Being the manager of a World Series team can’t hurt a guy’s job prospects. Mets skipper Terry Collins was in the final year of his contract, but the team is signing him to a two-year extension, according to the New York Daily News‘ Kristie Ackert.
Sources: #Mets will announce Terry Collins back as manager on a two-year deal tomorrow. More on https://t.co/8VbZMOYt5p
— Kristie Ackert (@Ackert_NYDN) November 3, 2015
Collins’ decision-making will surely be scrutinized through the offseason, as fans and media deliberate over the choice to let Matt Harvey pitch the ninth inning of Game 5 (or keep him in when Harvey walked Lorenzo Cain to lead off the frame). He had already opted to pull Harvey from the game, but let the pitcher talk him out of it.
The manager was also criticized for letting Yoenis Cespedes finish his at-bat in the sixth inning after fouling a ball off his knee. With the bases loaded and no outs, Cespedes was clearly debilitated and could barely run to first base following a pop-up to shortstop. Though a pinch-hitter would have been behind on a zero-ball, two-strike count, would an uninjured player have had a better chance to put the ball in play?
But looking at the bigger picture, Collins did an excellent job managing the Mets this season, dealing with significant injuries and lack of production throughout his lineup. Additionally, he had to juggle a starting rotation with several young pitchers that needed their innings monitored carefully (notably with Harvey) and make use of a bullpen that only had one reliable reliever in closer Jeurys Familia.
Collins has an under-.500 record in five seasons as Mets manager (394-416) and dealt with an uncertain job status for the past couple of seasons, including this most recent one. But he’s worked well with GM Sandy Alderson, succeeding with the plan of assembling a roster of young players and cheaper veterans. He also has the support of his players. Say what you will about sticking with Harvey in Game 5, but that was surely a popular decision in the Mets’ clubhouse, one that will surely be remembered throughout the next two seasons. Turning over the team to a new guy would have been a jolting, unnecessary adjustment for a pennant-winning club.
At 66 (making him the oldest manager in MLB), Collins doesn’t plan to manage much longer and that was surely a consideration in giving him a shorter-term extension. This isn’t a long-term commitment and Collins certainly deserves the new contract with the Mets’ performance this season.
