NEW YORK — Watching Mickey Callaway command the stage at his introductory press conference Monday at Citi Field, it was easy to understand why the Mets moved so quickly and confidently to secure the former Indians pitching coach as the 21st manager in franchise history.
Speaking from the heart, not from a script, the charismatic Callaway detailed why he sees himself being a successful big-league manager.
MORE: Dodgers' Cody Bellinger wins Sporting News NL ROY
"We're going to care more about the players than anyone ever has before," the 42-year-old Callaway said, wearing his new No. 36 Mets jersey. "We're going to know that they are human beings and individuals; and this is going to be a group that feels that every day they come into the clubhouse. Our main concern is to show them that we know this game is difficult and we care about you as a player, a human being and about your personal life.
"We're not going to have expectations on their numbers. We are going to have expectations that they are going to work the right way to go put up numbers."
It’s official! Please join us in welcoming our new manager, Mickey Callaway! pic.twitter.com/ByUSKMFBzo
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 23, 2017
Callaway, who referenced "tearing up" when he told Indians pitchers that he was leaving Cleveland to accept the managerial post in New York, was asked how he will get his new team to respect a first-time manager.
"I don't think you necessarily set out to have the guys like you," Callaway said. "You show them every day that you care about them — and we will care about them, it's not going to be an act. I'm going to love every one of them. I'm going to show them day in and day out by the decisions I make and the way I communicate with them I truly, truly care about them. If I can do that consistently, then I won't have to wonder if people like me — they're going to like me and respect me."
It is a formula that worked in Cleveland, where Callaway spent the past five seasons working under one of the game's most respected managers, Terry Francona. Callaway helped develop Corey Kluber into a Cy Young Award winner and the staff as a whole into, arguably, one of the best units in the major leagues. Now he'll be the man in charge of trying to get the Mets back on track after an utterly dismal 70-92 season which was sabotaged equally by a plethora of injuries and poor performances.
Good luck, Mick! https://t.co/DtDZGlvM47 pic.twitter.com/zImwhX5qrs
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) October 23, 2017
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Monday that the club began its managerial search with "a very long list, in excess of 35 candidates" and then "whittled the list down to six." Originally, he planned to conduct second interviews before deciding "there was only one man for the job" and set about convincing Callaway to accept the position.
Callaway laughed and said he was thrilled about his interview with the Mets, and that he and Alderson were so in sync about how to go about restoring the team to contender status that he was "the most excited guy in the world."
MORE: Yankees' Aaron Judge named Sporting News AL ROY
Alderson said the Mets "were looking for a leader" who brought both "professional competence" and "personal excellence" to replace Terry Collins, who piloted the team the previous seven seasons and guided the Mets to an appearance in the 2015 World Series. Alderson believes strongly that he and the organization found the right man in a former major league right-hander who had a middling playing career before finding his calling as a coach.
WORLD SERIES: Dates, times for 2017 Fall Classic
Only a few minutes into the press conference, Callaway was ready to leave and get to work.
"I am so excited to get to know the players," he said. "I'm ready to start making phone calls to them as soon as (the press conference) is over."