The New York Mets appear ready to begin interviewing candidates for their vacant managerial position in the coming days. Hitting coach Kevin Long, who has widely been expected to garner serious consideration for the job, is set to interview for the post in the next few days, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Long, who is already committed to return to the Mets’ coaching staff as the hitting coach in 2018, has drawn rave reviews from both current and former players he has worked with. Another candidate has emerged in recent days, however, as the Mets are showing interest in Cleveland Indians’ pitching coach Mickey Callaway, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports.
While Long’s candidacy has been long established, the Mets’ interest in Callaway is a new development. Callaway has been on the Indians’ staff since 2013 and has drawn rave reviews for his work with the team’s pitching staff, which carried them to the World Series in 2016 and 101 wins this season. The Philadelphia Phillies will interview Callaway for their vacant managerial position soon, and the Mets may opt to do the same shortly after that. Callaway is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks, and Indians’ manager Terry Francona has raved about his ability, indicating to MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince that it is just a matter of time before Callaway is someone’s manager.
Interviewing Callaway is a good idea for Mets’ General Manager Sandy Alderson, who is casting his net far and wide to look for his next manager. The Mets are in need of a fresh face in the dugout, one who has new ideas about the use of analytics and collaboration with the front office, something that old school baseball lifer Terry Collins didn’t naturally possess. Callaway is one of several candidates on the Mets’ list who fits that bill, and his work with the Indians’ young pitchers should be of particular interest to the Mets, who are looking to revitalize their own young hurlers after a rough year in 2017.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
