If nothing else, Mickey Callaway has proven to be a flashpoint for controversy during his two-year with the Mets. It hasn’t stopped as readers opine…
Mickey Callaway was the subject of a story posted yesterday. The piece is titled, Mickey Callaway: Wrong Man, Wrong Place, Wrong Time. In it, I attempted to review the complicated nature of whether or not Callaway should be dismissed as manager of the Mets.
Not a surprise, readers replied with swift, pointed, and voluminous comments on the piece. As you’ll see below in a sample of these comments, there is a division from fans on the question of Callaway’s status for 2020.
Here’s a second excerpt from another group of fans.
A reasonable conclusion suggests the Mets can’t win with their fans, regardless of what they decide to do. Arguments are strong from both sides. But that’s the way it was even back to the day Callaway was hired.
Eyebrows were raised, for example, by The New York Times in a story that highlighted Callaway’s lack of managerial experience, with only “Pitching Coach” listed on his resume.
The Squirrely Nature Of Manager’s Jobs
It seemed like Callaway was always looking over his shoulder at, what Satchel Paige once said, was to see who’s gaining on him. The pressure continued from fans and the New York media to make a change.
Earlier this year, Brodie Van Wagenen attempted to quiet the waters by reaffirming his confidence in Callaway. But that only served to remind everyone of the scene in The Godfather when Michael plants the “kiss of death” on his brother Fredo.
Even back in February though, my column then suggested to Callaway he’d be wise to “Watch Your Back.”
Fans of baseball know that managers come and go at the whim of general managers and owners. Just yesterday, Andy Green was let go by the San Diego Padres, a team that extended themselves with the costly signing of Manny Machado, all for naught.
The magic can also disappear from one year to the next, as Alex Cora may be about to find out in Boston.
But then, there’s also the other scenario where Derek Jeter announced that Don Mattingly would be back to manage the Miami Marlins for the next two seasons. This, despite his team losing 100+ games in 2019. You never can tell.
Mets And Callaway On Treacherous Ground
To be sure, the course is a treacherous one the Mets will follow into the offseason. If the Mets decide to retain Callaway, as we have seen, a portion of their fanbase will cry foul.
But Brodie Van Wagenen can placate that base if he can have a big offseason. That includes as a reader above suggested, by inking Anthony Randon and bringing some real talent to the bullpen.
Conversely, if Callaway is let go, his supporters will likely turn their attention to the manager the team selects to replace him. If Callaway’s replacement is deemed to be “a good choice,” all is forgiven. And Mickey Callaway joins Terry Collins with a “thank you for your service” – and these Mets fans move on to Spring Training.
Keeping The Conversation Alive
The conversation is worth keeping alive. Mets Facebook Groups is the place to go to make your voice heard and to see what fans are saying and thinking. Titled by Facebook on many of these groups as a “Conversation Starter,” I post regularly with articles designed to prompt thought, while also (hopefully) having some entertainment value.
Stay tuned. As the comments come in, I’ll gather up some more in a post similar to this one on a timely basis.
Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal.
