COLL’ OF DUTY
METS SKIPPER HUNGRY FOR SERIES TITLE IN WHAT MAY BE HIS FINAL SEASON
TERRY Collins is one fired-up 67-yearold with his Mets opening the 2017 season Monday at Citi Field against the Braves, Collins’ 47th year in baseball.
The feisty Collins is in the final year of his contract as manager of the Mets, his seventh season here, and the Mets are lucky to have him.
After making it to the World Series two years ago and taking an injury-ravaged team to the postseason in 2016, Collins is looking to become the first manager in Mets history to make it to the playoffs three straight seasons.
Being in the last year of his contract does not phase him.
It inspires him.
“I don’t worry about that stuff anymore,’’ Collins told The Post. “When I got back to the major league dugout [after managing stints with the Astros and Angels] I said I’m not going to let this stuff get to me. Now it gets to me when we don’t play well because that’s my responsibility.
“At the start of this year I said I am going to enjoy the year, have some fun, get us to play good and at the end of the year I hope they say, ‘We’d like you back,’ or maybe I will say ‘ I’m done.’
“I grew up in the Dodgers organization, a Hall of Fame guy had one-year contracts for 23 years in a row,’’ Collins said of Walter Alston. “He never worried. Tommy [Lasorda] never worried. The era of the game today is look, just go do your job, and if you do it the best way you can, things will work out.’’
If the Mets go in another direction, you can be sure Collins will stay in the game in some capacity.
He does not know the meaning of the word retirement.
One early morning in Port St. Lucie this spring, about 14 Mets veterans were invited into Collins’ office. It was time to go over the ground rules for the season. This is the biggest change Collins has made since his first two times around as a major league manager. It’s easier to have help and not be the dictator.
“This is the best clubhouse I’ve ever been around,’’ Collins said. “These guys are funny, I include them, they include me in stuff, we have no problems here. Every-
body knows the rules. If I’m the guy that always has to lay down the law, they get nervous if I start walking around, now all of a sudden, if you got a guy over here who is not buying into it, the [veterans] will be the first ones to head it off, if they can’t do it then I get involved.
“That has made a world of difference. My first two stops it was all me. I demanded a lot.’’
If rules are broken, the players’ peers address the issue first, the team becomes more unified.
That is just one way Collins has grown as a manager. Managing the Mets is unique because of so many different factors: an involved ownership in the Wilpons; a battle-tested general manager who demands a lot in Sandy Alderson; a talented, young pitching staff that must be handled with care; New York media obligations; and the most important task — winning. It’s all there. This journey began in 1971 at short-season Niagara Falls after a college educated middle infielder was drafted by the Pirates in the 19th round. Collins’ first managing gig was 10 years later at Single-A Lodi (Calif.).
In 12 years of managing in the majors with those stops in Houston and Anaheim and these six seasons with the Mets, Collins has amassed 925 wins and 925 losses. Imagine that.
This is the season that can really put him and the Mets over the top. Collins, who turns 68 on May 27, is ready. He remains as feisty as ever.
“I love competition. I love to win,’’ he said, his voice rising. “I love to beat you. I say that to anybody, just because I was small. Let’s go, bring it on. I’ll take my chances. I make jokes today about when I go play golf. They all say, ‘What’s my handicap?’
“What do you mean what’s my handicap? Let’s go. If you are better than me, great.
“When I played high school basketball I was OK, they didn’t lower the rim because I’m 5-7. When I played football, they didn’t shorten the field from 100 yards, in baseball, they didn’t bring the fences in because I was coming up. Bullcrap, let’s go play. I’ll take my chances because I believe in what I can do.’’
I then ask Collins the million dollar question: And you’ll take your chances with this Mets team? His response is full-blown TC. “You bet your ass,’’ he said.