4 NY Mets managers who were let go without receiving a fair chance

There is a saying in baseball that "the job of a baseball manager is to be fired." It is often attributed to Baseball Hall of Fame member Leo Durocher, a veteran of multiple managerial jobs as well as multiple managerial firings. He is quoted as saying, "If you don't win, you're going to be fired. If you do win, you've only put off the day until you're eventually going to be fired." This quote highlights the precarious nature of a baseball manager's job, where job security is often tied to winning, but even winning can only temporarily delay eventual termination. This little fact s not only true with the New York Mets, but also with every MLB team as well.

There are many reasons for a baseball team to fire its manager. It's usually in response to the team's poor performance on the field. “They can’t fire all 26 players, so they fired the manager,” is a phrase often heard in this situation. There are also a few other items that can contribute to firing a manager. Sometimes, a new owner or GM might want to bring in his own guy. Other times, the off field behavior can contribute to the decision-making process (see above Durocher, Leo).

In 2004, ex-Met Wally Backman was fired only four days after being named manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks after some negative reports about his legal and financial problems came to light. Arizona managing partner Ken Kendrick admitted that the Diamondbacks had not fully vetted Backman before hiring him and that Backman had also misled team officials about his past.

4) Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran is the first name on our list. His story somewhat echoes that of Wally Backman. On November 1, 2019, the Mets hired Carlos Beltrán as their manager to replace Mickey Callaway, signing him to a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year. However, on January 16, 2020, before Beltrán ever managed a game, he and the Mets mutually agreed to part ways after he was the only player implicated by name for his role in the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal. He’s the only manager to never officially manage a game for the Mets.

The Astros were found to have used a video camera in center field to observe the opposing catcher as he gave his signs for the next pitch. Astros players or team staffers used various audio cues, such as banging on a trash can, to tell the batter what type of pitch was coming next. An MLB investigation confirmed in January 2020 that the Astros illegally used a camera system to steal signs during the 2017 regular season and postseason, during which they won the World Series.