Mets target another former player for next manager
Sandy Alomar Jr. is steady on the Mets’ radar.
The former All-Star catcher — who finished his career with the Mets in 2007 — is under strong consideration to be interviewed for the team’s managerial position, an industry source said Friday.
Alomar joins Robin Ventura, Joe McEwing, Alex Cora, Kevin Long, Bob Geren and Chip Hale among the potential candidates in which the Mets have strong interest, although it’s unclear if general manager Sandy Alderson has yet contacted anybody about the job.
The 51-year-old Alomar has drawn managerial interest in recent years. He was a finalist for the Indians job — after serving as interim manager — when the team hired Terry Francona after the 2012 season. Alomar also interviewed for the Diamondbacks’ opening following the 2014 season, when Hale was hired.
Alomar, who serves as the Indians’ first-base coach, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Thursday. Twenty years earlier he hit one of the biggest postseason home runs in Indians’ history, against Mariano Rivera, to eliminate the Yankees from the ALDS.
Alomar’s father, Sandy Sr., served as a Mets coach under managers Willie Randolph and Jerry Manuel.
The Mets could view Alomar Jr., a native of Puerto Rico, as somebody who would connect with the team’s Latin players. And the fact he is a former catcher can only help as the Mets continue to make the organization’s young pitchers the focal point of next season.
Alomar spent 2008-09 with the Mets as a catching instructor before taking a coaching position with the Indians.
McEwing interviewed with the Tigers in recent days for their managerial vacancy and also could be a fit for the Phillies. Cora could also be a candidate for the Tigers job, and potentially the Red Sox should they dump manager John Farrell.
Geren, the Dodgers bench coach, is most familiar to Alderson after spending four seasons as Terry Collins’ top lieutenant. Geren interviewed for the Dodgers’ managerial vacancy following the 2015 season — the job went to Dave Roberts — but settled for the bench coach job in part because he wanted a return to his West Coast roots. Geren has previous managerial experience, with the Athletics, and is well-respected for his understanding of analytics. But he also had a communication breakdown that led to relievers Huston Street and Brian Fuentes publicly criticizing him.
Cora, the Astros bench coach, is also analytics savvy, and the native of Puerto Rico would also likely connect strongly with the team’s Latin players, which shouldn’t be discounted given the importance of Yoenis Cespedes and Amed Rosario to the club.
Long, the Mets hitting coach, has never managed above Single-A, but appeals to team officials because of his communication skills and the respect he receives in the clubhouse. Long is unsigned beyond Oct. 31, but Alderson has indicated he would expect the hitting coach to return if not offered the manager’s job.
Ventura played for the Mets from 1999-2001 and spent five seasons managing the White Sox, but four times his teams finished fourth or lower in the AL Central.
Hale, a former Mets third base coach, was a finalist for the job when Collins was hired, following the 2010 season. Hale later spent two seasons managing the Diamondbacks.