The courtship of Jim Leyland has ended before it even began.
Things with Leyland and the Mets are officially done, as the former Pirates, Marlins and Rockies skipper won’t be a legitimate managerial candidate in Flushing after all.
Leyland and Met GM Omar Minaya finally spoke yesterday and agreed Leyland and the Shea dugout were not a dream match.
“It was just a mutual agreement that, at this particular time, it’s probably not a good fit for either party,” Leyland told The Post.
Barring something completely unforeseen, the decision means the Mets’ three second-round candidates – Willie Randolph, Rudy Jaramillo and Terry Collins – are also the three finalists.
Minaya and his staff will meet with each of the three men today, and though nothing is promised, a news conference introducing the new manager is expected before the weekend.
Randolph has been the strong favorite all along, and Leyland’s withdrawal only enhances the Yankee bench coach’s candidacy. Fact is, at this point, it would be an outright stunner if Randolph doesn’t get the nod.
Minaya would not completely rule out another candidate possibly emerging (think Dodgers skipper Jim Tracy, who could become available if his talks with L.A. collapse), but Bobby Valentine is almost certainly out of the mix. Minaya was told by Valentine’s agent, Tony Attanasio, that Valentine’s Chiba Lotte club in Japan would not grant permission for the Mets to speak to him.
As for Leyland, neither he nor Minaya would say specifically why the two parties would not work. But Minaya said he is searching for a manager with whom he can share a long-term partnership (Leyland turns 60 next month and left his last managerial job after just a year) and who is willing to be a fixture in the community and in off-the-field situations.
“It’s baseball-plus,” Minaya explained in the job description. “The most important thing is going to be the baseball side. But I’m going to have other expectations that I’m going to have from the manager.”
Minaya, for example, cited how he might want the manager to visit players in winter ball or in the instructional league. As he said, “It’s a 12-month job.”
And after hearing what Minaya was looking for and also sharing some of his own thoughts, Leyland decided that job wasn’t for him. Said Minaya, “To his credit, he said, ‘Omar, I thank you for being straight with me, but I’m going to pass right now.’ ”
Said Leyland: “There was certainly nothing that scared me.”
But he also said he believed Minaya wants a young manager he can groom – “and certainly my situation is different than that.” Leyland went on to say he believed Minaya was making “a great decision.”
Time will tell on that. For now, Leyland is out, and Randolph’s chances have never looked better.
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An agent who does not represent Boston free agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera got the impression from talking to a Met official that Minaya would like to reunite with his former Expo player. Obviously for the Mets to pursue Cabrera, they would have to move Jose Reyes or Kaz Matsui . . . Minaya said RHP Victor Zambrano will not need elbow surgery.
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Dugout derby by Mark Hale
RUDY JARAMILLO: Age 54, has been Ranger hitting coach last 10 years. Has managed three times in minors but
not at all since 1994 and never in majors. Widely regarded as game’s finest hitting coach. Last name pronounced
“Harrah-me-oh.”
TERRY COLLINS: Like coincidences? Succeeded Art Howe in Houston (1994-96) before taking over in Anaheim from 1997-99. Career managerial record for 55-year-old is 463-444. Aggressiveness may have paved way for bad departure in Anaheim after some players reportedly called for his dismissal. A longshot to get Met job.
WILLIE RANDOLPH: Strong favorite to head across town and land his first managerial job. Spent past year as Joe Torre’s bench coach and previous 10 years as Yanks’ third-base coach. Six-time All-Star and 50-year-old Brooklyn native played for Mets in 1992. No managerial experience.
