Mets Morning News: Manager search continues as playoffs heat up

Meets the Mets

The major focus in Mets World remains on the search for a new manager, and The Athletic compiled ten names to look out for in that search.

There are a few different factors to take into consideration when trying to figure out who the Mets will target for the job.

While Joe Girardi has been getting the most attention amongst the more experienced candidates, Buck Showalter could also be a solid fit if the front office is willing to surrender a certain amount of control to him.

The Mets could also look to the Red Sox to find their new manager, as assistant GM Allard Baird worked for the organization for many years.

There will be two Mets representatives at the Arizona Fall League’s Fall Stars game, as shortstop Andres Gimenez and pitcher Jordan Humphreys were both named to the East team’s roster.

Around the National League East

As the Nationals get ready for a decisive Game 5 tonight against the Dodgers, their fans must contend with the reality that it may well be Ryan Zimmerman’s last game with the organization.

Game 5 of the Braves/Cardinals series will be played tonight in Atlanta, which means we will be forced to listen to the tomahawk chop one more time. Thus, it bears repeating that the chant is awful and racist and must go.

Gabe Kapler is still currently employed as the manager of the Phillies, but nobody knows whether or not that will remain the case, and the front office’s hesitance to make a decision calls attention to the clarity (or lack thereof) behind their overall vision for the organization’s future.

If the Phillies do decide to move on from Kapler, one person they could be interested in as his replacement is none other than Buck Showalter.

Around Major League Baseball

Facing elimination for the second straight game, the Rays hit two homers against Justin Verlander and forced him out of the game after just 3.2 innings of work. Six different Rays pitchers, meanwhile, held the Astros to just one run, allowing them to secure a 4-1 victory and force a winner-take-all Game 5 tomorrow in Houston.

That makes it three Game 5’s that we’ll be getting in this first stretch of the 2019 postseason. MLB.com ranked the ten best such games in past Division Series. One of the games they chose features a certain team in orange and blue.

One person who came up with a big hit against Verlander to help keep the Rays’ season alive: former Met Travis d’Arnaud.

The drama over the Athletics’ attempt to secure a new stadium may be reaching a new chapter, as Rob Manfred reportedly warned city officials that the team could relocate to Las Vegas (just as the Raiders will soon be doing) barring a resolution to the city of Oakland’s lawsuit over ownership of the Coliseum.

One person who is a big fan of Buck Showalter is Manny Machado, as he reportedly tried to convince the Padres front office to consider his former skipper for their managerial opening. Alas, San Diego evidently plans to go in a different direction.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Steve Sypa, Lukas Vlahos, and Kenneth Lavin discussed—amongst other things—the 2019 Kingsport Mets season on the latest episode of From Complex to Queens.

Sypa also wrote about the 2019 performances of the players the Mets drafted on day two of this year’s draft and compared them to that of previous day two draftees.

David Capobianco reviewed the 2019 season of Wilmer Font, who ended up being Arial disappointment for the Mets.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets played their first game of the 2015 playoffs on this date in 2015. In Game 1 against the Dodgers, Jacob deGrom outdueled Clayton Kershaw as Daniel Murphy hit a homer against the L.A. ace to lead the team to a 3-1 victory. The Mets, of course, would go on to win the series in five games.