Is Carlos Mendoza the answer for Mets? Here are 5 questions for their new manager

The manager position for the New York Mets has been in a state of flux since Terry Collins, the longest-tenured manager in team history, resigned following the final game of the 2017 season.

Since then, the Mets have had five new managers in a seven-year span. The front office is hoping that first-time manager Carlos Mendoza, who was announced as the team's newest skipper in mid-November, can steady the tide.

Mendoza, who spent the last four seasons as the Yankees' bench coach, will be supported by John Gibbons, the former Toronto Blue Jays manager, as his bench coach, and surrounded by a cast of familiar faces, including Jeremy Hefner, Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes.

As the 44-year-old Mendoza approaches his first major league camp as the team's leader, here are five questions that he will need to answer:

1. How will Carlos Mendoza connect with Mets players?

The Mets are going from one of the most veteran managers in the game in Buck Showalter, who coached for 22 seasons, to Mendoza, who despite two decades in the game, has only stood in around two dozen times when Aaron Boone was ejected.

Showalter commanded the respect of his players with four Manager of the Year awards and following success with five separate franchises.

Mendoza's youthful nature can work in his favor. He has seen a lot since being signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 1997. He spent 10 seasons in the minor leagues and three in independent leagues, never reaching Major League Baseball, but nearly immediately joining the Yankees coaching staff once his playing career was done.

"I care a lot about people, relationships, respect and the ability to put a product (on the field) that's going to be able to compete for championships," Mendoza said during his introductory press conference.

2. Can Mendoza develop next generation of Mets players?

One of the biggest areas that could determine Mendoza's successes here will be the development of the team's young core.

Mendoza will immediately be tied to the progression of Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Francisco Alvarez, who all played key roles as rookies in 2023. The Mets' new manager has plenty of experience helping younger players, with time spent as the manager of the Gulf Coast League's Yankees and Single-A Charleston, and also experience as the Yankees' infield coach beginning in 2017.

While there is a sizable veteran presence on the Mets' roster, led by Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz, the production of the next generation could play a critical role in Mendoza's longevity in the position.

3. Can Carlos Mendoza handle the pressure?

As David Stearns was interviewing candidates, one of the key factors that stood out about Mendoza was his experience in New York.

"I understand what New York means and the expectations," Mendoza said during his introductory press conference. "I know it'll get heavy and the fans are gonna let you know when you're not playing well, but they're also going to cheer when you're playing well, and I'm looking forward to that."

Even with numerous star players moving on, the expectation for the Mets fans is that they will compete for a spot in the playoffs. Some fans quickly soured on Showalter in the midst of the team's vast disappointment last season, despite the former manager's run to 101 wins and a Manager of the Year Award in 2022.

There was a hope the Mets would land Craig Counsell, but he decided to stay in the midwest. Despite being a first-timer, Mendoza is likely to be held to task immediately upon his first game at Citi Field.

4. How will Kodai Senga be handled?

As Kodai Senga, who pitched only once a week in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, was getting acclimated to MLB in 2023, the Mets only used the rookie on normal rest twice over the course of the season.

Despite pitching under several new conditions, including widespread travel and with a different baseball, Senga delivered a 12-7 record with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts, exceeding the best possible expectations entering 2023. He still managed to make 29 starts under a reduced workload.

Now, Senga finds himself in as the team's ace following the departures of Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander and with no major additions to the starting rotation. Will the Mets and Mendoza continue to approach Senga's starts carefully or lean on him to try and lead the Mets back to the playoffs?

5. How does he prepare Edwin Diaz to bounce back?

The biggest loss of the Mets' 2023 season came last March when Edwin Diaz crumbled to the turf at loanDepot park in Miami after sealing Puerto Rico's advancement in the World Baseball Classic. A torn patellar tendon in his right knee kept him out for the season.

The presence of Diaz, who was one of the game's top closers in 2022, striking out more than half of the 235 batters he faced and notching 32 saves, could not be replaced.

Now, Diaz returns to fortify the final innings for the Mets after last season's bullpen produced the ninth-worst ERA in the league. The 29-year-old, who signed a four-year, $102 million deal before last season, has already been seen rifling in pitches during bullpen sessions.

Now as Diaz readies to face live competition for the first time, Mendoza will help determine how much action he sees this spring and how much the team will lean on him during the season's early stages.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Carlos Mendoza: 5 questions the new NY Mets manager must answer in 2024