New York Mets: BVW needs to save this team from quicksand

The New York Mets are sinking in a pit of quicksand. Changes need to happen soon before they sink and its too late to save the season.

We are in the first week of June and the New York Mets, along with their manager Mickey Callaway find themselves in quicksand. Quicksand, where did that come from? It comes from one of my favorite sports movies, “The Replacements.” In the movie, the coach, played by Gene Hackman tries to bring his team together by discussing their fears on the field. Keanu Reaves, the quarterback blurts out quicksand. This is his explanation.

"You’re playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can’t move… you can’t breathe… because you’re in over your head. Like quicksand."

Since their soul-crushing, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last Thursday, when their bullpen imploded, the Mets are 1-4. Even in that one win, they were down in the eighth inning. A cynic could argue, their two-run, eighth inning “rally” was more a product of the Amazins taking advantage of Arizona’s bad relief pitching than it was because of their own offense.

The men in royal blue and orange have fallen into a pit of quicksand. It’s gotten to the point where every decision Callaway makes is second-guessed by, well just about anyone with an interest in the New York Mets. His moves seem to constantly backfire on him, and worsens the team’s descent into the muck.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen is watching the situation unfold, but he isn’t helpless. The GM needs to throw out a lifeline and pull his team out of the quicksand before their struggles sink them in deeper and deeper until its too late for a rescue.

The first thing on BVW’s “in case of emergency, break glass” list is finding somebody else to call the shots in the dugout. Just under a month ago he met with COO Jeff Wilpon and Callaway to discuss the on-field results. Afterward came the announcement that the skipper would remain in charge for the foreseeable future.

That announcement seemed to motivate the team, they went on to win six of the next seven. In reality, maybe they didn’t rally and instead beat up on two struggling teams, Washington and Detroit. When the competition went up a few notches in Southern California, it broke them.

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The foreseeable future has ended because the see-able present is getting uglier by the day. Callaway, by all accounts, is a stand-up guy and well liked by many. Unfortunately for him, his time as New York Mets manager has come to an end. He is a respected pitching mind, so he won’t remain unemployed in the long run.

If the Mets want to win it now, which they say they do, two candidates with experience managing in the New York pressure cooker should be front and center. Joe Girardi is a local call. He currently works as an analyst for MLB Network studio shows.

It would be great to see him trot out to home plate in a Mets number three jersey (Thomas Nido can change numbers) and hand umpire a lineup card. Former agent Van Wagenen will have to put on a heavy sales job, while the Wilpons would have to put up big money to make it happen.

Plan B is Buck Showalter. He is a three-time American League Manager Year and was runner up two additional times. How good is Showalter at winning? Despite the fact that Orioles Management released the trap door from below his feet in a 47 -115, 2018 free fall, he is still a better than .500 manager for his career. Showalter could certainly light some fires under a few butts in the clubhouse.

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Back to the original quicksand analogy, the New York Mets season is about sink into unsavable status very soon. While they have barely kept pace in the east due to the struggles of division-leading Philadelphia, the Mets have six teams between them and the second National League Wild Card slot. The time to act is now.

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