Manuel says he should be fine as manager for season
INDIANAPOLIS - With no credible in-house replacements, the Mets made the decision at the end of last season to stick with Jerry Manuel for the final year of his contract. They won't be handcuffed by the same problem, however, if Manuel stumbles out of the gate in 2010.
With yesterday's hiring of Bob Melvin as a professional scout, the Mets now have surrounded Manuel with three potential managers in waiting, along with Terry Collins (minor-league field coordinator) and Wally Backman (Class A Brooklyn). When asked about the unusual situation, Manuel laughed.
"I'm the fourth guy on that list," he joked. "I think the organization is putting together some good baseball people. I think those are all good baseball people, good baseball minds. I think for any organization to move forward, you need those types of people in place.
"You know, perception would say, 'Hey, Jerry, turn around.' But I'm not turning around. I'm just going to go do my thing and do the best I can. We have the means to acquire, and have, a good team. And I think if you've got a good team, you should be OK. So I don't have a problem with that."
Manuel's job security was a popular topic during a media session here and he didn't mind it. After what Manuel endured last season - avalanche of injuries, sloppy play - what harm could a few questions do? When Manuel was asked if a fast start was important for what might be the delicate psyche of his team, he had a different opinion.
"No, no. I think if they want to keep me around," Manuel joked. "But if not, hey, they take their time because they are good players. We have some good players that have had a history of playing well at the major league level. So I still believe that the finish for this team is going to be the most important."
That is, of course, if Manuel makes it to September.
