If Mets Fire Mickey Callaway Then They Should Hire Joe Girardi

30 Sep

Mickey Callaway
Even though they didn’t make the playoffs this year, 86-76 and 3rd place in the NL East is still a big improvement from 2018. And of course, who isn’t excited about the breakout season’s J.D. Davis, Pete Alonso and Seth Lugo had? Plus, there’s a good possibility of back-to-back Cy Young’s for Jacob deGrom. That said, I place most of the blame for us not making the playoffs on Edwin Diaz and Mickey Callaway. Diaz was a disappointment all season long and Callaway’s in-game decision-making at times was not only head-scratching, but atrocious. But Diaz is signed for next year and thus, most likely isn’t going anywhere soon. While Callaway, after two straight season’s of not making the postseason, could be let go, esp. since he wasn’t Brodie Van Wageman’s hire in the first place. And if Callaway is let go, to me the Mets search for a new manager starts and ends with Joe Girardi (if he wants the job), a proven winner, a guy with plenty of experience, know-how and a New Yorker tried and true.

Mets Finally Give In and Let Noah Syndergaard Have His Own Catcher

18 Sep

Noah Syndergaard
NYPost.com:

The schedule and altitude are convenient excuses, at least publicly, for manager Mickey Callaway to give Noah Syndergaard a personal catcher Wednesday.

Callaway acknowledged Tuesday that Rene Rivera is scheduled to start behind the plate for Syndergaard in the Mets’ series finale at Coors Field. Wilson Ramos was the catcher on Tuesday, a night after Tomas Nido started.

“We feel that is going to be the best thing with this night game/day game and this altitude,” Callaway said, referring to Rivera starting for Syndergaard. “We think that Noah is going to pitch well with him, but we’ll probably go that route tomorrow. There’s a lot of different circumstances: day game, night game, where we’re at we need Noah to pitch well.”

Syndergaard has campaigned to have Rivera or Nido as his catcher. In each of his past two starts — with Ramos behind the plate — the right-hander has struggled, allowing four runs in each outing. Included was four runs over five innings in a loss to the Dodgers on Friday.

Honestly, with only 10 games left and the Mets literally having to win all of them to stand any chance of making the wild-card, does this whole Syndergaard brouhaha even matter anymore? Syndergaard should’ve had his own catcher awhile ago due to teh simple that the difference in numbers for when Ramos doesn’t catch him, make his case. But the GM and manager’s ego and pride and ego got too butt-hurt to allow the team to relent. And now that decision may cost them making the playoffs.

Mickey Callaway Doing His Best To Ruin Mets Season

15 Aug

Mickey Callaway
Steven Matz retires 14 Braves in a row on only 79 pitches and Callaway takes him out of the game. And yes, Seth Lugo might’ve blown the game anyway, but there was just no conceivable reason to take out Matz so early, esp. when there was no Lugo was pitching 3 innings and your closer situation is so up in the air. Yet, the idiot that is Mickey Callway said he’d ‘100%’ do it again.

With Jeff McNeil Going On IL, Mets Call Up Ruben Tejada

14 Aug

Ruben Tejada
NYPost.com:

The Mets are calling on a familiar face to help cope with their latest injury.

They’re calling up Ruben Tejada as Jeff McNeil is going on the 10-day injured list with a mild left hamstring strain, The Post’s Mike Puma confirmed. McNeil underwent an MRI Wednesday.

McNeil hurt his hamstring in Tuesday night’s 5-3 loss to the Braves while trying to beat out an infield hit in the ninth inning.

“It didn’t feel great, but I don’t think it’s terrible,” McNeil said after the game.

Tejada, 29, was signed by the Mets in March and hasn’t appeared in a major-league game since 2017 with the Orioles. He spent his first six MLB seasons with the Mets, who originally signed him in 2006. He’s most remembered for suffering a fractured leg from a Chase Utley slide during the 2015 NLDS. Tejada is hitting .330 in 71 games with Triple-A Syracuse.

Could the Mets Pick Up Former World Series Hero Joe Panik?

7 Aug

Joe Panik

NYPost.com:

The Mets don’t have an everyday answer to replace second baseman Robinson Cano, who’s out indefinitely with a torn left hamstring, which is why Joe Panik being designated for assignment by the Giants could be a factor for them.

Panik, the Long Island native and former St. John’s star, hitting .235 with just three homers, but the second baseman might be worth consideration.

Sources said the Mets hadn’t yet made a decision on whether to take a serious look at the 28-year-old, who was cut loose by the Giants after they traded for the Reds’ Scooter Gennett.

Panik is making $3.8 million and players on waivers no longer are eligible to be traded this month. He either can be claimed, with the team that gets him picking up his salary or clear waivers and be released — and eligible to be signed as a free agent.

Personally, I was hoping for a reunion with Asdrubal Cabrera, but the Nationals have already signed him. Now with Robinson Cano most likely out for the rest of the season, Panik (or even Ruben Tejada, who’s currently tearing it up in the minors) could make the sense to play 2nd base for the rest of the year.