This is what was in the NY Daliy News today.
Howe about Dykstra next?
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Lenny Dykstra with the Mets in '80s.
The Mets could reach to their glory days for Art Howe's successor. Team brass may consider pairing hard-nosed Lenny Dykstra, who serves as a consultant to Jim Duquette and Jeff Wilpon, with bench coach Larry Bowa to try to restore a swagger to the organization, according to sources.
"He's not going to accept losing," one Mets insider said.
Owner Fred Wilpon mentioned managerial experience as a criterion for the next skipper, but Duquette said the organization will "maintain flexibility" when identifying candidates.
Dykstra, 41, spent a week during spring training as a Mets instructor and motivational speaker and said at the time he couldn't handle a full-time job with the organization because of his business responsibilities in California, which include upscale car washes and a retail center. His subsequent conversations with Mets brass are believed to have fueled a desire to return to Flushing, where he spent five seasons and cemented his "Nails" nickname. Bowa, the Phillies manager who is expected to be out after the season, was the third-base coach when Dykstra played in Philadelphia. He could be a complement to the ex-Met with his managerial experience.
The Mets may use tradition - specifically the 1986 title team - to help reinvigorate a disgruntled fan base.
"I've been asked by a lot of clubs to get back into baseball," Dykstra said during spring training, explaining his role as an instructor. "I thought about doing it for a while and it never was right. The Mets, when I met Jim in Arizona (last season), and me and him got to talk and spend some serious time together, I was just really, really impressed with his attitude and his knowledge of today's player and what kind of product that needs to be put on the field to put people in the seats. When it all comes down to it, we're in the business of putting people in the seats. We're in the entertainment business, and you get entertained by winning games.
"That's something I'm pretty good at. I'm not afraid to say that. I've always been associated with winning teams. I think some people are just winners."
Added Dykstra in March: "One of the things I'm not afraid to say is that I was a smart player. There's a group of players that are just going to dominate no matter what, because they're special. ... But the rest, it's a fine line between hitting .300 and hitting .280, or winning 3-2 or losing 3-2. Setting up pitchers, working counts, it's a whole game plan.
"One thing about me, when I do something, I try to do it as hard as I can, and I try to do it right. Don't forget, look who I learned from - Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Ray Knight, Larry Bowa. These are guys that I was taught and learned how to play the game from the way it's supposed to be played."
That attitude, one Mets insider said, could help infuse the fan base and reinvigorate the clubhouse.
Howe about Dykstra next?
BY ADAM RUBIN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Lenny Dykstra with the Mets in '80s.
The Mets could reach to their glory days for Art Howe's successor. Team brass may consider pairing hard-nosed Lenny Dykstra, who serves as a consultant to Jim Duquette and Jeff Wilpon, with bench coach Larry Bowa to try to restore a swagger to the organization, according to sources.
"He's not going to accept losing," one Mets insider said.
Owner Fred Wilpon mentioned managerial experience as a criterion for the next skipper, but Duquette said the organization will "maintain flexibility" when identifying candidates.
Dykstra, 41, spent a week during spring training as a Mets instructor and motivational speaker and said at the time he couldn't handle a full-time job with the organization because of his business responsibilities in California, which include upscale car washes and a retail center. His subsequent conversations with Mets brass are believed to have fueled a desire to return to Flushing, where he spent five seasons and cemented his "Nails" nickname. Bowa, the Phillies manager who is expected to be out after the season, was the third-base coach when Dykstra played in Philadelphia. He could be a complement to the ex-Met with his managerial experience.
The Mets may use tradition - specifically the 1986 title team - to help reinvigorate a disgruntled fan base.
"I've been asked by a lot of clubs to get back into baseball," Dykstra said during spring training, explaining his role as an instructor. "I thought about doing it for a while and it never was right. The Mets, when I met Jim in Arizona (last season), and me and him got to talk and spend some serious time together, I was just really, really impressed with his attitude and his knowledge of today's player and what kind of product that needs to be put on the field to put people in the seats. When it all comes down to it, we're in the business of putting people in the seats. We're in the entertainment business, and you get entertained by winning games.
"That's something I'm pretty good at. I'm not afraid to say that. I've always been associated with winning teams. I think some people are just winners."
Added Dykstra in March: "One of the things I'm not afraid to say is that I was a smart player. There's a group of players that are just going to dominate no matter what, because they're special. ... But the rest, it's a fine line between hitting .300 and hitting .280, or winning 3-2 or losing 3-2. Setting up pitchers, working counts, it's a whole game plan.
"One thing about me, when I do something, I try to do it as hard as I can, and I try to do it right. Don't forget, look who I learned from - Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Ray Knight, Larry Bowa. These are guys that I was taught and learned how to play the game from the way it's supposed to be played."
That attitude, one Mets insider said, could help infuse the fan base and reinvigorate the clubhouse.
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