Mickey Callaway won’t be lingering around Citi Field to find out if the Mets still want him.
As team brass decides whether Callaway should return to fulfill the final year of his contract in 2020, the manager indicated Sunday that he plans a drive home to Florida, where he will await further word on his future.
“I don’t have any anxiety,” Callaway said before the Mets beat Atlanta 7-6 in 11 innings on a three-run Dom Smith walk-off home run. “I am proud of what we did this year. I am proud of how hard I worked and left everything on the table.
“We haven’t discussed anything in depth and right now I have a contract for next year and I am going to go home and prepare for next year.”
Callaway led the Mets to an 86-76 record — only the third winning season for the franchise in the past 11 — but oversaw a team that fell short of the front office’s expectations. Those projections included 92 victories and a postseason berth.
“You never like uncertainty going into the offseason, so we’ll see what happens,” Jacob deGrom said when asked about the managerial situation.
After a disastrous first half, the Mets rallied to play meaningful September games, but ultimately fell short of the Nationals and Brewers in the wild-card race.
Callaway became a lightning rod for controversy with his bullpen management and lineup decisions, especially during a hellacious June/July stretch that saw the Mets bottom out at 11 games under .500.
Mickey CallawayPaul J. Bereswill“I am not really concerned with the managerial choices, that there was a terrible decision in a game that made a difference in our season,” Brandon Nimmo said. “I think I was a big part of that. I think it related more to health.”
Nimmo missed most of the season with a neck injury, but returned for the final stretch as one of the team’s most productive players. Justin Wilson emerged as a key bullpen piece after the All-Star break, but was on the injured list for much of the first half.
“If I could have stayed healthy and maybe being able to right the ship a little bit sooner around the All-Star break,” Nimmo said. “You go back and look at that stuff and I think you see a lot of things that were health related.”
The Cubs and Pirates dismissed managers Joe Maddon and Clint Hurdle, respectively, on Sunday. It’s possible an announcement on Callaway’s status won’t come until the middle of this week.
Callaway was inherited by general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, who assumed the reins last October. If Van Wagenen decides a change is warranted, Maddon, Joe Girardi and Dusty Baker are among the big names that could receive consideration. Internally, team officials are high on quality control coach Luis Rojas, whose brother Moises Alou played for the Mets.
In the Mets’ last managerial search following the 2017 season, Callaway, Manny Acta, Kevin Long, Joe McEwing and Mark DeRosa were finalists for the job. From that group Acta could be in play, if Callaway is fired, given his relationship with Robinson Cano. Acta was Mariners bench coach during Cano’s tenure in Seattle.
After Sunday’s finale, Callaway lamented the Mets’ missed opportunities.
“This is going to stink, going home and having to watch all this,” Callaway said of the postseason. “I remember doing it last year. As a manager, having to sit there and watch the playoffs, it’s not fun. You are pretty pissed off every game you watch. The next month will suck.”




