Sunday, September 29, 2019

Will Pete Alonso's Dream Rookie Season Be Enough to Save Mickey Callaway's Job?

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso had a season rookies could only dream about. He forced his way onto the roster in spring training and then hit a MLB record 53 HRs for a rookie becoming the face of the franchise.

Combine Alonso's historic season with another Cy Young caliber performance from Jacob de Grom and you have a team that was competing for a NL Wild Card spot into the final week of the season and finished 2019 with an 86-76 record. They ended their season on a positive note with Dominic Smith hitting a walk off HR in extra innings against the Braves in his first at bat in two months. But will it be enough to save the job of Mets manager Mickey Callaway?

After a 9-4 start, the Mets lost 21 of their next 32 games putting Callaway on the hot seat by late May. The Mets went 46-26 in the second half (including a stretch where they won 15 out of 16 games). Nevertheless, the Mets bullpen blew 28 saves as many of Callaway's pitching decisions were called into question. Pitching coach Dave Eiland was fired in mid-June in favor of 82-year old Phil Regan.

Callaway has a year left on his contract. Even if the club opts to keep him he will be on a very short leash in 2020. Assuming of course that he has any leash at all.

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