A Look forward

METS WILL NOT GET BETTER IN 2011- TICKET SALES WILL GO DOWN AND THE METS WILL FALL VERY SHORT OF THE PLAYOFFS

With the Winter Meetings in full swing, teams are scrambling to find pieces to add. The New York Mets held nothing back in telling fans that they wouldn't be big players in free agency, but would be bringing back players.

So far, the Mets have added backup catcher Ronny Paulino (one year, $1.3 million) and reliever D.J. Carrasco (two years, $2.5 million). They have also been in talks with the Boston Red Sox concerning a trade involving outfielder Carlos Beltran.

To say the Mets have not been involved in free agency is unfair, whether you think their signings up to this point are poor. However, Alderson never said the Mets were going to be in the running to land the bigger free agents; guys like Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee, Rafael Soriano and Jayson Werth.

This afternoon, I put on the radio to listen to Mike Francesca on WFAN New York. His opening topic was the Mets and whether or not fans would be going to the games next season after watching what the Mets have done so far.

His contention was that if the Mets are unwilling to call 2011 a rebuilding season and insist they can contend in the division, they need to show fans that they're willing to make the moves for that to happen.

A fair point.

The majority of callers said they wouldn't be going to games, buying Mets memorabilia or basically giving them a single dime of their hard earned money because the Mets aren't making the "right moves".

So, I started to wonder, what exactly are fans expecting? By all reports, the Mets only have $5-10 million to spend this offseason, which is not going to land them any high-impact players.

But are you, the average Mets fan or season ticket holder, willing to attend games and support a team that says they'll contend in 2011, but clearly doesn't have the personnel?

Let's look at each side of the argument.

Pro-Alderson

If you're pro-Alderson, you're willing to go to these games and spend your money because they're your team. They've been your team for many seasons, perhaps, and you're not going to turn your back on them.

At the end of the 2010 season, in which the Mets fans watched their team finish four games under .500 and fourth in the division, the Mets clearly needed to deal with GM Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel.

Since Minaya took over as general manager following the 2004 season, the Mets were a combined 506-466, but collapsed and lost division leads in historic fashion in both the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

Jerry Manuel, who took over for Willy Randolph during the 2008 season, managed the Mets to a 204-212 record.

Both were fired at the end of last season. The Mets then hired Sandy Alderson as general manager and Terry Collins as manager.

Alderson is going to need time in order to get the Mets back to where the fans want them to be—on top of the division and playing serious October baseball.

At the end of next season, when the contracts of Carlos Beltran, Luis Castillo and Oliver Perez come off the books, the Mets are going to have a lot of money to spend.

Until then, we need to be patient and let Alderson make the signings and trades he needs in order to make the team as good as possible for 2011 and they'll eventually return to their 2006 form.

The Mets aren't going to be able to sign big name players, so they'll have to do the best they can. But, this is our team and we're going to be out in force to support them in 2011!

Pro-Mets Fans

After watching the Mets win the division in 2006 and come within one win of the World Series, they proceeded to take massive steps backwards. In 2007, they lost 12 of their last 17 games in September before eventually losing the division on the final day of the season to the Philadelphia Phillies and were once again eliminated on the last day in 2008.

Though they've added big players in the last few years (e.g. Carlos Beltran, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and Jason Bay), they've never really accomplished anything.

The tickets are too expensive to watch a sub-.500 team and, if the Mets aren't going to put a winning product on the field, we're not going to spend any money at the stadium.

The Philadelphia Phillies have a higher payroll than the Mets, yet charge their fans less for tickets and concessions.

No matter how much money they have to spend this offseason, they don't look to be getting any better and if it could actually be worse in 2011 than 2010, there is no way anyone will take the time to go to Citi Field.

Which ever side you're on, your argument is probably something like ones above. You're either going to the games no matter how bad the Mets might be because you love your team or you're not going to support them at the stadium because they're not giving you anything to look forward to.

Personally, I fall under the dummies at the stadium. I plan on going to the games and wearing my Mets jersey in public because they're my team and I've supported them through worse. At least we have a new general manager with a new direction and a new manager who might light a fire under some of these guys.

I understand they don't have the payroll to make big moves, but I actually think D.J. Carrassco was the lone bright spot in the Arizona Diamondback bullpen last season and might actually be better in the pitcher-friendly confines of Citi Field.

If you're not going to Citi Field out of spite or to protest the team, that's fine. The lines for the bathroom are long enough already.

Have an opinion, want to defend your position on the team or any suggestions for moves the Mets should make? Leave them in the comments sections.

Bad Sign for Mets?

YANKEES BUSY, METS INACTIVE AT WINTER MEETINGS

Brian Cashman didn’t have a spare moment at the Winter Meetings. But his cross-town rival, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, had nothing but time. Here’s a rundown of Wednesday’s activity.LHP Cliff LeeAccording to several reports, Lee’s agent, Darek Braunecker, left the meetings in mid-afternoon, so it‘s unlikely Lee will sign anywhere before next week. The Yanks were poised to deliver an offer thought to land between $140 and $150 million over six years. That averages out to between $23 and $24 million, right around the average the Yanks paid CC Sabathia last year. But MLB.com reported that Lee has a couple of seven-year deals on the table, and the Yanks would be reluctant to go the extra year.OF Carl CrawfordThe Yanks are said to remain very interested in him, regardless of whether they sign Lee. Getting the fast, powerful outfielder could free the Yanks up to trade Brett Gardner for a starting pitcher such as the Royals’ Zack Greinke, an elite pitcher who is neverthless a tier below Lee. An outside chance exists that the Yankees would sign both Crawford and Lee, though such a move would be a budget-buster even if they set up other trades.RHP D.J. Carrasco and C Ronny PaulinoAlderson is saving his money until $60 million comes off the books next year. So the GM went out and got a decidedly middling right-handed reliever and backup catcher for a 2011 payout of about $2.5 million total. Carrasco relieved for Pittsburgh and Arizona last year, going 3-2 with 3.68 ERA in 63 appearances. Paulino was dealt from Philadelphia to Florida amid criticism of his work ethic, and was pinched for a 50-game suspension for PEDs that still has eight games remaining.OF Carlos BeltranOnce rumored as a Red Sox trade target, the Mets center fielder doesn’t appear headed anywhere but Citi Field to serve out the final season of his seven-year, $119 million deal.

What's will be special about Terry?

THE PROS

- There will be fire! According to Mike Puma of the New York Post "The Mets are believed to have valued Collins’ fiery, old-school approach to the game over Melvin’s more laid-back style. After experiencing the laid back, ultra-lame attitude of Jerry Manuel, who failed to get the Mets adequately fired up and refused to argue many close calls, this change can be big for the Mets, especially playing in New York where the fans respond especially well to anger on the field.

- He will know what changes to make! Collins will be in prime position to implement players from the minor leagues that he evaluated last season as a manager of a minor league team.

- Experience is not an issue. Collins previously managed the Astros and Angels, but has not been a major league manager since 1999. He spent last year as the Mets’ minor league field coordinator, giving him an overview of the entire farm system. Collins had a strong ally in the Mets’ new head of player development and scouting, Paul DePodesta, who tried to hire him as manager when DePodesta was Dodgers GM in 2005. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt fired DePodesta before Collins could be hired. Mets GM Sandy Alderson started with a list of 10 initial candidates for the job. Collins was viewed a front runner from the start because of his relationship with DePodesta. "I was the minor league director and the field coordinator over there," Collins recalled last week. "I knew the young players, and they were starting to go young. So I thought I had a real good chance there. Certainly when Paul got let go, I was probably as disappointed as anybody."

- He's recommended. DePodesta recently heaped praise on Collins, calling him an "absolute star in player development," and suggesting Collins' experience in Houston and Anaheim would be an asset in his third stint as a major league manager."I think any of us who have been in these jobs in various organizations learn a lot every step of the way," DePodesta said. "I've been through four organizations now. I'm hopeful some of the things I've been exposed to over that time will be helpful to the Mets, and I think the same could be said for Terry. He's been a major league manager a couple of different times. You learn an awful lot from that. He's been in the Far East. I think, again, he's had a lot of success in player development. So I think there are a lot of things about his experiences that are worthwhile. Everyone likes different personalities. I really like Terry's intensity. I think he's a tremendous organizational guy."

THE CONS

Just days, ago, Ash Marshall of Bleacher Report slammed the Mets for considering Terry Collins as a candidate for manager. His article made many anti-Collins claims. The full articule is below:

Sandy Alderson and the New York Mets interviewed Terry Collins for the second time on Thursday as the club forges ahead in looking for Jerry Manuel's successor.

While I find it a little unnerving that all four of the final candidates called back for the final round of interviews are in-house candidates, I just don't feel comfortable with Collins.

It's as intangible as anything else, but I just don't believe he has the makeup needed to guide the Mets back to relevance.

Yes, he has six years of Major League experience under his belt, but how much does that really count for?

Considering he hasn't managed in the bigs in more than a decade, does his experience really make him any more suitable than Chip Hale of Wally Backman?

I don't think Backman is right for the job either, but I would consider Collins' change on a par with Backman's. Hale, despite no Major League experience, has a more hands-on knowledge of the challenges facing the current roster and I think that a degree of continuity is important.

With that in mind, I think Hale's familiarity with the Major League club holds more weight than the work Collins has done in the past year as Minor League field coordinator.

Even if you do consider that Collins' experience with the Houston Astos and the California Angels is invaluable, look at his tenure with these teams where he spent three years each.

Collins managed the Astros to a 224-197 record in three seasons between 1993 and 1996. Despite having the highest winning percentage of any manager at the time, he was fired under a veil of needing to "change dynamics" at the club.

Rumors had it that he was an unpopular manager, and the fact that he was replaced by the team's broadcaster Larry Dierker—a man with no managerial experience but described as "fan friendly" by the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel—must tell you something.

Apparently the organization had so little faith in Collins' ability to lead the team in the right direction that they kicked him to the curb in favor of a play-by-play guy.

Collins stayed in the business by landing a job with the Angels, but his fierce regime had some people thinking that it led to a number of late-season collapses.

Then towards the end of the 1999 season, players' complaints began criticizing his passive managerial style. Others were apparently unhappy at his inability to manage a diverse group of players in the clubhouse.

Team leader Mo Vaughn, Randy Velarde and Todd Greene were so upset with Collins that they met with then-Angel General Manager Bill Bavasi to urge him not to offer Collins an extension.

Bavasi tried to save face by backing up his manager, although when it came down to putting his money where his mouth was, he never tried to talk Collins out of his resignation near the end of the 1999 season.

It's sad, because there are things that would fit almost perfectly with Alderson's ideals. There's just not the right ones.

At his introduction to the press at Citi Field, Alderson said he continues to believe that on-base percentage and slugging and power and so forth are important. He is known for his fondness for sabermetric analytical tools, much like Collins who shares his affinity for things like OBP.

Alderson also wants someone who is fiery and who isn't afraid to stand up to umpires. Again, if Collins' reputation precedes him, he seems a good fit.

Unfortunately, Alderson also said leadership is key, and that is where I think Collins is lacking. When it comes down to managing a big market team under the scrutiny of New York's media, leadership trumps a potential manager's analytical skills or intuition.

BREAKING NEWS: TERRY COLLINS NAMED MANAGER OF THE METS

In the end, experience and demeanor won out. The Mets have hired Terry Collins to be their next manager, a source confirmed early Sunday evening.

An official announcement could come as soon as Sunday night, after the two sides agree to contract terms. The Mets have yet to comment on the hiring.

Collins, 61, is coming off his first season as Mets' Minor League field coordinator, following jobs managing the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Central League and the Chinese national team in the World Baseball Classic. Posting a 444-434 record in six years managing the Astros (1994-96) and Angels (1997-99), Collins guided his two big league teams to second-place finishes in five of those six years.

He beat out a field that included fellow finalists Bob Melvin, Chip Hale and Wally Backman.

Collins has a familiarity with the Mets, which assuredly helped him in the interview process, and also boasts a strong relationship with new Mets vice president of player development and amateur scouting Paul DePodesta.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson discussed the decision with his team of executives Sunday after taking time off to attend his father's funeral service earlier in the weekend.

Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

The Mets Inch Closer: The Final Four Canidates

The Pressure is on Sandy: Make the Right Move

Sandy Alderson spent Saturday night at Carlos Beltran’s fundraiser in Puerto Rico, where he presented a check for Beltran’s foundation from the Mets.

It’s hard to argue with the path the team has taken, compiling more front office brainpower – at least in terms of Harvard University degrees – than any in baseball. The Wilpons have made peace with Beltran. The new regime has not acted rashly.

But it is the managerial choice to come that I still wonder if the Mets are outsmarting themselves.

While the final count for the second round of interviews is not set yet with one more first-round candidate, former Met player and current Cardinals coach Jose Oquendo to interview Monday in Orlando, sources indicated that the Mets are leaning toward a person with major league managerial experience.

Hard to argue with that, except the group the Mets are choosing from consists of Clint Hurdle, Terry Collins and Bob Melvin.

That leaves out Wally Backman, who sources said had a tremendous interview session with Alderson. It leaves out Chip Hale, who knows the club from the inside, having spent last season as a third base coach.

And it also leaves out prime experienced and available managers in the game – Bobby Valentine, Lou Piniella and Joe Torre.

Maybe Piniella and Torre really are retired. What about Valentine, who seems resigned to return to ESPN baseball coverage? Is the price too high? Would his price come down after he was left out of Seattle and Milwaukee?

Backman, who was once named manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, saw his tenure there last just four days before he was fired as personal issues came to the surface. Stories surfaced this week about Collins getting charged with allegedly driving under the influence in 2002, something a high-ranking Mets official said the team knew about.

Hurdle is being recruited hard for the Pittsburgh Pirates job. That may leave just Collins and Melvin. If the Mets take the easy path, Melvin could emerge as the choice.

And this all reminds me that as good as he may be, Alderson’s greatest success came with Tony La Russa as manager in Oakland and a payroll that was the highest in the game. He pushed La Russa aside in favor of Art Howe, a dramatic example of his theories on a manager’s role. But he didn’t win again and no one would put Howe on a level of leadership with La Russa. Few in baseball would mention Melvin in the same breath as Valentine. Alderson better hope that someone isn’t saying Melvin and Collins aren’t in the same class as Backman in a few years.

Mets preparing for second round of interviews: Hale, Hurdle, Collins, Melvin reportedly getting call-backs

Sandy Alderson's business trip to the Caribbean, which includes visits to Carlos Beltran in Puerto Rico and Luis Castillo in the Dominican Republic, began this week with one of his final first-round interviews. In the Dominican Republic, Triple-A manager Ken Oberkfell became the ninth man to interview for the job of Mets manager.

The Mets may still meet with a 10th and final candidate -- Cardinals third-base coach Jose Oquendo, according to ESPNNewYork.com -- before proceeding to a second round of interviews. The team would not confirm that report.

But Oberkfell and Oquendo may not remain candidates for long. Multiple reports on Friday indicated that the Mets have already decided to meet again with Clint Hurdle, Bob Melvin and Terry Collins, each of whom could interview for a second time as soon as next week. Chip Hale may also earn a call-back interview, according to the reports, though he is the only one of the group without Major League managing experience.

Hurdle, 53, has the most experience of the bunch, all of it during an eight-year stint with the Rockies last decade. Currently the hitting coach for Texas, Hurdle also has a World Series appearance (with Colorado) and six years of Minor League managerial experience on his resume. But his Series appearance came during his only winning season with the Rockies; his career Major League record is 534-625.

Melvin, 49, saw marginally more success in seven years as a big league manager -- two with the Mariners and five with the D-backs. Posting three winning seasons but a losing record overall, he guided Arizona to the NLCS in 2007. Most recently, he has worked as a scout for the Mets, and his familiarity with the organization could help him in the interview process.

Perhaps most familiar with the Mets is Collins, who spent last year as the team's Minor League field coordinator. A big league manager for six seasons with the Astros and Angels, Collins worked closely in the past with Paul DePodesta, the Mets' new vice president of player development and amateur scouting. And he is the only interviewee with a winning record as a big league manager.

It is for those reasons that Collins remains the presumptive favorite for the job.

"There's a value in having done it before," Alderson said on SNY's "Hot Stove" program on Thursday night. "I don't think there's any question about that. But there's also a value in already being a part of the Mets organization and having a familiarity with players on our Major League roster, having a relationship with members of the existing coaching staff, knowing some of our Minor League coaches and managers and what have you, having been in New York -- either living in New York or experiencing the atmosphere here for a year or so."

In addition to Collins, Melvin, Hurdle and Hale -- the team's incumbent third-base coach -- the Mets have interviewed Oberkfell, bench coach Dave Jauss, Class A Brooklyn manager Wally Backman, Red Sox bench coach DeMarlo Hale and former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu.

Alderson, who will travel to Orlando next week for MLB's GM meetings, hopes to complete the hiring process by the start of next month's Winter Meetings -- but could do so sooner.

Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @AnthonyDicomo. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Terry Collins Rumors Flying Everywhere

There are a lot of people that are down on Terry Collins, primarily because his players in Anaheim, and Mo Vaughn in particular, went to the front office and asked them to dismiss Collins in 1999, and that he hasn’t ever won at the big league level.

I understand that, but to me, the biggest knock about Collins is he hasn’t managed since 1999. I look at a guy like Joe Torre, who came to the Yankees in 1996 and had failed managing the Mets, Braves and Cardinals prior to arriving in New York, and immediately won a World Series. The point is, I don’t believe a manager’s record is necessarily a determining factor into how good of a manager someone might be.

From what I understand, Collins is very well respected in the Mets minor league system, and his familiarity with the minor leagues could be an asset for him as manager of the big league club. I think it certainly eliminates a major learning curve since he is already a part of the organization. It doesn’t mean he is the right guy for the job, nor does that mean he will be good at the Major League level. But that familiarity, plus the experience Collins has, albeit not recent, speaks to what Alderson and his group are looking for in the next manager.

Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Pirates are working hard to hireClint Hurdle as their next manager.

David Wright Speaks on Mets Changes

Very honest, real guy. He says all the right things, always.

REBUILDING CONTINUES

FORMER DODGERS GENERAL MANAGER PAUL DEPODESTA NAMED VP OF PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

Sandy Alderson's remake of the Mets has started at the top. The new general manager added another marquee name to his front-office staff on Monday, naming former Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta vice president of player development and amateur scouting. Alderson and DePodesta worked together in the front office of the Padres from 2005 until Alderson's departure early last year. "I am thrilled to reunite with Sandy during this exciting time for the Mets," DePodesta said in a statement. "I know firsthand the type of vision and leadership he brings to a franchise. This is a tremendous opportunity to help develop a winning culture for the Mets and our fans. "Immortalized in Michael Lewis' bestselling book "Moneyball," DePodesta will also reunite with J.P. Ricciardi, another of A's general manager Billy Beane's former front-office staff members in Oakland. DePodesta, Ricciardi and incumbent assistants John Ricco and Wayne Krivsky give Alderson one of the most experienced front-office staffs in baseball. "Paul has one of the top analytical minds in the game and also has a strong background in more traditional aspects of player development and amateur scouting," Alderson said in a statement. "He will help establish direction, standards and continuity in all areas of our player development domestically and internationally." After helping Beane -- an Alderson protégé -- develop the A's into an American League powerhouse early last decade, DePodesta became the third-youngest GM in baseball when the Dodgers hired him in 2004 at the age of 31. Though Los Angeles made the playoffs not only that season but also three times in the ensuring five years, DePodesta did not stick around for all of the success. The Dodgers dismissed him after they missed the postseason in 2005 -- his second year on the job. The following summer, DePodesta joined the Padres as a special assistant of baseball operations, eventually earning a promotion to executive vice president and shifting his focus toward the business end of the franchise. In New York, the Harvard graduate will focus more exclusively on baseball operations, reporting directly to Alderson. Having begun his career with the Indians in 1996, DePodesta is most famous for his role as an assistant under Beane from 1999-2003. Jonah Hill will play DePodesta's character in the upcoming movie adaptation of Lewis' "Moneyball," the book that introduced DePodesta as an unwavering proponent of advanced metrics. Displaying those statistical leanings in Los Angeles, DePodesta made a series of controversial moves with the Dodgers, most notably trading wildly popular catcher Paul Lo Duca to the Marlins as part of a package for Brad Penny, Hee-Seop Choi and Bill Murphy. DePodesta's hiring, along with that of Ricciardi, provides yet another glimpse into Alderson's strategy during his first year in New York. Aware that the Mets cannot be remade overnight, Alderson may act conservatively regarding player acquisitions this offseason, allocating a large chunk of his baseball operations budget to front-office personnel. Ricciardi, DePodesta and Krivsky are all former GMs who have worked closely with Alderson in the past; Ricco is widely considered a future GM and one of the game's rising front-office stars.

SKIPPER SEARCH IS ON

The Mets have not yet scheduled any managerial interviews, but names are already appearing and disappearing from their list. According to multiple league sources, former Mets catcher and Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons will not interview for the job, and is expected to remain bench coach for the Kansas City Royals. There are indications that Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin could become a candidate, and Chip Hale and Wally Backman remain likely to interview. The Mets officially made Sandy Alderson their next GM Thursday by announcing an introductory news conference for 2 p.m. Friday. Alderson agreed to a four-year contract, according to sources. They will soon begin searching in earnest for a manager and other members of the front office. League sources confirmed that Alderson was considering asking Paul DePodesta to leave the San Diego Padres' front office to join the Mets. DePodesta, a former GM of the Dodgers and assistant GM under Billy Beane in Oakland, also worked for Alderson when Alderson was CEO of the Padres. He is currently executive vice president for San Diego. Sources also said they expected Alderson to pursue former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi, possibly as scouting director. Ricciardi once worked in Alderson's front office. "I would think Sandy would want to bring him in," one National League executive said of DePodesta. "(The) only question is whether he would leave San Diego. I also wonder what that would mean for Ricco." John Ricco, the Mets' assistant GM who coordinated the search that culminated in Alderson's hiring, is well-positioned to eventually succeed Alderson. Although DePodesta and Ricciardi would also be strong voices if they joined the Mets, people who know all three believe they would work well together, and that neither DePodesta nor Ricciardi would necessarily affect Ricco's standing in Flushing. Gibbons, who recently interviewed with the Pirates before removing his name from consideration, has indicated that he is not interested in the Mets' job, either, league sources say. Hale, the Mets' third base coach this past season, is still under consideration, and could be a fit under Alderson. In past statements, Alderson has made clear that he favors managers willing to implement an organizational philosophy. Hale's lack of major league managerial experience could work against him, as could Backman's. The other internal candidates to interview could include Triple-A Buffalo manager Ken Oberkfell and scout Bob Melvin, a former Seattle and Arizona manager. Former Met and current Texas bench coach Clint Hurdle could also emerge.

SANDY ALDERSON NEW GM

Sandy Alderson was in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, attending to his duties for Major League Baseball in its efforts to clean up the player procurement process. But he has already begun working on his next assignment, which may be equally as challenging — resurrecting the Mets. Alderson will become the Mets’ general manager, and he has begun compiling a list of potential field managers and is looking into re-signing at least one potential free agent, reliever Hisanori Takahashi. Whatever he decides to do, it will most likely be his decision alone. Alderson is expected to be granted full control over the Mets’ baseball operations, within the framework of a budget set forth by team ownership. Essentially, the Mets will be handing the keys of the franchise to him. “I think he’ll be able to keep ownership at bay,” said Steve Phillips, a former Mets general manager who acknowledged he was too young and inexperienced when he held the position to have the clout that Alderson will. “Young guys do need some guidance, but Sandy has the credibility and the maturity to set forth a plan for the entire organization,” Phillips said. “If Sandy says, ‘No, this guy doesn’t fit into our budget,’ or ‘It doesn’t make sense for us,’ everyone will know it’s really coming from him.” Alderson is expected to begin asking teams for permission to speak to potential managers. There are indications he will at least interview Wally Backman, manager of the Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones; Chip Hale, the Mets’ third-base coach; and Bob Melvin, a former manager of the Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Of more immediacy is to decide whether to re-sign Takahashi. By rule, the Mets have until Oct. 31 to get a contract worked out or Takahashi will not be able to sign with them until May 15. Complicating matters, Takahashi recently switched agents after the Mets had begun negotiations with his old agent, Peter Greenberg. But the Mets have reached out to the new agent, Arn Tellem, in hopes of completing a deal before the deadline. While that may be the most time-sensitive issue for Alderson, the more vital one is the next manager. Alderson has said in past interviews that he favors low-key managers who follow the overall philosophy and strategy set forth by him as general manager. The reasoning is: why set policy and formulate a tactical plan only to have a maverick, charismatic manager make decisions that do not follow the plan? Managers like Melvin and perhaps Hale could fit into that framework, but the fiery Backman does not seem to. Alderson has already told others he would not favor hiring Backman, the former Mets infielder, because he has no major league managing experience and would be better served honing his skills in the minors. Ownership is fond of Backman, however, and Alderson is said to be willing to have an open mind. The last manager Alderson hired was Art Howe in 1996, when he was general manager of the Oakland Athletics. Mets fans may cringe as they recall Howe’s listless campaigns in Flushing in 2003 and 2004, but he was more successful with the Athletics from 1996 to 2002. Working closely with Alderson, and later Alderson’s protégé Billy Beane, Howe finished with a 600-533 record with the A’s. He won two division titles while taking Oakland to the postseason in his last three years there. The A’s never won a playoff series under Howe, but he did win more than 100 games two years in a row with a team that had a modest payroll. It has been suggested that most of the decisions, even in-game tactical decisions, were made in the front office by Beane, and when the A’s decided they wanted to turn to their bench coach Ken Macha as manager, they were only too happy to let Howe go to the Mets. When Howe got to New York in 2003, replacing Bobby Valentine after a 75-86 season, the Mets did not need a laid-back button-pusher to follow a plan. Howe finished well under .500 both years with the Mets. Before Howe, the Athletics had Tony La Russa, who is not a managerial automaton by any means. But La Russa was an exceptional talent who has worked well within organizational parameters. Alderson will be introduced at a news conference at Citi Field on Friday. He hopes to begin interviewing candidates almost immediately.

JERRY & OMAR FIRED
According to the NY Post, sources close to the New York Mets organization have stated that both Omar Minaya and Jerry Manuel have been informed that they will not be retained for the 2011 season. While Minaya could reportedly return in another capacity, Manuel is expected to be fired as early as Monday. However, while the NY Daily News did not refute reports that Minaya and Manuel will be fired from their positions, their sources deny that either of them have been contacted about their future with the Mets as of yet. Minaya’s stint as Mets general manager was viewed as an abomination by fans and media members alike. Inexcusably, he signed second baseman Luis Castillo to a four-year, $24 million contract in 2007 after he had both of his knees surgically repaired. In 2008, he asserted his reputation as a GM who pays for “names” by acquiring relief pitchers Francisco Rodriguez and JJ Putz.In moves of desperation just one year later, he gave erratic starting pitcher Oliver Perez a $36 million deal and signed free agent bust Jason Bay to a four-year, $62 million contract just one offseason before Tampa Bay’s Carl Crawford - a far superior left fielder - was scheduled to become a free agent. As for Manuel, his managerial record with the Mets is 202-212, a .488 winning percentage, and they have not reached the postseason with him at the helm.

AND THE METS WIN IT

CASTILLO PLAYS HERO IN NINTH

Luis Castillo got a momentary jolt of joy Tuesday night when he delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning of the Mets' 6-5 comeback victory over the Marlins. But that feeling was fleeting because Castillo is stuck in a job he doesn't want - reserve.Castillo, the Mets' deposed second baseman, is still dealing with the sting of losing his starting role earlier this month to 20-year-old Ruben Tejada and aches for the chance to get back in the lineup."I'm in a hard situation here," Castillo said.The Mets are eager to find out what they have in Tejada and are overlooking Tejada's weak offense - he's 1-for-32 (.031) since being made the primary second baseman - to evaluate him. At the same time, they harbor wild hopes that their playoff dreams aren't completely dashed, though if they seriously thought they could make up ground in the wildcard race - they were eight back of Philadelphia entering play Tuesday night - Castillo might still be starting. The Mets could use better offense.Asked before the game how things were going, Castillo replied, "Not good, man. I don't play so much. I like to play. It's hard sometimes when you've played every day for 14 years and things change so quick. I hope I can play more and try to do better."But that's not my decision. They make that decision and I have to respect the decision. But I don't say that I agree with it. I don't know what happens next year. I don't know if I'll be here next year. Maybe I'm not here, man."I don't know what they'll do. I'm trying to do the best I can in the month and a half we have left. I don't know what they want me to do."After this season, Castillo still has one more year remaining on the four-year, $25-million deal he signed before the '08 season. Some critics point to his contract as one of the failures of the Met front office, but, as Castillo points out, he played well last year, batting .302 with a .387 on-base percentage. He's only hitting .238 this year with a .336 on-base percentage."Sometimes you have a bad year, but last year, I didn't have a bad year," he said. "But this year, I only have like 200 at-bats (actually 210). I think I can play more. I've prepared this year, physically, better and I thought I'd have a good year."Castillo has "handled it very well," Jerry Manuel said of the demotion. "He's been mentoring Tejada a little bit.""I think Ruben is having some good at-bats," the manager added. "I also think that Ruben is playing very well defensively and I think that's important in what we're trying to accomplish. I think he's going to be a good hitter. I know it's a difficult decision that we have there, but we feel that's what's in the best interests of the team at this point."Castillo's hit capped a nifty night at the plate for the Mets, who got big offensive contributions from Angel Pagan and Carlos Beltran. Pagan matched a career-best with four hits and used his legs and intimate knowledge of Citi Field's outfield to stretch a hit up the middle into a double in the eighth, putting him in position to score the tying run.Beltran, who knocked in Pagan in the eighth with a single, reached base four times in five trips and knocked in two runs, the first time in the 36 games he's played this season he's driven in multiple runs.The ninth started with Ike Davis' single and one out later Josh Thole got him to second with another. After Mike Hessman struck out, Castillo hit a soft liner to right, giving the Mets their fifth walk-off win of the season and lifting them to 2-47 when trailing after seven innings. R.A. Dickey blew a 4-2 lead in the seventh by giving up a three-run homer to Met nemesis Gaby Sanchez.When Manuel told Castillo of his new role earlier this month in Philadelphia, Castillo said he replied, "I don't agree with this." The two have not talked about Castillo's role since, but Castillo would like to talk to Manuel or perhaps GM Omar Minaya."I have to do it," Castillo said. "Maybe I'll have my agent do it. I want to know what I'm doing for next year. I don't know if I'll be here or they'll let me go, if there'll be more time with another team." (NY Daily News)

PATHETIC: METS WIN THEIR FIRST N.L ROAD SERIES OF THE SEASON

After Manager Jerry Manuel called the Mets’ offensive production “pathetic” in Houston, the hitting instructor Howard Johnson called a meeting before Friday’s game in Pittsburgh and challenged the hitters. That night the Mets collected 15 hits and picked up seven runs, the first time they had scored that many since July 28. Saturday night, in a rain-shortened, five-inning game, they scored five runs on seven hits to beat the Pirates, 5-1, at PNC Park. The game was called with no outs in the top of the sixth inning after a delay of 1 hour 6 minutes. With the victory, the second straight in this three-game set, the Mets won their first road series against a National League team this season. Jon Niese allowed only one run for the fourth straight start and improved to 8-5. David Wright had the big blow, blasting a three-run homer over the center-field fence in the fifth inning. It was his 18th home run of the season and his second in five games. Before his home run Tuesday in Houston, Wright had not hit one in 14 games. When Manuel labeled the Mets’ offense pathetic, it certainly did not reflect well on Johnson, who felt the need to take action. Johnson’s timing for the meeting was impeccable. It not only came after Manuel called out the players in public, but also prior to a series against the worst team in baseball. The Pirates pitching staff has an earned run average of 5.06, which ranks 28th among the 30 teams in baseball. The Mets went into Saturday’s game ranked 14th in the 16-team N.L. with a .248 batting average and 13th in runs scored, ahead of only the Pirates, the Nationals and the Astros. They were averaging 4.06 runs per game going into Friday’s contest. (NY Times)

AFTER 14 INNINGS, METS WIN
Ike Davis was 0-for-19 heading into his at-bat in the 13th inning last night, the longest streak of his young career. So the bullet single to center did the rookie some good, even if he didn't score. "I actually hit it on the barrel," Davis said after he came up in the 14th inning and delivered a sacrifice fly that drove in the winning run of the Mets' 3-2 victory over the Astros at Minute Maid Park. "I hadn't hit it on the barrel in a long time and it gave me confidence going into the last at-bat." Confidence is something Davis and the rest of the Mets offense could certainly use more of, since they squandered numerous chances throughout last night's win. Prior to Davis' RBI, the only other runs the Mets generated came in the seventh, when Ruben Tejada -- who hadn't had a hit for the Mets since July -- and R.A. Dickey finally started a rally. Tejada's double was followed by another from Dickey and then Dickey scored on a fielder's choice groundout by Angel Pagan. Dickey was unable to make the 2-0 lead standup, as he surrendered a run in the eighth and after manager Jerry Manuel allowed him to try to finish the game in the ninth, when Dickey gave up a tying home run to Geoff Blum with one out. "That was a punch in the gut," Dickey said of the homer. "I felt it was his game," Manuel said of Dickey, who gave up just two runs in 8 1/3innings before being removed for Hisanori Takahashi, now the presumptive closer with Francisco Rodriguez out for the season. "If he had allowed a runner in that inning, I wouldn't have let him lose the game." After Blum's homer, Takahashi came in to get through the ninth and 10th, starting a run of 5 2/3 innings of scoreless pitching from the bullpen, including two from Bobby Parnell, one from winner Elmer Dessens and one from Manny Acosta, who earned his first save of the year -- thanks to Rodriguez's absence. But the bullpen's work would have been for naught if the offense hadn't eventually scored. Davis had grounded out with the bases loaded in the 10th and then Jeff Francoeur flied out to end that threat. In the 14th, Reyes started things with a walk, and after being sacrificed to second, he stole third for the second time of the game. Mike Hessman, in for David Wright -- who left the game in the 12th inning because of nausea -- walked and then Carlos Beltran was walked intentionally to get to Davis against the lefty Gustavo Chacin. "Sometimes I'd rather lefties than righties," said Davis, who has been benched against lefty starters recently. "You try to ride it out, but you don't want to keep riding it out. You're waiting for that one time when your swing clicks again." That finally happened on in the 13th -- and helped the Mets win an inning later. "I was definitely trying to get the ball to the outfielders," Davis said of the final at-bat "When I was walking up [against the lefty Chacin] I thought, 'I haven't seen one of these in a while.' " And in a crucial spot, toward the end of a 4:18 game, Davis showed that his slump may be over. And the Mets got a victory that wasn't close to being assured until Acosta got the final out. (NY Post)

METS MAKE BIG DEAL & BEAT ASTROS

On a day when the Mets grappled with the loss of closer Francisco Rodriguez to injury, the team’s management also had an eye on the future, agreeing to terms with their first-round pick just before the deadline expired at midnight Monday. The Mets had signed 10 of their top 12 draft picks. But negotiations with Matt Harvey, the pitcher from North Carolina drafted seventh over all, went down to the wire, as did the Mets’ 3-1 victory against the Houston Astros on Monday night. Despite their woes this season, the Mets managed a rare win in a first game of a trip, thanks to fine pitching by Jon Niese and Hisanori Takahashi, who stepped into the closer’s role vacated by Rodriguez and earned his first save of the season. They also got key hits from David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jeff Francoeur, who have all slumped mightily since the All-Star break. “We haven’t scored many times against other teams’ closers tied on the road,” said Francouer, who tripled in Beltran in the ninth inning. “This is the kind of the game we’ve usually lost on the road, and to win the way we did was nice.” The game was a respite from the gloom that has enveloped the club the past two months. The team’s chances of making the playoffs are slim, but they have assembled a promising core of young players, including Niese, first baseman Ike Davis and catcher Josh Thole. They can now add Harvey to the list after signing him to a deal reportedly worth more than $2 million. Failing to reach an agreement with their highest draft pick would have embarrassed the Mets, who have been reluctant to sign big-name free agents or engineer significant trades, and have instead promoted their young (and less expensive) prospects as the future of the franchise. The Mets’ roster is saddled with several unproductive players, including Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo, who are owed tens of millions of dollars in the coming years and have made it hard for Mets management to find new talent. Unfortunately, the team’s biggest stars like Jason Bay and Beltran have floundered. Since July 1, the Mets have been last in the majors in batting average and on-base percentage, and next to last in slugging percentage. They have scored three or fewer runs in 11 of their 14 games this month. Their seven-game trip that began Monday to Houston and Pittsburgh, two stops with more hitter-friendly ballparks, seemed just what the Mets’ offense needed. Yet the game felt much like so many others in recent weeks. The Mets again received sturdy starting pitching from Niese, who gave up one run and seven hits in seven innings. But again, the Mets struggled to string together hits for much of the game. Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez gave up a solo home run to Beltran in the fourth inning, but erased other runners by inducing double-play ground balls. After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth, the Mets finally responded in the top of the ninth. Wright and Beltran singled, and with Jeff Francoeur at bat, Wright scored on a wild pitch. Francoeur drove in Beltran. With Rodriguez suddenly gone, Manager Jerry Manuel turned to Takahashi to close the game. Unlike the histrionics around Rodriguez, though, Takahashi quietly pitched an unblemished ninth inning. (NY Times)

POLL RESULTS: FIRE OMAR

Mets fans, tired of trade-less summers and pathetic off-seasons, have spoken loud and clear in the recent 'Those Mets' poll. They want nothing more to do with General Manager Omar Minaya.

BOO'D METS LOSE IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE TO PHILLY

David Wright and the Mets gave fans little to cheer about Saturday night against the Phillies, so the Citi Field faithful took to booing instead. They booed Wright when he struck out in the fourth inning with Jose Reyes on third base and one out. They booed Wright louder when he played a routine ground ball into two unearned runs in sixth inning, and they let him have it one last time after he hit a comebacker in the bottom half of the inning. And to cap a night's worth of unhappy howling, Mets fans booed closer Francisco Rodriguez -- who made his return from a two-game suspension after being arrested for third-degree assault Wednesday night -- when he trotted out of the bullpen in the ninth inning. The Mets loaded up the bases in their final at-bat, but were unable to mount a comeback as they fell, 4-0, to the Phillies and Roy Halladay, who allowed four hits and no walks while striking out seven over eight innings of work. "I don't think you're going to win too many games making three errors, no matter who you're facing," Wright said. Second baseman Ruben Tejada, who is hitless in his last 26 at-bats, allowed the Phillies' first unearned run to score in the fifth, when he botched a double play, throwing the ball into left field. The fielding mistakes and struggling offense squandered a solid outing from Pat Misch, who made his first start of the season after being called up from Triple-A Buffalo. Misch scattered eight hits over six innings and allowed only one earned run. "We got ground balls when we needed them and didn't execute," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "In order for us to do well against that type of a pitcher, we have to catch everything. We have to execute." Manuel said he felt Misch pitched well enough to merit another start, meaning the left-hander could fill the fifth spot in the rotation for the rest of the season, with Hisanori Takahashi making a permanent move to the bullpen. "I kind of got rid of pressure a few years ago. You're going to have some good games and you're going to have some bad games, and hopefully you have more good games than bad games," Misch said. "I try not to think about all that kind of stuff, where we are -- that kind of stuff. I just want to go out there, grab the ball and get as many outs as I can." The Mets' mistakes were most glaring in the field, but they were equally unimpressive at the plate. Their best chance to score came after Reyes led off the fourth inning with a triple, but Halladay got Angel Pagan to ground out to third, and struck out Wright -- who is now 4-for-41 in August -- and Carlos Beltran to end the inning. "We have to do a better job of executing there; our situational hitting has been poor," Manuel said. "We got to do a better job. I feel like we got the right guys up, and we're not getting it done at the plate." The Mets were held to one or zero runs for the sixth time in 12 games this month, and are now seven games behind the second-place Phillies, who scored their first runs at Citi Field this season after being blanked for 38 innings. "It took us 38 innings, but we put one across," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's pretty easy to count. Four games plus two innings. Even I can count that far." The Mets still have a chance to win the series with a win on Sunday, but trading wins and losses isn't going to get them back in the NL Wild Card race at this point of the season. New York's best hitter is slugging .122 this month, its closer is due back in court on Sept. 14, and its starting rotation still isn't set for the stretch run. "That's something that I can't control," Rodriguez said of being booed. "It's out of my hands, and I still have to go out and do my job." And when Rodriguez and other members of the Mets are unable to do their job, the fans will be sure to let them know it.

ANOTHER COMPLETE GAME SHUTOUT, ANOTHER BIG WIN

The Mets had to play two games without their closer, Francisco Rodriguez, and did not need even need a relief pitcher, let alone a closer, in either one. On Thursday, the day Rodriguez was arraigned in court on an assault charge, Johan Santana pitched a four-hit shutout. He had told Manager Jerry Manuel before the game that he could pitch 10 innings if needed. Not to be surpassed in either resolve or results, R. A. Dickey did Santana even better. He threw a brilliant one-hit shutout to lead the Mets to a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, and because he throws a knuckleball, he probably could have gone 11 innings. The victory was the major-league-leading 18th shutout of the season for the Mets, a surprising figure for a team only one game over .500 at 58-57. More important, it was the first time the Mets won consecutive games since June 22 and 23. With two outs in the ninth inning, the fans rose to their feet when Dickey, on his 105th pitch, got Placido Polanco to line out to right field. Dickey embraced catcher Henry Blanco after the final out. The performance, combined with Santana’s on Thursday afternoon, provided another happy moment for the Mets in the midst of the turmoil caused by Rodriguez’s arrest and his placement on the restricted list. Dickey improved to 8-5 and was the recipient of a shaving-cream pie from Angel Pagan during a postgame interview on the field. Coming into the game, Dickey, a 35-year-old journeyman, had registered only one victory in his last nine starts, despite pitching very well most of that time and allowing 18 earned runs in 51 innings for a respectable earned run average of 3.18. Four of those earned runs came in his previous start, Saturday against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Dickey lasted only three innings in his worst start of the season. On Friday, he did not allow a hit until Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels stroked a low knuckler for a shallow bloop into right field with one out in the sixth inning. Before that, Dickey had allowed only one base runner. After retiring the first seven batters he faced, Dickey walked Wilson Valdez with one out in the third, but then got Hamels and Jimmy Rollins on pop-ups to end the inning. He then set down the Phillies in order in the fourth and fifth to make the 35,440 in attendance start to think about the possibility that they might see the first no-hitter in Mets history. But Hamels dashed those hopes in the sixth. In the bottom of the inning, the Mets scored when the two struggling sluggers in the middle of the lineup produced a run with two outs. David Wright laced a double that sailed over the head of Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino to snap an 0-for-15 slump. Then Carlos Beltran whacked a double off the wall in left field to score Wright, who jogged home almost as if he thought Beltran’s ball had gone over the wall. The Mets squandered an opportunity to score in the fifth inning when an apparent home run was turned into a triple that did not yield a run. Leading off the inning, Mike Hessman drove a ball to deep left field for what at first looked like a home run off the railing above the wall. But left fielder Raul Ibanez argued that the ball was touched by a fan reaching over the railing. As Hessman stood in the dugout after circling the bases and a one went up on the scoreboard for the Mets, Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel emerged from the visitors’ dugout to argue the call. The umpires eventually went below the stands to review the play. After a 6-minute-35-second delay, the crew chief Tom Hallion came out, consulted with the home plate umpire Ed Rapuano, then pointed to Hessman in the dugout and then to third base as the fans booed. They booed even louder after Hessman was stranded. Jeff Francoeur and Henry Blanco struck out swinging and Hamels walked Ruben Tejada intentionally to pitch to Dickey, who grounded meekly back to the pitcher. The fans did not seem to take consolation from the fact that at least Hessman, whose 329 career minor league home runs are the most among active players, had his first career triple in 87 major league games. At the time it seemed as if the lost run would be costly, but Wright and Beltran made sure it did not undermine another brilliant performance from a Mets starter. (NY Times)

SANTANA, AT HIS BEST, GIVES METS SERIES WIN

Johan Santana pitched his second shutout of the season Thursday afternoon in a 4-0 victory over the Rockies. Striking out the side in the first inning, Santana fanned 10 Rockies and allowed just four hits. He extended his scoreless-innings streak to 16 1/3. The Rockies put only one runner in scoring position all afternoon, doing so with two outs in the second. As they did Wednesday, the Mets took an early lead on two quick runs in the first. After Jose Reyes singled and stole second base, Angel Pagan hit an RBI single, Ike Davis doubled and Carlos Beltran hit a sacrifice fly off Rockies starter Jason Hammel. This time, though, the Mets padded their lead with an RBI single from Jose Reyes and a sacrifice fly from Fernando Martinez in the seventh. Earlier Thursday, several Mets responded to the news that closer Francisco Rodriguez was being held in police custody following an alleged assault of his father-in-law in the family room at Citi Field, many of them defending their closer. The Mets vowed not to let Rodriguez's legal troubles become a distraction. "That has nothing to do with the baseball side of it," third baseman David Wright, who received a routine day off Thursday, said before the game. "What's happened off the field has nothing to do with us not being able to score runs or get out of a jam. That has nothing to do with it. We're going to go out there and continue to do what we think is going to help us win." (MLB.com)

K-ROD IN POLICE CUSTODY

The Mets reliever Francisco Rodriguez will be arraigned Thursday morning on third-degree assault charges after an altercation with his father-in-law at Citi Field on Wednesday, the police said. Mr. Rodriguez was in custody and held at CitiField overnight after the altercation, which occurred after the Mets’ 6-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies. His father-in-law, whose name was not disclosed, was taken to an area hospital with a bump on his head and an abrasion to his face. The Mets are putting Mr. Rodriguez on the restricted list for two games, according to a statement from the team, and they and Major League Baseball are considering whether he should be required to attend anger management classes, according to a person in baseball with knowledge of the discussions. “Ownership and the organization are very disappointed in Francisco’s inappropriate behavior and we take this matter very seriously,” Jeff Wilpon, the Mets’ chief operating officer, said in a statement. The police provided no clues Thursday about what might have spurred the conflict. They said they were summoned to Citi Field shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday and found a 53-year-old man with bruises to the head who said he had been “punched to the face” by Mr. Rodriguez. The Mets’ own television network, SNY, reported before Thursday afternoon’s game at Citi Field that Rodriguez had an argument with his wife that preceded the altercation with his father-in-law.After the police arrived, they took Mr. Rodriguez into custody, and his father-in-law was taken to Flushing Hospital Medical Center in Queens, where he was treated and released, the police said. Jay Horwitz, the Mets’ vice president for media relations, said: “There was an incident at the ballpark between Francisco Rodriguez and his family. He was questioned by police. All other questions should be directed to the police.” A uniformed police officer walked into the clubhouse shortly after Mr. Rodriguez had walked out of it through a pair of double doors. Numerous security guards lingered in and around the clubhouse hours after the final pitch. Before the altercation was disclosed, Mr. Rodriguez reacted angrily when approached by reporters after the game — a tough loss for a reeling team — using obscenities as he told them that he did not play and therefore did not want to speak to them. With the Mets ahead, 2-1, with two outs in the eighth inning, Manager Jerry Manuel did not bring in Mr. Rodriguez, a closer, to get the final four outs of the game. It was not known whether that decision played any role in the conflict. Mr. Manuel said he did not call on Mr. Rodriguez because he pitched Tuesday, although Mr. Rodriguez has often had a heavy workload this season and has never complained. Mr. Rodriguez has shown a hot-tempered side, but the Mets have relied heavily on him this season. He has been something of a high-wire act on the mound, often getting himself into trouble and then bailing himself out. He has converted 25 of 30 save opportunities and has pitched very well recently. The arrest could hasten Mr. Rodriguez’s exit from the Mets. He was involved in a shoving match with the bullpen coach Randy Niemann earlier this season, and his volatility had made the Mets wary of their long-term commitment to him. Mr. Rodriguez has a $17.5 million option on his contract for 2012, and the Mets owner Fred Wilpon has shown a willingness to sever ties with players who have gotten into trouble. The arrest coincides with a season that seems to be imploding. After an unexpectedly promising start, the Mets have gone 8-18 since the All-Star break and have fallen below .500. On Wednesday night, the Mets endured another tough-to-take defeat. A day after Hisanori Takahashi appeared to secure the setup role, he failed to get through the eighth inning. Then Mr. Manuel inserted Manny Acosta to get the final out of the eighth, but the decision backfired. After getting two outs, Mr. Takahashi allowed a single and a walk before being removed. Mr. Rodriguez has been used frequently this season, and he has pitched more than one inning eight times. After Acosta intentionally walked Troy Tulowitzki to load the bases, Melvin Mora blasted a grand slam to left field to highlight a five-run inning that gave the Rockies the victory. After the game, the focus temporarily shifted to the Mets’ questions about a setup man who looked secure only hours earlier, and a manager who was booed after a curious decision in another loss that sent the team below the .500 mark. But in light of the revelation about Mr. Rodriguez, there now appears to be a more troubling uncertainty. (NY Times)