New York Mets: Five best managers in franchise history
4. Bobby Valentine
The charismatic Bobby Valentine comes in at number four. In 1996 he took over for the old-school manager Dallas Green. Green wasn’t much in the personality department, so the Mets decided to change direction and go with Valentine. He had been managing the Mets AAA team and was called up to replace Green with 31 games left in the season.
He always had something to say, but in fact was one of the best managers in the game. The team was over .500 in each full season he managed aside from the last (2002). They found themselves in the playoffs in 1999 on a magical run before losing in the NLCS in six games. The following year the magic continued to the Subway Series. The Mets fell to the Yankees in just five games but for a time, the two teams shared the city and that was in part due to the work of Bobby Valentine.
There is no questioning his credentials, and his over .500 record of 536-467 is only one indication. The way his teams played for him was another. After all, he went to the World Series with a lineup that included Timo Perez and Benny Agbayani. That is an impressive feat and attainable by a talented manager that gets the most out of his players.
Of course, we cannot reminisce about Bobby Valentine without going back to that iconic moment. He was ejected from a game during the regular season in 1999, and well, he did this:
What a fun moment that was. It was clear that Bobby Valentine was a personality that would be unmatched, maybe until Rex Ryan graced us with his presence in Florham Park, NJ. Being a great manager cemented his place on this list.