Good morning, all and happy Monday!
The baseball universe is still trying to process the firing of Alex Cora as Red Sox manager, along with five of his coaches. With several other big league clubs floundering, will one of them reach out to hire Cora? I explore it all in the video and audio commentary.
Here are some other thoughts on what could be a manic Monday in the baseball universe:
If Carlos Mendoza is still the Mets manager on Tuesday, when the Mets host the Washington Nationals, I will be surprised. It may not be Mendoza’s fault, but the manager always takes the fall. Just ask Alex Cora.
With today an off day for the Mets, expect changes. There is no way owner Steve Cohen will allow the status quo. The Mets were just embarrassed by the Rockies this weekend, swept a three-game series, including dropping a doubleheader yesterday, at a near-empty Citi Field. The boos reverberated throughout the ballpark, as the Mets managed just one run in two games. Cohen cannot permit this to continue. I would not be surprised, if David Stearns, president of the Mets baseball operations, also is put on notice by his boss. Heck, he might also get fired.
There could be several scenarios here. Maybe Mendoza stays and Stearns is shown the door. Maybe both go. But I do not see both of them still on the job come Tuesday.
There have been rumblings that Carlos Beltran will replace Mendoza. Perhaps. Remember, the Mets hired him as manager, only to cut him loose, when he was connected to the cheating scandal in Houston. But I do not see the Mets going to someone who has never managed before, as their next manager, even though Beltran will be inducted in the Hall of Fame this summer.
Enter Cora. I would be surprised if Cora is named Mets manager on Tuesday. My guess is he is still trying to process Saturday’s events. If the Mets ax Mendoza, perhaps they name an interim, while Cohen works out a deal with Cora. I do not see Mendoza lasting much longer. Watching his postgame news conference, after the doubleheader sweep yesterday, was revealing. His body language spoke volumes. Expect a change.
I get the idea, watching Juan Soto in his postgame news conference, that he wishes he was crosstown with that other baseball team. Just sayin.’
Some other numbers on which to chew. The Mets have lost 15 of 17 games, been shutout five times, including the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader, and have scored two runs or less in 14 of their 28 games.
As of this writing, the Mets have the second highest payroll in baseball and the Phillies the fourth highest. They have the worst records in baseball at 9-19, tied for last place in the NL Eastern Division, 10.5 games behind Atlanta. Change is coming.
By the way, give credit to the Rockies. This club has turned it around and I am not surprised. I saw a lot of these players, when they were with the Hartford Yard Goats. That Chase Dollander had the Mets eating out of his hands yesterday is not a shock. The guy can pitch. That Zach Agnos slammed the door in the ninth is also not a surprise. He has that closer’s mentality. Colorado is an improved club.
These Red Sox players, who are peeved that Alex Cora was fired and shocked at the timing of his dismissal? And some of them upset that ownership didn’t consult them first? Get real.
While Citi Field was more than half empty for the Mets Sunday doubleheader, Yankee Stadium was going Bananas over a certain NFL QB:
Yankees fans have their issues with manager Aaron Boone, but I have always found him to be a class act. Yesterday, without revealing what was talked about, Boone admitted he had a long conversation in the morning with Cora. Despite being rivals on the ball field, the two have remained close friends, dating back to when they both worked as broadcasters for ESPN.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. By the time you read this, perhaps the Mets have a new manager. Thank you for subscribing!
DAN
