The New York Mets have officially announced that both manager Terry Collins and general manager Sandy Alderson will return next season.
The decision had been rumored for recent weeks and there was never any serious speculation that Alderson’s job was in jeopardy. There were more doubts about Collins, but I wonder how much of that was real and how much of it was wishful thinking from fans and media members who want to see Wally Backman in the manager’s office.
I’m fine with giving both men a chance to complete their reconstruction plan that we were never officially allowed to refer to as “rebuilding.”
Alderson has built assets at the minor league level that are beginning to help the major league team. His moves with players at the big league level have been more of a mixed bag, and for that reason I don’t think I would have been so quick to offer Alderson an extension covering 2016 and 2017 yet.
I’d like to see some more actual winning first. But no one wants to work under lame-duck status and it is encouraging to me that Alderson wants to stick around for three more years – I don’t think he’d do that if he wasn’t convinced that the Mets were headed in the right direction.
I’m less enthusiastic about Collins. All accounts suggest that he is a good guy and his players like him, but from an outside perspective it seems like he’s too willing to accept mediocrity at times and too concerned about winning every game to prioritize the big picture at others. (I’d also mention bullpen management and lineup construction issues, but I think if you watched any team on a regular basis you’d see their manager do something in one or both areas to make you crazy.)
But on the bright side, Collins did not get a contract extension and Backman, Bob Geren and Tim Teufel will all be readily available to replace him next year if the Mets get off to a bad start.
Hopefully 2015 will be the year when being patient begins to pay off.
What do you think about the Mets’ decision to bring back Sandy Alderson and Terry Collins?
PaulHadsall.com 
From an A’s fan on the west coast, with more than a passing interest in the Mets, stay clear of Geren. Under his rule, the A’s were dull, dull, dull. Even when they won!
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I like what Sandy’s done, especially under the circumstances. Hell, he gets major credit in my book for turning two relatively minor free agent signings into Dilson Herrera and Vic Black.
Collins I keep going back and forth about… but I’m largely OK with keeping him in charge… for now…
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