Mets mystery manager candidate is Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy

Milwaukee Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy is reportedly one of the mystery candidates for the New York Mets manager job.

As far as New York Mets rumors go, the focus has been almost entirely on the search for a new manager. The team cannot do anything until after the World Series ends anyway. So, those behind-the-scenes rumblings have all been about who captains this team, hopefully, to victory in 2020.

During the late afternoon NFL games on Sunday, the Mets rumors actually delivered us some names. What we learned last week about the manager hunt was that there was an alleged “bombshell” candidate in the running for the job. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and others, a mysterious man up for the job is Milwaukee Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy.

Admittedly, I’m not as versed in Brewers bench coaches as your average Wisconsin native. Murphy spent most of his coaching time in college—a place I only spent two years of my life at. But hey, at least I don’t have any student loans.

More from Rising Apple

• NY Mets News: Marcus Stroman sees “potential fit” with the Angels
• NY Mets were too “seek” and not enough “destroy” last winter
• NY Mets: 1 trade target to consider from each 100-loss team
• NY Mets: Top 12 free agents the team should look to sign this winter
• NY Mets: Jeff Wilpon’s legacy continues to plague the Amazins

My initial reaction to seeing Murphy’s name as the mystery candidate was a little overwhelming. I also believed this was different from the bombshell candidate Andy Martino of SNY first reported. It’s still unclear to me whether they are the same person or not. I’m left wondering what the definition of bombshell really is if Murphy was the one Martino had referred to.

Wouldn’t it just be so much easier if we named names or said nothing at all?

Like anyone who follows the Mets, I also enjoyed a gauntlet in my own head of who the bombshell candidate could be. Was it a former Mets player like David Wright? What about a proven winner like Bruce Bochy? Then there was all of the talk about Alex Rodriguez. He’d definitely fit the description of bombshell.

I have nothing against Murphy. But like most non-Brewers fans, I had to do a little research on him before forming any opinion at all.

What I learned is that Murphy has an elite college coaching resume which includes a 947-400-2 record with Notre Dame and Arizona State. From there, he spent time in the San Diego Padres’ system and took over in June of 2015 after Bud Black was fired. He then joined the Brewers where he has been ever since.

Murphy is a bit different from some of the other Mets candidates still alive in the running. Unlike Carlos Beltran, he has managed before. He’s actually the type of person I might expect Brodie Van Wagenen to hire. Murphy isn’t a former MLB player who can get by on name recognition. He’s not going to get a job because it placates the fans. Murphy becomes a manager based on what he can do on the job.

This still doesn’t mean Murphy is the best man for the job. Like all of the supposed surviving candidates, there’s not much to go on other than personality, gut-feel, and how willing he is to collaborate with the Mets’ front office.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

Murphy may indeed become the next Mets manager. Although it’s unlikely he is the bombshell candidate our inner gossip girls want to know more about, I’m willing to give him and everyone else up for the job a chance.