Carlos eager to collaborate with BVW, Mets brass
Carlos Beltran is ready to start collaborating. Introduced Monday as the 22nd manager in Mets history, the former All-Star outfielder realizes he’s returning to the organization in a leadership role, albeit not as the only voice on in-game matters, with the front office providing much of his direction. “The way it has been presented to me, it’s going to be collaboration,” Beltran said after donning his old No. 15 during a Citi Field press conference. “They are going to give me all this information, they are going to make me make the decisions, which I appreciate, and at the same time as a manager I understand, I want to be a part of everything because at the end of the day it’s not a one-man show. It’s a group of people doing great work to hopefully put the team in the best position possible.” Beltran, 42, was accompanied by his wife, Jessica, and three children, returning to the team for which he played from 2005-11 in a likely Hall of Fame career. Beltran received a three-year contract with a club option for 2023 that attaches him to general manager Brodie Van Wagenen. It was Van Wagenen who ultimately made the recommendation to team owner Fred Wilpon that Beltran get the job over a field that included Joe Girardi, Twins bench coach Derek Shelton, ESPN analyst Eduardo Perez and Nationals first-base coach Tim Bogar. Van Wagenen cited Beltran’s poise, trustworthiness, growth mindset (willingness to learn), competitiveness, appreciation and understanding of players as the reasons behind the hire.
“When we walked in the room with Carlos there was an authenticity to him and a belief he was the smartest baseball guy in the room and as he gains managerial experience he’s going to help us win on a daily basis,” Van Wagenen said.
“When we began this process it was important for all of us and the ownership group and the baseball operations department to feel like we could exhale when we walked into the manager’s office. We didn’t want to inhale in anticipation of the conversations. Instead, we wanted to feel comfortable, welcome and a partnership with the manager.”
Beltran won a World Series with the Astros in his last season as a player in 2017 and then interviewed for the Yankees managerial job that Aaron Boone received. Beltran spent last season as a Yankees special assistant under general manager Brian Cashman. As manager, Beltran noted his relationship with his new boss will be different.
“The GM has to be your best friend, literally,” Beltran said. “You have to communicate with him; you have to be honest; you have to be open; you have got to be able to have tough conversations.
“I see this as a beautiful opportunity and the fact that not too many people get these opportunities and I was to manage myself the right way and being able to be a good teammate and being able to establish relationships in a positive way. This opportunity opened, so I felt like, ‘Why not?’ ”
Beltran departed the organization in 2011 on uneasy terms with the Wilpons. Much of the animosity stemmed from Beltran’s decision to undergo knee surgery that cost him half of the 2010 season, in the midst of his seven-year contract worth $119 million. Later that year, the organization attempted to smear Beltran by leaking to the media that he was among the players who skipped a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center (Beltran had a meeting for his foundation that morning).
But Beltran and Van Wagenen both insisted any past issues were no longer relevant.
“I felt very comfortable about what Carlos’ desire was to be back here and what the ownership group’s desire was to have him here,” Van Wagenen said. “There is harmony between the two sides.”
Beltran replaces Mickey Callaway, who was fired with one year remaining on his contract after leading the Mets to an 86-76 record and a third-place finish in the NL East. A surge after the All-Star break allowed the Mets to remain in wild-card contention until the season’s final week following a dreadful first half.
Van Wagenen defended his decision to replace a first-time manager in Callaway with another novice.
“We valued a variety of different backgrounds,” Van Wagenen said. “But the résumé alone wasn’t going to be the determining factor and I think in the end that was the case.”