MLB Hot Stove: Is Terry Collins the Other New York Team's Answer To The Mess?

After the long overdue firing of skipper Jerry Manuel, the New York Mets owners announced the two-year signing of Terry Collins to be the franchises 20^th skipper.

COLLINS BACKGROUND:

Collins started his pro career as a shortstop drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971.

Over the next 10 years, Collins played for the Pirates and Los Angeles Angels, but only in the minors.

In 1981, Collins started managing in the minors, but this time he did break in to the majors. From 1993-99, he managed the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels.

COLLINS AND HIS MESS:

No doubt this new venture will be Collins hardest because the Mets are in dire straits.

See, unlike the other New York team, winning is not a word in the Mets vocabulary. Of course, neither is leadership, sportsmanship, respect, healthy or any other positive aspect used to describe a quality baseball team.

So, the question remains: Is Terry Collins the man who can right the Mets back from mediocrity?

No one can answer this for certain, but if history means anything, this could be another rough ride for Mets fans.

Collins will bring a much-needed energetic personality and is a direct straight shooter—two traits Manuel severely lacked, but something the players so desperately required.

A lot like New York Yankees skipper Joe Girardi, Collins has a drive to win and is always overly prepared.

The difference is the Yankee players share Girardi’s sentiments of never giving-up a win; the Mets players are familiar with continually collapsing under pressure.

Collins two other stints in charge with the Astros and the Angeles were successful record-wise, then consistent September breakdowns of both Collins-lead franchises lead to missing the playoffs and falling back to second place.

Both times the playoffs were well in reach, but the players were burnt from Collins “live and die with each play” and too intense for a 162 games to handle.

Overcompensating might work in the short term, but Collins is going to have to control his emotions when the Amazins' start to slump. Collin is dealing with a lot of frisky "it’s all about me" types on his Mets roster and a captain who no one is scared of in David Wright.

Look, fact is anything is an upgrade from Manuel. It would be hard to imagine the Mets could get much worse than they currently are, but never say never when talking about the Amazins’.

As for Collins, it will be refreshing to see some emotion coming from the dugout in Citi Field. Will it be overkill for the players? Well, this is what remains to be seen.

For now, look at it as a sign that things are finally starting to change for the blue and orange.

The pieces are in place in regards to talent, but it’s the teamwork that needs a face lift.

If anything, the Mets owe it for their fans to support Collins and respect his authority.

A MESSAGE FOR THE METS FANS:

All I can say to the many loyal Mets fans out there is that it’s a start in the right direction.

You all truly deserve to see a good team in 2011, but more than anything else try to not live in the past.

Try to stay positive, which I hope is not asking too much.

As hard as it is, you have to start to trust the Mets again.