Terry Collins knows first-hand the challenges of the New York Mets battling for the National League pennant.
Between appearances at the SportsNet New York studios located in New York City’s section of Manhattan on the lower east side, Collins easily recalls his time with the Mets during the organization’s last taste of National League Championship Series play. Then, there were two more seasons as the club’s bench boss before hanging up his uniform, after the 2017 season at age 68, for the last time. Thirteen MLB seasons at the helm of three clubs, but his time in the Big Apple by far is what he rates as the most rewarding.
“There’s nothing like winning in professional sports. When I’m in New York, I can’t walk down the street without someone stopping me,” said Collins earlier this week by phone to The Epoch Times, when returning to his home in Port St. Lucie, Florida. “I’m well aware of the passion in the City for baseball.”
When shuttling, from the south to the northeast for his role as an analyst on the panel for SNY’s Baseball Night in New York, Collins brings that familiar feisty and intense passion to his commentary, as was his signature style while leading rosters of ballplayers.
Viewers, primarily Mets’ faithful, looking in and listening to Collins’ contributions, appreciate the no spin, honest assessment offered.
Getting Collins to crack a smile when his former club collects a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, or to get an outright “I’m rooting for the Mets,” is not forthcoming. Besides, as an analyst such a declaration would be a credibility destroyer.
The former Mets skipper managed in the Los Angeles minor league system for several seasons including five at the Dodgers’ Triple-A level for their then affiliate in Albuquerque. Breaking down what the viewers see is coming naturally and sincerely for the Michigander, who after being drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates pushed along for a decade in the minors as a shortstop.
Blame it on past work experience but Collins doesn’t yet have all his previous occupation traits out of him.
“I watch the games (Mets–Dodgers) and have seen situations where I’m thinking to myself that the managers should do this, or they should have done that. I was like that before I managed. You watch a game and see someone throw to the wrong base, or a base running mistake. I love watching the game today but I don’t miss some of the things that go along with it today.”
At SNY studios on the 49th and 50th floors at 4 World Trade Center, Collins attempts to distance his commentary on the Mets–Dodgers NLCS to a constant comparison of the 2015 club that he led to the World Series against the Kansas City Royals. The here and the now is central to the Mets fan base. The four-game sweep that New York unleashed in the 2015 NLCS on the Chicago Cubs is well documented. Going down in defeat to the Royals in five games has been rehashed ad nauseam by media outlets in New York.
For Collins, his past is just that. He is focused on contributing the most meaningful insight from someone who is grading the play on the field from a studio seat, this time looking into a camera and no coaches to suggest input.
“I’m not here to criticize anybody,” says Collins. “The game’s hard. But, I will raise questions that the fans deserve answers to.”
One baffling strategy for Collins was implemented by Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts during Game 2 of the NLCS. Game 2, which New York won 7–3, and allowed the series to return east with each team capturing one victory, saw the Dodgers have a “bullpen game.” Los Angeles used five pitchers, instead of the normal next man up in the rotation.
“The Dodgers have a $250 million payroll, and they don’t have four starting pitchers? I wouldn’t get too carried away with this but I find this kind of shocking for a team to be as good as they are, and they don’t have enough starting pitchers for the playoffs.”
Obviously, Collins is an important ingredient to the Baseball Night in New York team that Mets fans are looking to for in-depth and honest assessments of what has been seen, and what might be seen in Game 6 or 7. But, Collins is not showing a bias toward the Mets.
Does Collins, who prior to joining the Mets in 2011 as the organization’s 20th manager dating back to their inaugural season of 1962, privately find himself rooting for the boys from Flushing? The short answer—probably. But having spent more than 50 years in the game, Collins still is excited about watching the games occur, regardless of the teams playing. He says he does think about the 2015 season often. Many of his players from that championship team keep in touch with him.
Beneath his analyst responsibilities, and beyond the seasons of wearing uniforms, Collins has been a baseball fan since early childhood.
“As a young boy, my mother let me stay home from school one day, so I could watch the World Series between the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960. As a fan, and as a manager, I knew that the World Series was what it is all about. Talking baseball is so much fun. I can tell you, I miss the competition as a manager.”
With Game 6 of the NLCS set for Dodger Stadium (8:08 p.m. EST) Sunday evening, Collins, and members of the Mets universe will be locked into the broadcast. Although there is the unwritten rule of not cheering from the proverbial press box, one has to believe that Collins has hopes of a Game 7 to be played Monday. He’s a fan. The thrill of a win and go on for another day, or lose, and go home is the drama Collins remembers so well growing up in Midland, Michigan.
