Sandy Alomar Jr. joins Mets’ list of potential managerial candidates

Multiple names have been rumored as potential managerial candidates for the Mets, and the latest name to crop up in reports in Sandy Alomar Jr. The former catcher played briefly with the Mets in 2007, as he appeared in eight games that year and batted .136. He returned for the next two seasons as a catching instructor under then-manager Jerry Manuel.

Alomar has been with the Indians since 2010, first serving as the bench coach under Manny Acta and now serving as the first base coach. Alomar does have managerial experience in the past, though it is only six games. He took over as interim manager after Acta was fired at the end of the season in 2012, and the team went 3-3 in the final six games under Alomar. He’s been considered for several managerial vacancies in the past, first with the Blue Jays in 2010, then with the Indians in 2012, and most recently with the Diamondbacks in 2014.

The Mets’ rumored list of serious managerial candidates has now reached seven. It includes Alomar, former Mets players Robin Ventura, Alex Cora, and Joe McEwing, former Mets coaches Bob Geren and Chip Hale, and the Mets’ current hitting coach Kevin Long. Ventura, Geren, and Hale all have major league managerial experience, though none have had any particular success. Cora is currently the Astros’ bench coach and has no managerial experience on any level, while McEwing is currently the White Sox’ bench coach and has been a minor league manager in that organization.