McDonald: Let The Managerial Process Work Out Before Condemning Brodie Van Wagenen

Joe Girardi is going to manage the Phillies and you would think that the Mets just let Pete Alonso go along with him.

Sure, Girardi makes the Phillies a better team, but remember, if he is the best candidate out there, why has it taken him two years to get another job and franchises that do it right all the time, like the Cubs and Cardinals, among others, decided to pass on the former Yankee manager?

That’s not to say Girardi is not better than Gabe Kapler, but the Phillies have the same problems that haunted them last year, namely starting pitching behind Aaron Nola, the bullpen being terrible, and an aging roster staying healthy.

But with what was out there, Girardi was the best on the market, so you can understand why Met fans are lashing out.

That doesn’t mean Brodie Van Wagenen blew it either. As far as we know, the process is still going on and he is looking for the right manager for the role. From what was reported, Girardi is the only candidate interviewed by the Mets, who had experience. That was important to the Phillies, not so much in Queens.

Van Wagenen is looking for a collaborative partner in the dugout, who take advice from the front office and be a cog in the wheel rather than the captain of the ship. You get the feeling, Girardi wanted more control than the Mets were offering, in particularly when it comes to picking a coaching staff. That may have not been a deal breaker for Van Wagenen, but it wasn’t a power he was planning on giving away.

That said, during his time with the Yankees, Girardi was bless with very good clubhouse leadership, from Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera early on to Brett Gardner and CC Sabathia more recently. He will miss that in Philly. Also, with the Mets you have to wonder how some of the more unique personalities like Yoesnis Cespedes and Noah Syndergaard would have meshed with a tightly wound Girardi.

Instead we have to wait and see how this process will end up. Although names like Derek Shelton and Eduardo Perez don’t excite the fanbase, remember the Yankees didn’t have Aaron Boone as a candidate until the end two years ago. Plus, there is a rumor of a blockbuster candidate. Could that be A J Hinch, who may be tired of being the only adult in the room down in Houston?   

You don’t know. The bottom line is that the Mets never do anything well when jumping at things too quickly. They hired both Art Howe and Mickey Callaway almost on the spot and neither worked out.

But Van Wagenen can’t make any mistakes here either, or another general manager in a few years will be interviewing candidates to replace Brodie’s pick.

Today, though, put the pitchforks away, because only two teams can win games in the next week. Neither are the Mets or Phillies.  

About the Author

Joe McDonald

Editor-in-Chief
Joe McDonald is the founder and former publisher of NY Sports Day. After selling to i15Media in 2020, he serves as the Editor-in-Chief and responsible for the editorial side of the publication. In the past, Joe was the managing editor of NY Sportscene magazine and assistant editor of Mets Inside Pitch. He has covered the Mets since 2004.

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