C-Mac: Mets in good hands, now and in the future, with Carlos Mendoza at the helm
Carlos Mendoza's first regular season as a major league manager ended with one of the most thrilling wins in Mets history, and an improbable playoff berth that nobody could have seen coming back in May.
The first-year skipper helped stabilize the ship back when New York was 11 games under .500, and on Monday, he continued to push the right buttons, including leaving Edwin Diaz in for the ninth inning after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth.
For Chris McMonigle, Mendoza's performance on Monday only enhanced the belief that the Mets have the kind of manager that can give them a chance to win a World Series, if not this season, then perhaps in the future as Steve Cohen and David Stearns continue to improve the roster.
"He led this team from 11 games under .500," C-Mac said. "It just seemed like everything he did turned out to be right.
"He did a great job. The team just had that feel from June on that they were in steady hands."
Mendoza will certainly be a Manager of the Year finalist, but the story isn't finished on his first season at the helm. And C-Mac says there is no reason not to have belief that Mendoza will push the right buttons when the stakes are the highest.
"He held people accountable," C-Mac said. "They showed that urgency early on. Mendoza has done a great job."
