Tick, tock.
The New York Mets’ managerial search has gained minimal clarity since Mickey Callaway was relieved of his duties more than two weeks ago.
A list of candidates that numbered as numerous as a baker’s dozen has been halved, though there only seems to be two or three legitimate front-runners for the job.
The most mentioned names throughout the process have been Joe Girardi and Carlos Beltran — two candidates who are expected to provide varying degrees of authority.
If the Wilpon family and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen want an authoritarian who toes the lone-wolf line, Girardi would be their guy.
The former catcher has managed on the largest stage in baseball for a decade, leading the Yankees to six playoff appearances and a 2009 World Series victory during his stint in the Bronx.
He can handle the heavy expectations that come with leading a big-market franchise and handling the overwhelming media that often comes with it.
And nabbing a manager that has won it all before would provide the Mets with that all-important experience factor.
As last year showed, the Mets are capable of performing like a playoff team. All they need are some tweaks to the bullpen while gaining an effective leader. Girardi could be the type of high-IQ baseball mind that could help put the organization over the top.
But Girardi will have his drawbacks when it comes to an upper-management standpoint.
He often made lineups in his vision only — disregarding general management’s suggestions while filling out the order with borderline defiance.
That might be too much to handle for a first-time general manager like Van Wagenen, who likely is going to want to have a say in how the team he built is formulated.
It’s not going to help that the Mets have a deep offensive roster that will have plenty of chefs in the kitchen.
With Robinson Cano’s albatross of a contract almost immediately securing him as the starting second baseman in 2020 — and with the projected return of Yoenis Cespedes in left field — the Mets will have to try and fit the bats of Jeff McNeil, JD Davis, and Dom Smith into third-base and outfield roles that already feature the likes of Jed Lowrie, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael Conforto.
That could provide a point of contention between manager and general manager if Van Wagenen wants to have more of a say in things.
But the Mets will have to make a call on Girardi soon. The Phillies and Cubs are amongst the teams circling for the 55-year-old, meaning he could be off the market in the coming days or weeks.
While Girardi seems to be a hot commodity, Beltran is waiting for just the Mets.
The former outfielder — who spent six-plus years with the club during a career that will likely end up in Cooperstown — and an up-and-coming managerial candidate has made it known that the only job offer he would accept is the Mets’.
Beltran holds no prior managing experience in Major League Baseball, but he is believed to be the next great skipper given his ability to break down opposing pitching — particularly picking up on their tips or stealing signs.
With ties to the organization and a new-school sort of style, it would be understandable why Beltran could be the preferred choice for the Wilpons and Van Wagenen.
For the general manager, it also offers more promise of a symbiotic relationship with the manager when it comes to having a say in the every-day lineup.
There are immediate concerns that would come with the introduction of Beltran, though.
When Callaway was dismissed, the initial belief was that the Mets were going to look for an experienced manager that knows what it takes to navigate a team toward the postseason and beyond.
Beltran wouldn’t be that hire. In fact, it would be a lateral move by the Mets when comparing him to Callaway.
The obvious difference is that Beltran is offensively affluent while the former Mets skipper came up through the school of pitching.
That’s the danger that will come with any of the rumored names in the Mets’ managerial search.
Whether it’s Derek Shelton, Luis Rojas, or Eduardo Perez, these would be wild-card hires for an organization with a younger core that needs structure now more than ever.
If Mets management wants that sure hand in the dugout, Girardi is the man.
If Van Wagenen simply wants to hire his guy and take a chance on uncovering the next big baseball mind, then it’s the field.
And if the Wilpons are just looking at the price tag, then all hope is lost.
