When asked what makes a good manager, the ever-quotable Yogi Berra responded: “good players.”
In contrast, a manager is oftentimes the primary casualty for poor on-field performance. That’s been the woe of Terry Collins – the man who led the Mets to a World Series last October – and the man who could be out of a job come this October. Although, as of yesterday, GM Sandy Alderson has given no indication that’s going to happen.
The best defense Collins can point to for his team’s 60-61 record is the remarkable rash of injuries.
Yoenis Cespedes, Matt Harvey, David Wright, Lucas Duda, Juan Lagares, Asdrubal Cabrera — all were, or are currently sidelined for various lengths. Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard – two of the franchise’s prized young pitchers – have spent most of the year dealing with bone spurs in their pitching arms.
But whatever the roster upheaval, it doesn’t excuse Collins’ incompetence with game management – from handling the bullpen to constructing the batting order.
The best example is with Wilmer Flores, who hit seven home runs and drove in 14 runs while hitting .290 during the month of July — yet somehow can’t find a way into the starting lineup on a regular basis.
Collins would be wise to try and get the most out of his hottest hitters, because the New York offense has become a blatant point of embarrassment. At .239, the Mets’ team batting average is ranked 29th in MLB.
More egregiously, they are mastering the art of wasting a perfectly promising inning. A .205 average with runners in scoring position is more than 20 points lower than the next lowest-ranked club. To put it in greater perspective: if the season ended now, that mark would rank second-worst all-time — perilously close to the .201 posted by the expansion San Diego Padres in 1969.
But it’s not just the lack of clutch hits that’s dooming the Mets. It’s bunting runners over, getting sacrifice flies, and the reliance on the home run. That, plus the inability to hold opposing runners on and letting them steal bases at will.
These are clear signs of unpreparedness – a characteristic which ultimately falls on the skipper.
The result (so far) is a below-.500 record. The thoughts of repeating as NL East champs now a memory. The hopes of hanging in the Wild Card race (currently 4.5 games back of the second spot) are fading.
After dropping five of six to the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks in a matter of eight days, the Mets are 13-21 since the All-Star break — continuing to discover the nether regions of ‘rock bottom.’
As you can imagine (or as you probably know already), the underachieving Mets — especially its beleaguered manager — has tested the patience of their fans. Just read some of the torch and pitchfork-wielding patrons of #MetsTwitter.
I understand the players need to do their jobs, the lack of fight and body language scream poor coaching. Mets need a new voice. #FireTerry
— Daily Stache (@dailystache) August 11, 2016
And now lets watch Terry Collins do what he does best. Mismanage his bullpen. #Mets #FireTerry
— TFS (60-102) (@Time44sports) August 7, 2016
#FireTerry https://t.co/9SFaVC1Xkc
— Ed Z (@thebrokenchair) August 7, 2016
And those are just the rational observations.
Collins himself hasn’t hid his frustration — most notably after his club’s 9-0 home loss to Arizona on Aug. 11.
His intentions are well-founded and his short temper is understandable. When Collins took the job as manager prior to 2011, the Mets were in the midst of a rebuilding plan while in financial ruin. Considering the hand he was dealt, Terry was the right choice at that moment. For his first four years at the helm, he served his purpose.
But with the confluence of young prospects joining the roster, those expectations were heightened. And with the team falling apart under the weight of those expectations, Collins’ flaws become easily exposed.
Talent and a hot streak — like the one the Mets experienced last year — can conceal a manager’s weaknesses. New York didn’t ride to the pennant in spite of Collins, but he was more or less riding the coattails of a team on a roll — aided by individuals (Cespedes and Daniel Murphy, most notably) performing at their peak.
It’s apparent that the magic from last year’s World Series run is gone. If the Mets sink further into submission — regardless of what the GM says now — Terry Collins should be, too.
