PowerAde Sports Drink presents: Find Us a Manager (Group D)

[Edgy MD]

Sandy Alderson. That's who you still are. And you're starting to think you're getting the runaround from your staff. Each of them has been asked to give you a list of 17 managers. And they tend to leave you uninspired. Some of the guys are young and have had passing tenures. Some are old and have simply seen too many summers. Their brains are baked.

Some are old and had passing tenures 30 years ago.

You know who you should call. He's never steered you wrong. He, of course, it's Mets minor league field coordinator Kevin Morgan. Terry Collins' successor in that role, in fact. When Kevin coordinates a field, it stays coordinated. "Kev, you say, I need a list. Seventeen men. All of whom have managed in the bigs, and are now available."

"That's easy," he says, "Ron Washington, Brad Ausmus, Mike Qua ... "

"Stop right there, Kev," you say. "Those guys were on Terry's list, or J.P.'s, or Ricco's."

"There have been other lists?" he asks.

"There have," you answer. "And Fman doesn't like them. Wants to send them over a cliff or something."

"Fucking Fman," he answers. "Did he say something about a bag of dicks? Send me those lists and I'll get you some new names."

Kevin Morgan, What a guy. Drafted by the Mets in 1991 and has been working for them in some capacity ever since.

You wait by the fax machine. Because it's October and there's nothing better to do for a baseball GM than stare at a fax machine waiting for a list of old managers. Eventually the shrieking and whirring and clicking starts, and out pops the following, with two former Met managers, one former Mets coach, a couple of longtime rivals, and a handful of guys with tangential recognizability among your fickle fan base and your fickler ownership group. A lot of years and a lot of wins in this group. You squint at it, trying to see something that's maybe not obvious, and maybe wince a little as you wonder what Fman's reaction might be.

Which four of these guys do you bring in?

	Mgr	Age	Team(s)	Yrs	From	To	W	L	W-L%	Ties	G > .500	G	W Post	L Post	W-L% Post	Best Fin	Wrst Fin	Av Rk	Plyof App	WS won	Penn Won	ASG	Mets Connection
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/8/8c18eefc_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Fredi Gonzalez	53	MIA, ATL	10	2007	2016	710	692	.506	0	18	1402	1	4	.200	1	5	2.8	2	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/f/fcc986e9_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Kirk Gibson	60	ARI	5	2010	2014	353	375	.485	0	-22	728	2	3	.400	1	5	3.0	1	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/a/aaf0e288_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Charlie Manuel	74	CLE, PHI	12	2000	2013	1000	826	.548	0	174	1826	29	22	.569	1	4	1.7	6	1	2	2
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/6/6dbc8b54_sabr.jpg[/fimg]	Tony La Russa	73	CHW, OAK, STL	33	1979	2011	2728	2365	.536	4	363	5097	70	58	.547	1	7	2.6	14	3	6	6
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/d/d4ce6c5c_br.jpg[/fimg]	Bobby Cox	76	ATL, TOR	29	1978	2010	2504	2001	.556	3	503	4508	67	69	.493	1	6	2.4	16	1	5	5
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/e/efd87953_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Willie Randolph	63	NYM	4	2005	2008	302	253	.544	0	49	555	6	4	.600	1	3	2.1	1	0	0	0	Player, 1992; manager, 2005-2008, grew up a Mets fan in Brooklyn, idolizing Gil Hodges.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/b/b79ab182_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Felipe Alou	82	MON, SFG	14	1992	2006	1033	1021	.503	1	12	2055	1	3	.250	1	5	2.9	1	0	0	1	Brother played for Mets, 1985; nephew played for Mets, 1997-1998; son played for Mets, 2007-2008.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/6/668a77c8_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Bob Boone	70	KC, CIN	6	1995	2003	371	444	.455	0	-73	815	0	0		2	5	4.1	0	0	0	0	Son finished his career as a Mets Spring Training invitee, and tearfully announced his retirement at a Mets press conference.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/a/a37ddc6b_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Hal McRae	72	KCR, TBR	6	1991	2002	399	473	.458	0	-74	872	0	0		3	6	4.5	0	0	0	0	Son played with Mets, 1997-1999.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/c/ca190570_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Matt Galante	74	HOU	1	1999	1999	13	14	.481	0	-1	27	0	0		2	2	2.0	0	0	0	0	From Brooklyn; coached third for Mets, 2002-2004; son played in Mets' minor league system, 2002-2003.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/5/52735cdf_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Terry Bevington	61	CHW	3	1995	1997	222	214	.509	1	8	437	0	0		2	3	2.3	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/2e1ffa1e_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Bill Plummer	71	SEA	1	1992	1992	64	98	.395	0	-34	162	0	0		7	7	7.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/c/cb7f6459_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Bud Harrelson	73	NYM	2	1990	1991	145	129	.529	0	16	274	0	0		2	5	3.7	0	0	0	0	Mets minor leaguer, 1963-66; Mets player, 1965-77; Mets minor league manager, 1984-85; Mets infield and third-base coach, 1982, 1985-1990; Mets manager, 1990-91. Mets broadcaster, 1983.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/2bd24617_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Hal Lanier	75	HOU	3	1986	1988	254	232	.523	0	22	486	2	4	.333	1	5	3.0	1	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/2f30a18a_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Frank Lucchesi	91	PHA, TEX, CHC	7	1970	1987	316	399	.442	0	-83	715	0	0		2	6	4.7	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/5/553e5dc2_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Joey Amalfitano	84	CHC	3	1979	1981	66	116	.363	3	-50	185	0	0		5	6	5.7	0	0	0	0	Played for the New York Giants
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/4/4cc6e9de_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Billy Hunter	89	TEX	2	1977	1978	146	108	.575	0	38	254	0	0		2	2	2.0	0	0	0	0	Former minor league Brooklyn Dodger.

[ashie62]

89 Year old Billy Hunter could be fun.

[Edgy MD]

Fun factor is meaningful.

Four guys, gents.

[MFS62]

I'm not sure if given a vote, the relief pitchers would vote for LaRussa.
BTW, I wonder what Jerry Dybzinski is doing these days.

Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I had to vote for Frank Luchessi, 91, for his Mets connection to Lenny Randle.

[Lefty Specialist]

Frank Lucchesi, because we know he can take a punch.

Matt Galante, because I want to see how fat he is these days.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I voted for Frank for the same reason. He practically looked 91 in that 1972 card so I think it'll be pretty cool to see how he looks showing up today.


Also, I am having back Wee Willie to see what if anything he'd learned, Cholly Manuel because he's the only one of these guys I might actually consider irl and Joey Amalfitano just because.

[HahnSolo]

Hal Lanier won 96 games his first year as a manager with some good pitching (hey, when healthy the Mets have that!) and lots of platoonin' (Edgy would love that). He was fiery too! Even the "we need Wally" segment of the fan base would be happy.

But, then he led the team two more years and never managed again????? Wha' happen'?

Just imagine a world where Dave Smith knows how to get Mets out. Hal Lanier could have ridden a 1986 pennant and World Series to at least a couple more years in Houston, and probably one more managerial job after that.

Hmm. Let's find out whatever became of Hal. Bring him in Sandy.

[Edgy MD]

Hal McRae is the first guy I wanted. Nobody takes Hal McRae for a fool.

Not anymore, anyhow.

[youtube:3qf5skjk]kamDqL-AGzI[/youtube:3qf5skjk]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I think he's walking around in his undies saying that too.

[Fman99]

Glad to see my influence is finally being recognized. It's a dick joke world, my friends, and you're all riding the veiny shaft.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I voted for Gonzalez solomente.

Kirk Gibson? *wince*

[Edgy MD]

Our top four votegetters advance. Anybody want to break a three-way tie among Gibson, Galante, and Lucchesi?