When looking at the Mets this year, fans can see there is one thing they truly lack: charisma.
Jerry Manuel is known for his laid back attitude and approach to the game. So far this has been terribly unsuccessful. He has a 147-152 record since taking over as Mets manager midway through the 2008 season. Mediocrity is not acceptable in New York.
The Mets need a charismatic manager who brings fire and passion to the game. The team needs to be energized. The perfect manager for the job is Bobby Valentine.
If you watch Baseball Tonight, you can see Valentine’s love of the game. It is fairly obvious that Valentine would love to manage in the majors again.
A lasting image from his stint as manager of the Mets occurred when he was ejected from a game and came back an inning later in sunglasses and a fake mustache. This shows dedication to the team. Valentine wanted to be out there to help the team regardless of the consequences. When asked about the incident, Valentine said he did it to lighten up the team.
Anyone who has seen the documentary The Zen of Bobby V, cannot question Valentine’s passion. He understands the game of baseball. Fans of the Chiba Lotte Marines, the Japanese he managed, practically worshiped Valentine. Valentine brings a positive aura to the teams he coaches.
While Bobby Valentine is a character, he is also able to bring managerial skills with him. No other manager would have been able to lead the 2000 Mets to the National League pennant.
The 2000 roster had a starting outfield of Benny Agbayani, Jay Payton and Derek Bell. Mike Bordick, Todd Zeile and the immortal Bubba Trammel were also on the roster.
The starting rotation featured Glendon Rusch, Rick Reed, and Bobby Jones, all of whom had an ERA over 4.00 during the regular season.
In spite of all of this, Bobby Valentine was able to lead the Mets to a World Series appearance. Imagine what he could do with a roster featuring David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, Jason Bay, Ike Davis, and Johan Santana.
Jerry Manuel with his laid back attitude is not the right choice for the Mets. However, the right choice is out there in Bobby V.
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