Consider for a moment that Carlos Beltran’s departure was actually a boon for the Mets.
One industry source believes Beltran, though he holds a strong presence, was unqualified to run the dugout and make smart in-game decisions. That person told the Daily News that Beltran would better serve as a hitting coach than a field manager, due to his lack of knowledge on the pitching front.
It’s an analysis that the public will not be able to refute or verify unless Beltran allows time to heal the wounds he helped create and is again hired to become a big-league manager in the subsequent future.
But it brings into question what the Mets actually want out of their next manager. If Beltran was indeed ill-equipped to lead, which was mainly proven when he was named in the commissioner’s report as a player with knowledge and involvement in the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal, then why hire him in the first place?
The Mets are now presented with a unique opportunity.
Brodie Van Wagenen has the chance to hit the reset button, learn from his misstep in choosing Beltran and pick a manager who is better suited for the role. Out of the three managerial vacancies in the league, with the Astros and Red Sox also searching for new skippers, the Mets should be the most attractive suitor. The club was in no way directly involved in MLB’s probe and the next manager will not have to worry about systemic cheating the way the ensuing Astros and Red Sox managers will.
The Mets are in the discussion stage of choosing Beltran’s replacement, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Only five days have passed since they “parted ways” with Beltran. So that suggests the Mets are comfortable moving forward with an internal candidate — or someone the club spent time “thoroughly” interviewing in October.
Luis Rojas received strong consideration within the organization when he reached the final stages of the interview process a few months ago, according to an industry source. He is again being regarded as someone who could lead the team in 2020.
Rojas, 38, has spent 14 seasons with the organization, including eight as a manager at the minor league level. Last year was his first full season on a major league coaching staff, serving as the Mets’ first-ever quality-control coach.
Formally, he was a liaison between the Mets front office and field staff, bringing information to the manager that could be implemented during games. He also spent hours pouring over ways to help infielders like J.D. Davis, Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith become familiar with transitioning to the outfield. Rojas is analytically savvy and falls in line with baseball’s modern approach of hiring younger managers.
He is the son of Felipe Alou, brother of Moises and nephew of Matty and Jesus. Felipe managed the Giants and Expos, Moises was a six-time All-Star who finished his career with the Mets, and Matty and Jesus were both longtime National League outfielders. Being a member of the prominent Alou baseball family makes Rojas’ potential transition to major league manager seem inescapable.
Whether or not the Mets believe the 38-year-old Rojas is ready for that undertaking is still up for debate. Rojas has Omar Minaya in his corner, according to a source. And if Van Wagenen picked the last manager in Beltran, then maybe Minaya, a special assistant to the GM, deserves a louder voice this time.
The Mets hope to conclude their second managerial search of the offseason in the coming days. When they do, the sooner we can move on from Beltran’s potential inadequacies and focus on his successor’s brighter future.
