As another disappointing season comes to a close, I'd like to make a pitch for an opportunity to turn the franchise around.
I know as an organization you say you are committed to the losing ways of Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel. But I know that it's not too late to make a change.
You can have a man who has Hall of Fame player credentials. He knows how to play the game of baseball. He has done nothing but win since he began his managerial career. And I'm pretty confident that if you pick up the phone, this person would leap at the opportunity to manage the Mets.
His name is Gary Carter.
Carter's Long Island Ducks clinched the second-half title in the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League. Once again a Carter-led team is storming into the post-season. (The post-season, you may remember, is what happens after the regular season ends, when teams play for the championship. Your current leadership hasn't been able to accomplish that feat in three years...and the team has been there only once in the past decade.)Here's a brief overview of Carter's managerial resume:
Gulf Coast Mets, 2005: 37-16 (0-2 Postseason)
St. Lucie Mets, 2006: 40-30 1st half, 37-32 2nd half (5-0 Postseason, championship)
Orange County Flyers, 2008: 28-15 1st half, 26-22 2nd half (6-4 Postseason, championship)
Long Island Ducks, 2009: 37-33 1st half, 37-33 2nd half (tbd)
It's time someone took a chance on Carter at the major league level. It might as well be the team he led to a world championship as a player.
I don't know why no one has taken this chance yet. My only guess is that Carter is not well-liked around baseball...because from the reading I've done over the years it seems like he was not very well-liked as a player. But that's by other players. You know what the fans thought of him? We loved him. So New Yorkers would come to the park, I'm sure. Especially when he starts making the Mets a winning ballclub again.
Because he will make them a winning ballclub. You argue that he has only handled young players in the minors? Well, guess what? The veteran approach hasn't quite succeeded with the Mets. Time to build up a young core...and let Carter lead them.
It won't be overnight success with Carter. But it'll be worth waiting for, I promise.
Don't give me the excuse that Jerry Manuel hasn't had his full roster since April and he's dealt with all of these injuries. I saw the Mets in April, at full capacity, and they were not going anywhere. I bet a Gary Carter-led team doesn't tolerate guys waltzing into home when they should be sliding and guys making countless poor baserunning errors. And Carter's enthusiasm probably wouldn't hurt a team that lacks a certain fire.
Again, I don't know why no one has hired him yet at a high-minor league or major league level. But it won't be long until the secret's out. The man can manage. And right now, he could be the next manager of the New York Mets.
If you wait too long, you might watch him win a championship at this level with another team.
Sincerely,
A Mets fan
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