Steadiness: “The quality of being regular, even, and continuous in development, frequency, or intensity.”
Adversity struck rookie Mets manager Carlos Mendoza early and often last year. The Mets started the season at 0-5, and everyone asked what was wrong with them. They couldn’t hit during that start. They recovered by going 8-8, including by taking two of three against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park during that stretch.
But that would be nothing compared to what he had to deal with at the end of May.
The Mets went through a rough stretch, losing 15 of 19 after a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 29 at Citi Field. At that time, they were 11 games below .500. This was when the Dodgers swept them, and then-Mets reliever Jorge Lopez acted out after being ejected for shouting at third base umpire Ramon De Jesus over an appeal ruling on Freddie Freeman’s checked swing. He dropped the ball on the mound, walked off the field with his jersey untucked, and tossed his glove in the stands, which prompted the Mets to release him.
It was the team’s lowest moment. There were questions about Mendoza’s ability to lead.
But then the Mets started winning, from June to an NLCS appearance, making it one of the most memorable in franchise history. Yes, Francisco Lindor received credit for a closed-door meeting that helped the Mets turn their season around, but Mendoza stuck to the real work of managing people. The rookie manager kept encouraging and cajoling them that it would get better rather than publicly criticizing his players.
Rather than creating attention for himself, he trusted his players and put them in a position to succeed. Rather than benching players, he showed faith in them.
We all knew Mendoza was a great communicator from his days as Yankees bench coach, but that means nothing. It’s how managing through a crisis makes managers stand out. That is where Mendoza made an impression, displaying his managerial chops when the situation presented itself.
As anyone can attest, managing in New York is not easy. Distractions come with it. The media always asks tough questions, the fans demand results, and controversies create their own life. Some relish it, like Bobby Valentine. Some hate it, such as Art Howe, Willie Randolph, Luis Rojas, and the late Jeff Torborg.
That is not to say Mendoza enjoyed the distractions that came with it. He knew how to diffuse it and let his players focus on playing the game. Mendoza was the same guy even when the Mets had that summer success. You never heard him self-promote himself as Rick Pitino constantly does at St. John’s or when Valentine managed the Mets. He focused on the players, which is how it should be. The players like that approach from a manager.
11/14/23 – New York Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns, shakes hands with Carlos Mendoza during a press conference at Citi Field, where Mendoza was introduced as the new New York Mets manager.
Photo by Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
There’s so much to like about Mendoza because he handles difficulties gracefully, is accessible, and treats people well. Still, it’s doubtful Stearns hired Mendoza based on those qualities. He was employed for player development and a collaborative approach. However, managing players and dealing with this market can’t be taken for granted in a sport where spreadsheets on players matter much more.
The best news about what I’ve written here is that the Mets haven’t had stability with the manager and general manager for a long time. Stearns knows how to build a team and find pitchers; Mendoza is up to managing in New York. Those two have put the Mets in a better place now.
There’s going to be pressure on the Mets to duplicate last season. Who knows how the season will turn out? But one thing is sure: the Mets have a keeper in the manager’s dugout.
