MLB Rumors: There could be a hiccup in Mets-Craig Counsell negotiations
The New York Mets have an immense financial advantage over any other team as it pertains to bringing in a manager of their choosing. David Stearns voluntarily let Buck Showalter go despite his veteran presence and favorability in the locker room in hopes of pursuing a manager like Craig Counsell.
Counsell was finally permitted to speak with other teams on Wednesday, something that had previously been forbidden until his contract with the Brewers ran out. Milwaukee, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, wanted to get in Counsell's good graces in case there's a chance he returns in 2024.
Those close to Craig Counsell suggest that he holds a chance to raise the bar for managersā salaries in the future.
ā The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) October 25, 2023
And that matters a lot to him. So New York could be the spot.
More on the Mets receiving permission this week to interview Counsell ā¤µļø https://t.co/7f9hTGgk3T
As The Athletic reports, Counsell and the Mets will sit down to discuss the bare bones of what the Mets job would look like. Once it becomes clear that New York is the fit for Counsell -- which sure seems like the case right now -- a contract will be negotiated. Counsell wants to reset the market for managers, something that hasn't been discussed enough up to this point. Managers are often underpaid, despite the stress level and importance of their job.
Will Sammon connected Counsell to the Cleveland Guardians, and even said he could return to the Brewers. The Mets are expected to conduct an extensive search of their own, so by no means is this a done deal.
Counsell is expected to explore other opportunities, including the Brewers. And the Mets will interview other candidates. This is NOT a done deal.
ā Andy Martino (@martinonyc) October 25, 2023
Were Counsell to land elsewhere, it would reflect poorly on a Mets organization which brought in the manager's front office counterpart in Milwaukee -- the man who hired him once before -- only to fail to do so this time around. However, there are plenty of intriguing openings available, including Houston.
The Mets will have to pay up, just like everyone else.