Terry Collins introduced as new Mets manager

Ultimately, Terry Collins was hired by the Mets to win baseball games, and he won't get that chance for another four months. Until then, the biggest challenge for the team's fifth manager in eight years will be to change the perception of both him and the battered franchise.

That's what Collins attempted to do during yesterday's introductory news conference at Citi Field. After convincing general manager Sandy Alderson he was the best man for the job, it was the public's turn, and Collins obviously had done some reading before taking the podium.

"I'm not the evil devil people have made me out to be," Collins said. "I've learned to mellow a little bit. I love this job, I love the players, but my love for the game itself leads me to want the game being played correctly. And that will never take a second step to anything."

In the eyes of the fan base, Collins' greatest crime is that he's not Wally Backman, the beloved '86 Met who was among the four finalists for the vacant position. But Alderson had to weigh a few red flags from Collins' past, which included flameouts in each of his three significant managerial jobs: Houston, Anaheim and Japan.

It took Alderson almost three weeks to pare down a field of 10 candidates, and with major-league experience a critical factor, Bob Melvin was probably a safer pick. Still, Alderson was impressed enough by Collins that his previous transgressions were not unforgivable. The Mets gave Collins a two-year contract with an option for a third - the same deal that Jerry Manuel had received.

"We have no way of guaranteeing those were learning experiences," Alderson said. "We have to evaluate the total package. Certainly we took all those things into account. But just as people have pointed out he hasn't managed in 11 years in the major leagues and view that as a negative, to some extent, what he has done the last 11 years in different capacities actually might be a positive - having gotten away from it, having gotten older, having been more exposed to younger players, the importance of teaching and patience.

"But we feel satisfied as a group, as an organization, we can address those kinds of issues that may have arisen in the past and we're confident that Terry is a different person. How different? What exactly is different? I don't think anybody will know until we get into the season."

Maybe so, but that didn't stop Collins from making his share of campaign promises. At 61, he described himself as a more patient person, but also realized that was a dangerous word to use in a win-now city like New York. He also showed visible disdain for the concept of "rebuilding" and pledged that the player mutiny that led to his Angels' resignation in 1999 would not haunt him with the Mets.

"I did a bad job managing the clubhouse, no question about it," Collins said. "I'm accountable for that. I was the manager of that team. I should have done a better job of staying on top of it - I didn't. I learned from it. I will guarantee it will not happen here."

When asked about his "intense" label, Collins cited Tommy Lasorda, Lou Piniella and Jim Leyland as his greatest influences, saying he selected the No. 10 in honor of Leyland, the current Tigers manager.

Collins also is savvy enough to understand the tightrope he'll walk here with the veteran players, and how being a disciplinarian does not mean running the team like a dictatorship. When asked if he would speak with Jose Reyes about celebratory dancing, Collins took a diplomatic approach.

"Only if they start throwing at him, then I've got to address it," Collins said. "If Jose Reyes jumps up and down and somebody drills him, I'll be unhappy. Probably with the other side, but also Jose. I'll probably say, 'You know what? You've got to tone that down because I need you in the lineup.' "

As for Collins' own fiery reputation and on-field enthusiasm, Alderson viewed it as a strength, as well as a good fit for the organization.

"From a personal standpoint, I think that we were not looking for someone who was an extension of us - we were looking for someone who was going to be complementary to us," Alderson said. "I think that's what we're getting. I think he'll bring a very distinct element to our group."