<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2i6PJj_0w4Pw2n400" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2i6PJj_0w4Pw2n400" width="1280" height="853" ><figcaption>New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) greets players before Game 3 of the National League baseball playoff series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) AP</figcaption></figure>NEW YORK — As Mets manager Carlos Mendoza stood before his team after eliminating the <a href="https://www.nj.com/phillies/">Philadelphia Phillies</a> in <a href="https://www.nj.com/mets/2024/10/francisco-lindor-leads-mets-to-first-nlcs-since-2015-in-grand-fashion.html">Game 4 of the National League Division Series</a> at Citi Field on Wednesday night, breaking off pieces of foil wrapped around the cork of a champagne bottle, <a href="https://www.nj.com/mets/2024/10/heres-what-mets-manager-carlos-mendoza-said-to-spark-nlcs-celebration.html">he spoke of the importance of family</a>.“Let’s celebrate our families,” Mendoza, 44, said. “Behind the scenes, they’re right there with us.”Since the day <a href="https://www.nj.com/mets/2023/11/mets-poach-yankees-coach-for-their-new-manager.html">he was hired on Nov. 13, 2023</a>, Mendoza has emphasized the importance of togetherness — of being a tight-knit unit that cares for and supports one another other, through the good and bad. It’s an approach Mendoza took from the beginning and one that his players have adopted as they endured a 22-33 start and surged to become one of MLB’s best teams, a series win away from claiming the National League pennant. The NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers starts Sunday in L.A.BUY METS TICKETS: <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587338&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.stubhub.com%2Fnew-york-mets-tickets%2Fperformer%2F5649%2F">STUBHUB</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587338&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vividseats.com%2Fnew-york-mets-tickets--sports-mlb-baseball%2Fperformer%2F605">VIVID SEATS</a>, <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=126006X1587338&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticketmaster.com%2Fnew-york-mets-tickets%2Fartist%2F805990">TICKETMASTER</a>Days after being hired, Mendoza jumped on a plane to watch outfielder Starling Marte play in the Dominican Winter League after a lost 2023 in which he played in only 86 games. The outfielder was rehabbing from a groin injury, and Mendoza wanted to analyze his level of play but also find out how he was feeling on a personal level.A resident of Tampa, Mendoza also took the opportunity to drive around Florida, where many of his players also live in the offseason, to visit them and get to know them.“Me and Harrison (Bader) get together in the offseason and he drove by, introduced himself, and watched us do our workout stuff,” first baseman Pete Alonso said. “That relationship started early.”Through the Mets' magical run to the postseason, not only have they stuck together, but they’ve grown closer through turmoil. On May 29, as the Dodgers gave the Mets their eighth loss in nine games and that 22-33 record, <a href="https://www.nj.com/mets/2024/05/mets-jorge-lopez-cut-after-f-bomb-tirade-calls-out-media-for-fueling-rage-against-him.html">reliever Jorge López chucked his glove into the stands</a>, ranted to reporters and got cut the next day.Since then, the Mets embraced Jose Iglesias’s music career and his single “OMG” as their anthem, even running out to the field for an impromptu performance after a game. “OMG” T-shirts have been made, and even a wooden sign was designed that players now hold for a photo after every home run.Pitchers have their own celebrations, too. After each start, they huddle with one another and jump up and down. Most recently, they’ve taken to writing the day’s starting pitcher’s number on their cheeks in eye black.“I think when you see everything that his team has gone through and everything that we have overcome this year, he’s a big reason why,” Mets vice president and special assistant to the president of baseball operations Eduardo Brizuela told NJ Advance Media. “He’s been righting the ship, he’s been the captain, he’s been the one that gets everybody going in the same direction.“Just having that type of personality where he’s the same guy every single day becomes even more special.”For years, Mendoza had been waiting for an opportunity to manage a big-league team. He had interviewed for jobs, leaving a good impression but never landing the gig until the Mets called.After spending 15 years with the Yankees, including four as manager Aaron Boone’s bench coach (2019-23), Mendoza developed into a leader with traits to become a successful manager.“I knew he was fully ready for that job. He just connects well with people,” Boone said. “He’s obviously bilingual and very, very good at communicating with everyone. You realize what a good dude he is and you recognize his intelligence too. He’s just the real deal.”Throughout the season, Mendoza has maintained an open-door policy: Anyone in the organization is free to talk to him whenever. He doesn’t sit around waiting to hear from his players and coaches, he goes out of his way to speak to them.In the Mets’ clubhouse, you often see Mendoza talking to a player casually. That has allowed him to build relationships with players and gain trust.“That’s one of the best attributes as a manager, being calm, cool and collected,” Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo said. “And also understanding when to push, when to pull back and how to communicate.”There’s no better recent example of this feel than during Sean Manaea’s Game 3 start against the Phillies on Tuesday. After walking the first two batters, Phillies slugger Bryce Harper stepped up to the plate, trailing 2-0, with the chance to give his team the lead.Mendoza was advised on what to do next. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and bench coach John Gibbons suggested he turn to the bullpen, where right-hander Reed Garrett had been warming up.Instead, like a parent teaching their child to ride a bicycle for the first time, Mendoza decided it was time to let go, putting all of his trust in Manaea, who emerged as the team’s ace this season.Against Harper, the left-hander went on the attack, striking him out on three pitches. Then, he induced a line-drive double play to end the inning.“After the game, it took me a while to kind of relax a little bit,” Mendoza gestured as if exhausted.Mendoza’s gamble had worked. The Mets won the game, setting them up for the clinching Game 4 in the series.“It’s a testament to Carlos, a guy that’s cool, calm, collected in pressure situations, makes the right calls, makes the right moves,“ Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said, glowing about his former coach.NJ Advance Media’s Randy Miller and Max Goodman contributed to this report from Kansas City, Mo.Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.Manny Gómez may be reached at <a href="mailto:mgomez@njadvancemedia.com">mgomez@njadvancemedia.com</a>.</div></body>

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In Carlos Mendoza, Mets have ‘special’ person leading them to NLCS: ‘The real deal’

NEW YORK — As Mets manager Carlos Mendoza stood before his team after eliminating the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Citi Field on Wednesday night, breaking off pieces of foil wrapped around the cork of a champagne bottle, he spoke of the importance of family.

In Carlos Mendoza, Mets have ‘special’ person leading them to NLCS: ‘The real deal’

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