Every time another update from the Mets pops up in our email — We met with another four candidates last night. We will continue to keep you posted. We are now going to grab a latte — we think back to the press conference the Wilpons had when they fired Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel. An organization that has been accused for years of being aloof and dysfunctional is suddenly like a henpecked husband checking in with his wife every five minutes, just so she doesn’t think he’s up to no good. The Mets — and, presumably, our theoretical husband — have to earn back some trust. They’re certainly trying.
We mean, just two months ago, the Mets.com newsletter was being used to advertise free credit scores. Now it’s being used to thank us for “offering suggestions and ideas on how to assemble a winning team.” Well, you’re welcome, Mets! So how is our credit score, anyway?
The Mets are set to announce their new manager on Monday, so one of these four men is going to be a large part of your Thanksgiving conversation. The general consensus is that Bob Melvin’s the favorite, but in many ways, the new manager is beside the point. The whole new Mets infrastructure at this point is based on front-office control and a relatively muted manager — they want someone who will follow orders rather than give them. For this to work, the Mets must make us trust that front-office control. And for that to work, that front-office must acknowledge the mistakes of the past and let you know they’re sorry.
The Mets have done an excellent job of this: The Knicks, in particular, could stand to pay attention to the lesson. When the Mets name their new manager, it will be the end of a process that has seemed to take longer than it really has. They are creating the illusion of a particularly comprehensive process. This is how it ordinarily works: We just know more about it this time. We wouldn’t expect the Mets to remain this transparent, at all, ever, and much of it is fake transparency anyway. But they are trying. They are checking in with you. It might not mean that much, but compared to life before, it is something.