Season's over for Mets; now what about Manuel?
As Jerry Manuel walked back to the Mets' clubhouse after his team's season-ending 2-1 loss in 14 innings Sunday, the manager said there was one thought on his mind.
"Can't wait to do it again," he said, smiling.
Right now there's no telling when, where or even if Manuel will get the opportunity to manage in the majors again. But what's about to become official is that it won't be in Flushing.
Monday, Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya are scheduled to meet with Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon to learn their fates. As Newsday has reported in recent weeks, Manuel will not be retained as manager - he has an expiring contract - and Minaya either will be dismissed or reassigned.
Publicly, however, Manuel still held out hope Sunday that he will return as manager. "I don't feel that I'm done here, for some reason," he said less than two hours before the Mets' season finale against the Nationals. "I just feel that in my spirit. I'm not done here."
As much as Manuel may have believed what his gut was telling him about his job status, he also made it clear that he wasn't ignoring the mountain of evidence to the contrary.
For example, Manuel said he wasn't comfortable addressing his players as a group because of the uncertainty surrounding his job status. And he also raised the notion that maybe he would be better off if he didn't return. "Sometimes what we think is best for us," he said, "is not really what's best for us."
Manuel also went out of his way to show everyone his appreciation for his two best players, David Wright and Jose Reyes, by stopping the game in the ninth inning to take them out of the game and get an ovation.
"I tried to show them how much I appreciated what they've done and how they have played and performed for me," Manuel said. "I thought it was an opportunity to show them some class. I'm glad I did it for their sake. I think it was important for me to do that."
Wright and Reyes said they appreciated the gesture, each speaking with a clear sense that they had played their final game for Manuel.
"He always tried to help me out, help me be another player, so I appreciate that from Jerry," Reyes said. "I say to him thank you for everything you do for me."
Manuel also pushed Mike Pelfrey out of the dugout to receive applause after sending up Chris Carter as a pinch hitter for Pelfrey in the bottom of the seventh inning.
"At the end of the day, I'm sure a lot of the fingers are going to be pointed at the coaching staff,'' Wright said, "but there's enough blame and there's enough responsibility to go around in the clubhouse. I'm sure the coaches will accept that, but we as players probably deserve the majority of that."
The blame for the Mets' loss Sunday fell mostly on Oliver Perez. The seldom-used lefthander started the 14th inning, hit a batter and walked three, including Justin Maxwell with the bases loaded.
But Manuel absolved Perez of blame, understanding that he was going to be rusty after having pitched only twice in the team's previous 56 games. "That was a tough situation for him," Manuel said.
After 21/2 years on the job, Manuel plans to return home to Sacramento Tuesday, unsure what the future will bring. Asked to describe his tenure in Flushing, he said, "I feel it's incomplete."