NY Mets manager Andy Green is unintentionally making his replacement's job tougher

Once again reiterated for those in the back who didn’t hear, David Stearns declared on Monday that the plan is for Andy Green to return to the New York Mets front office when the season ends. 

This has been the known thought since he took over for Carlos Mendoza on June 26th. The plan was always for the interim skipper to never wear more than that temporary label. 

It hasn’t been Shangri-La since he took over, but with a 23-22 record and more so some strong play from the team in August post-trade deadline, it’s no wonder fans are wondering if maybe he’s the right man to stick around.

Andy Green’s success is unintentionally making the job tougher for whoever replaces him as Mets manager

We can hear it now. After one weekend, a week, and then even a month, if the next Mets manager isn’t getting great results or even just making some questionable calls, fans are going to be screaming for Green to step back down from his perch. Mets fans are quick to grab the pitchforks and waste no time calling out boneheaded decisions by managers. That’s all a part of being a fan in the biggest sports market in the country.

Green has said all of the right things. In early July, he raised the stakes and demanded more out of all of the players. He has seen the young starters turn in quality starts or something near it and publicly pointed out the flaws. Nolan McLean and Christian Scott are getting challenged to become aces rather than getting pats on the backs for what they do well.

It’s a strange place for Green to be. He can’t go into full punt mode as the Mets didn’t completely tear down the roster. They mostly eliminated from the bullpen and yet many of the relievers trying out for next year are getting the job done. Green is making decisions on behalf of what’s best for the long-term future of the Mets. As it turns out, many of those choices are resulting in wins and overall good vibes around the team.

Whether it’s someone like Carlos Beltran or a proven big league manager like Alex Cora stepping into the role, the bar has been raised for the next manager thanks to Green’s enthusiasm and more so how well the team has responded with him in charge. Even if the result is only a single game over .500 and many of those recent victories coming against teams with losing records (Cleveland Guardians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals), the difference in managing style has been noticeably since the jump.

In four years with the San Diego Padres, Green’s .448 winning percentage in 2019 when he was fired was his best. The fault doesn’t fall squarely on him and we should always expect a first-time manager to fail more often than they succeed.

There’s probably nothing anyone can do or say to convince Green to stay on as the manager. His influence, however, can remain as he’ll return to the Senior Vice President of for Player Development role or possibly even some other job title within the same realm. Green’s success shouldn’t change anything in the Mets’ minds about what they need in the manager role or how fans feel. Experience feels like a must even if it’s not actually in the managerial seat (Beltran). The biggest thing will be some existing connection with the organization’s philosophies. They shouldn't avoid outside candidates although with practically the rest of the staff only a year into their contracts, it might be tough to convince some to come to Queens without any say in the coaches he'll have.

Green has felt too perfect for what the Mets needed. At least he’ll stick around in some capacity because in a rarity, someone with his previous job title has proven he probably knows what he’s doing.

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