NEW YORK (AP) — Terry Collins has been introduced as manager of the New York Mets, the latest hire for an organization undergoing an overhaul after four years without a playoff berth.
The team said Tuesday he signed a 2-year contract with a club option for 2013.
Collins was the Mets’ minor league field coordinator last season. New general manager Sandy Alderson chose him over Wally Backman, Chip Hale and Bob Melvin. Collins replaces Jerry Manuel, who was fired after a second straight losing season.
This is the first big league managerial job for the 61-year-old Collins since he resigned from the Angels amid a player revolt in 1999.
He inherits a club that went 79-83 last season and was hamstrung by bloated contracts and injuries to key players.
