Mets Manager Terry Collins: I'd Like To Retire In Queens
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- And just like that, the Mets are no longer in sole possession of first place in the National League East.
After losing to the Cardinals on Tuesday night -- and not getting any help from the Yankees, who lost in Washington, D.C. -- the Amazin's and Nationals have identical 23-17 records.
New York -- which won 11 games in a row in April -- has come back down to Earth, but is still in a favorable position. The Mets are expected to make the playoffs this year, and manager Terry Collins knows all to well that if they don't, it very well could mean his job.
He's not wasting his energy worrying about that, though.
"I don't worry about it, not a bit," Collins told the New York Post. "...I've been in the game for many, many years. I'm well aware that the end is going to come in the near future. I'm fine, I feel great. I have a great time. It's exciting to be here, it's fun to do what I do.
"My job is to try to go out every night and get 'em ready to play. If they play good, great … If they don't … something happens."
Collins, who will turn 66 next week, is a baseball lifer. He's managed all over the country -- and across the ocean -- and he's not looking to make another stop. In an ideal world, he'd finish his career in Queens.
"No question about it, no doubt about it," Collins told the newspaper. "All I know is I come out every day and work as hard as I can, have some fun doing it, make sure that the players enjoy being here. That's first and foremost. This is a tough place to play, and they've got to like coming to the ballpark.
"And I believe we've created that atmosphere here, that our players like to come here."
The Mets' pitching has been brilliant, as good as advertised. But the club has struggled to score. The returns of catcher Travis d'Arnaud and captain David Wright -- hopefully sooner rather than later -- should give the offense a huge boost.
"I believe our team — when healthy — can compete with anybody, any team in this league," Collins confidently told the Post.
