Terry Collins introduced as New York Mets' manager

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

Terry Collins chased jobs all the way to Japan and China in the 11 years since he last managed a major league club just to find a place in a dugout. Rejuvenating the New York Mets, though, might be his toughest challenge of all.

Collins was introduced today as the 20th manager in the history of the Mets, a franchise in the midst of an overhaul since missing out on the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Collins, the team's minor league field coordinator last year, signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2013.

New general manager Sandy Alderson chose Collins over fellow Mets employees Bob Melvin, Chip Hale and Wally Backman. The 61-year-old Collins succeeds Jerry Manuel, who was fired along with general manager Omar Minaya in October, and will try to revitalize a club that languished near the bottom of the NL East the past two seasons.

Collins last managed in the big leagues in 1999, when he resigned as manager of the Angels in his third season in Anaheim. He was manager of the Houston Astros from 1994-96 and has a 444-434 record overall. He led teams to second-place finishes in each of his first five years. He also was skipper of Orix in Japan from 2007-08 and led China to its first win in the World Baseball Classic in 2009.

Heading into spring training, the Mets face many of the same problems that led them to a 79-83 record last season: injured stars and bloated contracts for underperforming players. But Collins will have the support of a more focused front office led by Alderson and his personally chosen top aides, Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi, both former GMs.

Discontented fans favored the fiery Backman, a popular member of the Mets' 1986 championship club, but his lack of major league experience likely ruled him out. In Collins, New York will be getting an energetic and feisty figure in contrast to the laid-back Manuel.

Collins is respected for his player development skills and knowledge of the game. His understanding of the Mets' farm system and of players such as Ike Davis, Josh Thole and Ruben Tejada assuredly helped in his hiring.

But he also comes with a reputation for alienating players with his hard-charging style. In Anaheim, he resigned with 29 games to go in the season after a near player revolt. He also quit his job with Orix.

Collins was considered for the Mets' job after the 2004 season, when Willie Randolph was hired, and DePodesta pushed for him for the Dodgers' opening a year later before being dismissed as GM.

Now he joins a team that finished 18 games behind the Phillies last season despite an opening-day payroll of $133 million, fifth-highest in the majors.

He immediately confronts a number of issues:

Ace Johan Santana will miss the start of the season recovering from shoulder surgery.

Jason Bay provided little power in his first season as the left fielder before a season-ending concussion in late July.
Center fielder Carlos Beltran has been slowed the past two seasons by a knee injury. Collins might have to ask the five-time All-Star to switch to a corner outfield spot depending on his health. Beltran is owed $18.5 million in the final season of a seven-year deal.
Closer Francisco Rodriguez is coming off thumb surgery for an injury sustained in an August fight with his girlfriend's father outside the family lounge at Citi Field.
Oliver Perez ($12 million) and Luis Castillo ($6 million) both have one year left on unwieldy deals.
The issues also extend beyond the roster. Popular equipment manager Charlie Samuels was fired after it was learned he was a subject in an investigation into illegal gambling, potentially upsetting an already unenthusiastic clubhouse.

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