Hurdle to interview with Mets

Clint Hurdle may be the front runner for the Pirates managerial position but the Pirates are not his only choice. The New York Post is reporting that Sandy Alderson will be interviewing Hurdle for the Mets open skipper job next week.

Denver Post baseball writer Troy Renck spent the 2002-2009 seasons with Hurdle as he was the manager for the Rockies. He spoke with ESPN on why Hurdle what his strengths as a manager were and what his personality was like.

What are Clint Hurdle’s strengths as a manager? Or what did the players appreciate?

“He’s an unbelievable communicator, a huge personality. You know he’s there from the moment he arrives at the park. It’s impossible to miss in terms of his personality and presence. He’s a great teacher of hitting. And a strength of his is just that positive energy. Certainly when they were a young team, going through a youth movement, how to deal with young players and how to keep the glass half-full, he was very good about that when they were in their rebuilding process.”

When you say personality, any examples?

“Well, he’s as bright as any guy I’ve ever interviewed in a uniform. He was accepted to Harvard. He had a chance to play college football at Miami. It’s understood that he was like the first high school quarterback ever to call his own plays and audible. He’s a bright guy. He ran Rockies fantasy camp for years, and he actually ran the Mets camp for part of that time as well. People would go to that camp just to get ripped by him. He’s like a roast dinner. He’s so funny and biting in that way. Whether it’s one-liners or killing a story, I mean he literally could go on stage right now and make people laugh and cry. He’s an unbelievable public speaker.”