Former Mets Headline Team’s List Of Potential Future Managers

The New York Mets’ 90 loss campaign is expected to cost manager Terry Collins his job. Collins, whose contract expires after the end of the season, has hinted at retirement in the past and could be forced down that road if the team doesn’t renew his contract. While the argument about whether or not Collins deserves to lose his job is a fair one, the front office appears set to move on. The organization is already compiling a list of potential replacements for Collins, and a lot of them have ties to the Mets, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.

Former Mets’ coaches Bob Geren and Chip Hale have previously been linked to the job, but Puma’s sources added some new names to the short list. Hitting coach Kevin Long is expected to draw consideration for the job, while former Mets’ players Robin Ventura and Alex Cora could also be candidates. Geren served as the Mets’ bench coach from 2011 to 2015, when he departed for the same position with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hale served on the Mets’ coaching staff for two years and a was a finalist for the managerial position in 2011, when it was awarded to Collins. The most intriguing name on the list is Long, whose contract expires after the season and has drawn rave reviews from the organization for his communication skills. Long hasn’t managed above Single-A in his career, but the Mets may think about giving him a shot since he may not return to the organization as the hitting coach.

The two former players also offer unique options to the Mets. Ventura offers recent managerial experience, having spent five years as the skipper of the Chicago White Sox, and was well respected by owner Fred Wilpon for his clubhouse demeanor. Cora, who played for the Mets in 2009 and 2010, is currently serving as the Astros’ bench coach and could be a good fit with the current front office. General Manager Sandy Alderson is a huge fan of baseball analytics, a notion that Cora embraces and Collins didn’t necessarily fit in as an old school guy.

The Mets will inform Collins of their decision as early as Monday. Collins may opt to retire to spare the organization the bad optics of firing him, but either way the Mets will be looking for a new skipper. Finding the right successor for Collins will be critical if the Mets hope to win next season, so hopefully they don’t mess this hire up.