Chip Hale Would Make a Great Interim Manager

All of the talk surrounding a potential replacement for embattled Mets Manager Jerry Manuel centers squarely on former Mariners and Diamondbacks skipper Bob Melvin.

I think this is unfortunate, as Melvin would be a change of face, but not a change of type.

Melvin is a tinkerer who had, and lost, two managerial jobs in a relatively short span of time.  Moreover, he is sub-.500 as a manager, and despite some success, his teams quickly floundered under his leadership.

In Melvin's first season as a MLB manager, he led the Mariners to a 93-69 record...and followed that with a 63-99 disaster and was dismissed.

He then went to the Diamondbacks, had two sub-.500 seasons, followed by 90 win and 82 win seasons, and was dismissed after starting the 2009 campaign 12-17.

Melvin took his teams to the playoffs a grand total of one time, in 2007, and they were swept by the Rockies in 4 games.

It's not exactly a proud record of consistent success.

Which brings us to another line of thinking....why not give Chip Hale a chance?

Chip Hale is the Mets current third base coach and has 6 years of minor league managerial experience under his belt and led his team to the Pacific Coast League championship in 2006 before receiving the call to become a major league coach.

He is a baseball guy, a thoughtful person, and he has quickly gained the respect of the players on the team.

Though I am usually against the "interim" tag, I believe this year it's warranted.  The Mets are on the cusp of losing their season, and making a change at the top is the first step in righting this ship.

Chip Hale would have three quarters of a season to make his case, and I personally believe he would demonstrate to all that he is worthy of the position long-term.

Chip Hale Year-By-Year Minor League Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
2000	Missoula Osprey	Pioneer League	44-32	2nd	Arizona Diamondbacks
2001	Missoula Osprey	Pioneer League	52-24	2nd	Arizona Diamondbacks	Lost in 1st round
2002	El Paso Diablos	Texas League	76-62	2nd	Arizona Diamondbacks
2004	Tucson Sidewinders	Pacific Coast League	74-70	7th	Arizona Diamondbacks
2005	Tucson Sidewinders	Pacific Coast League	68-76	11th (t)	Arizona Diamondbacks
2006	Tucson Sidewinders	Pacific Coast League	91-53	1st	Arizona Diamondbacks	League Champs