started well, hitting .270 with three home runs through the end of April, and then everything fell apart. He looked out of sync at the plate and totally out of gas during May and June. Then came random injuries, issues with Mickey Callaway about running out ground balls and what seemed like a a trip to the injured list caused partially by spite.

The Mets traded for Marcus Stroman in July and, with Jeff McNeil already wearing the No. 6 jersey the pitcher had with the Blue Jays, assigned him No. 7 instead.

Friday night, the Long Island native tweeted that he'll be clad in a new number when he takes the mound for the Mets in 2020. Though he didn't say what that number will be, he's making the switch to pay homage to a longtime Mets favorite, Jose Reyes.

Grew up watching the passion and energy of @lamelaza_7 at Shea Stadium. Also, loved playing with him. With that being said, I don't feel right wearing his number because of the incredible career he had in a @Mets uniform. Excited to switch numbers and compete in Queens next year!

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John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Nobody I've talked to thinks the Mets are hiring either Mike Bell or Derek Shelton as their next manager, even if the two relative unknowns are getting in-person interviews with GM Brodie Van Wagenen and his staff. 

As one executive from an AL team put it, "Most teams in this situation brings in guys like this that don't have a real chance of getting the job." 

With that in mind, the early speculation around baseball, at least among the scouts and execs I've spoken to this week, is leaning heavily toward the Mets making the obvious move and making Joe Girardi their next manager, if he doesn't wind up in Chicago with the Cubs instead. 

Doug Williams and John Harper drop an all-new Shea Anything podcast, as the Mets continue to move past Mickey Callaway and the 2019 season. The guys check in on the search for a new skipper and look back at the first year of Brodie Van Wagenen as GM.  

They also play GM themselves, suggesting what they would do about the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the team's defense heading into the Hot Stove season.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso broke the MLB record for home runs by a rookie, after hitting 53 homers this season.

His performance throughout the season has now earned him Baseball America's 2019 Rookie of the Year after a unanimous vote. It's the first award among many that Alonso will likely receive in his career.

He broke the Mets all-time single-season home run record -- originally held by both Todd Hundley and Carlos Beltran with 41 home runs. He passed the two former Mets with his 42nd home run on Aug. 27. Hundley had orginally set the record in 1996, while Beltran tied him in 2006.

The Mets and Brodie Van Wagenen are knee-deep in their search for a new manager after recently firing Mickey Callaway. However, they're not the only team looking for a new leader and coaching staff for next season.

In the last few weeks, seven other teams began the same process, including the Phillies, who fired Gabe Kapler on Thursday.

I recently surveyed my usual group of insiders, which includes a handful of front office executives, talent evaluators, agents and former players, to learn how each opening should be viewed by potential managerial candidates.

Here is the final collective rankings, including who each team is rumored to be reportedly interviewing and if they overlap with the Mets. I then give my predictions for how this game of managerial musical chairs will end...

As the Mets managerial search rolls on, the team is also undergoing some changes in the front office.

SNY's Andy Martino has confirmed that field coordinator Kevin Morgan has resigned rather than be reassigned. Matt Ehalt of Yahoo! Sports was the first to report. 

Morgan, a highly respected organizational veteran, originally joined the Mets in 1998 as the team's assistant to the director of minor league Operations. From 2001-05, he served as the director of minor league operations. 

The Mets and their fans were taken on an emotional roller coaster this past season, going from hopeful to hopeless, back to hopeful, then landing in a cold bucket of September reality.

"We're definitely not satisfied with where we're at," Michael Conforto told reporters after the team was eliminated from playoff contention on Sept. 25. "We want to play in October. That's the goal. I think we have the guys in here to do it. We have to put six months of baseball together and we didn't do that this year."

The bullpen has been the default answer when media and fans debate what the Mets need to improve when building a better team for 2020. However, for me, it's third on the list...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The most telling aspect of Joe Girardi's candidacy for Mets manager so far has probably been the enthusiasm of his former employers. If the Yankees did not feel a deep respect for Girardi, they would not be boosting him as wholeheartedly as they are.

It's not just Brian Cashman telling SNY's John Harper that he would "highly recommend" Girardi to anyone seeking a manager. It's the many other Yankees officials who, while focusing on their own team's postseason game planning, have taken time to compliment Girardi to reporters and wish him well in the Mets search.

Cashman and others have offered very strong references in private conversations with the Mets, according to people briefed on those conversations.

Add one more team to the great MLB manager search this offseason, as the Mets' rival Phillies fired Gabe Kapler after two seasons on the job. 

The Phillies were expected to be playoff contenders this season after adding the likes of Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura among others to their roster. However, they fell short of that goal, finishing an even .500 at 81-81 which was good for fourth in the NL East behind the Mets. 

With the firing, eight teams are now looking for a new manager, which means the race is on for the top candidates on the market. It doesn't help that the Phillies would obviously love to beat the Mets to one of those candidates, being in division. 

As reports continue to abound regarding the Mets' managerial search, many of the names reported have been familiar ones, including Joe Girardi and Buck Showalter among others.

And with other names like Dusty Baker floating around as well, it appears that previous MLB managerial experience could go a long way in determining who the next Mets skipper will be. 

But an interesting name popped up on Wednesday, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Mike Bell is expected to receiver an in-person interview with the team.

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Brian Cashman may have fired Joe Girardi two years ago, but he still speaks glowingly of the job the former manager did with the Yankees, and doesn't hesitate to recommend that the Mets hire him.

"When you're talking about somebody like Joe, he'd give you instant credibility," Cashman told SNY on Wednesday. "He's buttoned-up, ready to go, and proven successful in the largest market you can find. And he came out on top.

"He was here for 10 years, and some things have an expiration date, but that doesn't diminish the abilities the person possesses or the quality of work he provides. I highly recommend Joe to anybody, even our rivals, unfortunately."

The Mets have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. Every week, we'll take a look at how some of those former Mets are performing with their new teams...

Asdrubal Cabrera, Nationals

Cabrera has played in four of the Nats' five playoff games heading into Wednesday's Game 5, starting two of those games. Overall, he's just 1-for-8 at the plate (.125 average) with two RBI. He did not play in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. His biggest moment of this postseason came in Game 2 of the NLDS, when he drove in an insurance run as a pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth inning of the Nats' 4-2 win.

Bartolo Colon's life story is coming to a bookstore near you.

The former Cy Young winner and four-time All-Star announced on his Instagram account on Wednesday that he will be releasing a memoir titled, "Big Sexy: The Life and Times of Bartolo Colon," set to hit stores in April 2020. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The consensus on Buck Showalter as a potential Mets' managerial candidate comes from interviews with scouts, executives, and media members who all know him well, and it is straightforward: his attention to detail, in-game managing, and knack for having his team prepared is all second to none.

But…

He wants to do it his way, which can mean everything from input into personnel decisions to potential clashes over the level of day-to-day front-office involvement that characterized Brodie Van Wagenen's first year as GM. 

The Mets have some good representation in the Appalachian League this fall, and Baseball America is recognizing two of the club's prospects as the top players in the league. 

Francisco Alvarez, a 17-year-old catcher, and the Mets' first-round draft pick this year in Brett Baty were ranked the league's No. 1 and No. 2 prospects respectively. 

Alvarez is the Mets' top catching prospect and the fifth overall prospect in the organization. He also cracked the publication's Top 100 list Back in September. Signing with the Mets for $2.7 million back in 2018, Alvarez hit .312/.407/.510 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 42 games at both levels of rookie ball this season. 

It didn't end the way we hoped, but the Mets' 2019 was nevertheless a year to remember...

MVP and Rookie of the Year

Pete Alonso

It can be argued that Jacob deGrom is the MVP. However, Alonso's impact was undeniable.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Carlos Beltran-as-Mets-manager speculation has now grown legs and turned into an actual story.

Mets officials have been doing background work on Carlos Beltran in recent days, trying to determine if he is ready to be a manager, according to major league sources.

The Boston Red Sox moved on from their president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, last month. As their search for a replacement continues, one Mets front office member had his name thrown into the discussion.

The Boston Globe reports that Mets vice president Allard Baird will get a "long look" from the Red Sox in regard to the vacant role. Baird is also listed as the Mets' assistant general manager of scouting and player development. 

Baird is a relatively new member of the Mets' front office as he was brought on by general manager Brodie Van Wagenen last offseason.

Carlos Beltran is a candidate to replace Mickey Callaway as the new manager of the Mets, with Beltran saying Sunday that he would "have to listen" if he were to be contacted about the opportunity.

While the 42-year-old could have a future in the Mets' dugout, he also left a huge mark as a player in Queens from 2005 to 2011, when he was arguably the best two-way player the Mets ever had.

Beltran retired after the 2017 season, finishing with a .279/.350/.486 triple slash to go along with 435 homers, 565 doubles, 312 stolen bases, and 1,587 RBI. During his prime, Beltran was also one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. Add it all up, and he has a great case for election to the Hall of Fame. So which cap would he want on his plaque?

The Mets had a roller coaster season -- again. They took us from optimism to the morgue, back to the peak of hope and then to a slow stop before the end of September.

It wasn't all for nothing, though. If Brodie Van Wagenen, his staff and players can learn from the following five lessons from this past season, they stand a better chance of success in 2020.

Don't panic, the Wild Card is wild

The no-name Brewers finished with the 10th-worst ERA and FIP and were the sixth-lowest scoring team in the National League. However, because they caught fire at the right time, they ran past the Mets and four other teams during September to win the second Wild Card spot.

Being a manager in New York is a unique animal. It's a totally different gig than can be found in another market and certainly isn't for the faint of heart.

To be successful and survive in this town, which has two baseball teams -- one of which is the most successful in sports history -- it's my contention that the manager must have had previous success in front of New York fans and/or experience as a big-league manager.

It also helps if the person is battle-tested in front of dozens of local reporters, enters with a strong relationship with members of the media or has experience working on-air, such as Aaron Boone.

Pete Alonso just wrapped up one of the most incredible rookie seasons in the history of baseball.

The Mets' first baseman blasted 53 home runs, the most ever by a rookie, surpassing Aaron Judge's previous record of 52 in 2017.
He finished the year with 53 home runs, 120 RBI, and a .260 averaging, making the NL Rookie of the Year Award a virtual lock.

On Friday, Alonso stopped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to prove that there's, in fact, nothing that he can't hit.

One day after being relieved of his managerial duties by the Mets, Mickey Callaway told Tim Healey of Newsday that he was "disappointed by the decision (of the Mets) to move on" and that the firing stung, but that he's proud of what he accomplished during his time in New York -- with the Mets in a better spot than they were before he was hired.

"I too am in a better spot because of this experience, and am excited about where my next landing spot will be in this baseball world," Callaway said in a statement to Newsday. "These two years have humbled me, educated me, matured me, and motivated me all at the same time."

Read Callaway's full statement here.

Former Mets manager Mickey Callaway could potentially find a soft landing.

Callaway, who was relieved of his duties by the Mets on Thursday, "could be a candidate" to replace outgoing Phillies pitching coach Chris Young, reports Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.

Callaway was the pitching coach for the Indians from 2013 to 2017, overseeing a staff that included Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, and Trevor Bauer. 

Mets legend Ed Kranepool discusses how baseball is like a marathon, and how having a positive attitude is crucial in the game and in life.

"I was taught from baseball to be a positive person, I think it's helped me later on in life," Kranepool explained. "Baseball is a marathon. It's not the guys that win at the end of the first week. You got to go a lot of weeks during the course of the season. Remember you can fail seven out of ten times in sports, especially in baseball, and go to the Hall of Fame. You're a .300 hitter. That's only three out of 10 that you're successful. So you really have to prepare yourself every day to battle it."

He added: "When you have a bad day, leave it at the ballpark. Don't take it home. You strive tomorrow to improve yourself."

After two years at the helm, Mickey Callaway was relieved of his duties as Mets manager on Thursday. After making the decision, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen talked about the managerial search and much more...

Van Wagenen discussed the decision to move on from Callaway and said the team already has an "expansive" list of potential replacements that they'll begin reaching out to in the coming days >> Read more

Mets COO Jeff Wilpon talked about the Mets' unfulfilling season, saying "It hurts watching those games on TV right now" >> Read more