Collins, Hurdle, Melvin most likely to advance
Former Arizona Diamondbacks manager and current Mets scout Bob Melvin is considered a likely favorite to advance to the next round in GM interviews. Credit: AP, 2009
With the Mets almost finished interviewing their candidates for manager, a list of favorites has emerged.
Terry Collins, Clint Hurdle and Bob Melvin are most likely to advance to the second round, an industry source said, with Chip Hale also a possibility.
Of that quartet, only Hale - who worked as the Mets' third-base coach in 2010 - has not worked as a big-league manager. New general manager Sandy Alderson is emphasizing such experience in his search.
Hale is very likely to be on the 2011 Mets coaching staff regardless of who gets the managing job - unless Hale defies the odds and gets the job himself.
Wally Backman, the popular former Mets second baseman, likely will be offered the chance to manage Class A St. Lucie next season, a promotion from his Class A Brooklyn job of 2010. It's not clear whether Backman will advance to the second round, but he appears to be an extreme long shot.
Alderson and his new lieutenant, Paul DePodesta, will interview Triple-A Buffalo manager Ken Oberkfell and Double-A manager Tim Teufel before moving forward.
