Time will tell if risk pays off for media-obsessed Mets and Carlos as first-time skipper

THOSE INVOLVED in the Mets’ search for a new manager describe a process that was thorough, cordial and professional. But also one that had an obsession with finding someone who would excel in media relations.

Mickey Callaway failed for many reasons in his first stint as a major league manager. Part of it was that he was besieged by awkwardness and lack of savvy in handling the heavy day-today role of delivering the organizational message. He caromed between offering his thoughts and delivering those he believed management wanted to hear. Callaway frequently appeared a poor actor who could not remember his lines, who then stumbled through adlibs. Callaway made bad worse and worse a story that lasted three days rather than one.

The Mets obviously believe Carlos Beltran has better skills in this area. He was a major leaguer for 20 years, nearly half of them in New

York. He has lots of reps facing reporters in this market, dealing with controversy. But it is one thing — even in tough times — to explain your side in a difficult moment, another to have to be the lead spokesman several hundred times a year for an entire franchise, particularly one that can project such dysfunction from the top.

The Mets had a threeround process to try to find the best successor to Callaway. The first included Brodie Van Wagenen’s key lieutenants peppering candidates about their thoughts on the current Mets roster, theories on the best way to build a club and presentation of game situations in which tape was shown and interviewees would explain how they would proceed strategically.

Rounds 2 and 3, though, for those who advanced centered in a larger way around media responsibility, which includes usually two group sessions daily from the outset of spring training to the conclusion of the season.

Part of what Jeff Wilpon and Van Wagenen did in Round 2 was to anticipate what could be asked at the kind of introductory press conference that will be held Monday at Citi Field for Beltran, and see how candidates responded. Round 3 was mainly a sit-down with Fred Wilpon, who spent a good deal of his session essentially making sure the candidates appreciated the scope, the pressures and responsibilities that come daily with being the manager of the New York Mets. Yes, a lot of that was about handling media, too.

That the Mets decided on Beltran screamed they were confident the one-time star outfielder could deal with messaging as easily as he once did routine flies to center. Except there is no way to truly know that. The Mets did not anticipate how un-New York Callaway would be. A candidate can prepare for what might get asked in an interview room. It is more difficult when you are having to find the right middle ground between player and organization, say, when Noah Syndergaard no longer wants to throw to Wilson Ramos.

The safest bet here — like in most items in this process — would have been Joe Girardi. He would never be interesting. He also would never publicly go off script. The Twins had bench coach Derek Shelton handle managerial interview responsibilities often last year to take weight off of rookie manager Rocco Baldelli and to prepare Shelton for managerial interviews. Eduardo Perez literally was in the media working for ESPN. Shelton and Perez are believed to have been the runners-up here.

Both also had served as major league coaches, thus, having reps in uniform for a full season in roles that demand swallowing your needs to work with others. Beltran does not have those reps, even as he was known as a player giving of his time and knowledge.

Thus, the Mets recognize that surrounding Beltran with experienced coaches, particularly those who know the NL game well, is important. They think his rapport with players will be his strength and help unify the clubhouse to more singular purpose.

All of that — the strategy and the galvanizing of a clubhouse — is more vital than media relations. But Mets ownership has always been sensitive to what is being written and said about its team. Yet, it took a risk here with an unproven commodity. Beltran will be prepped for the press conference, fed the most probable questions that come his way. This will be the easy part.

Because what comes in real time — like a great Adam Wainwright curveball — is not easily anticipated or dealt with.