Hour 2: David Stearns Fires Carlos Mendoza as Mets' Nightmare Season Spirals

**Craig Carton** (0:00)
All right, 302 Carton Show, Big Mac on the road today on Israel to Fenway to watch the Yankees play.
Get all your calls coming up. Paul Virzi is going to swing by. My apologies again for those who are expecting Plaxco Burst today. He was set to join us from three to five. I asked him to reschedule because of all the Met attention today. Didn't think he was right for Plax to have to sit here through that.
And obviously, we have stuff we have to get to today because Met fans deserve it with that. Let's go live out the city field right now where the in battle general manager David Stearns is starting his press conference. Go ahead.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:34)
Operations, David Stearns.

**David Stearns** (0:36)
Thanks Ethan. Thank you everyone for coming. I'll start on what is a very difficult day by thanking Carlos. Mendy gave everything he had to our organization for the last two and a half years. He's an exceptionally talented leader. He's a really good baseball man.
Above all else, he's an outstanding person. I enjoyed working with him and I'm going to miss him.
Despite all of our efforts, Mendy's included, we haven't been able to get this going this year. I take responsibility for that. Ultimately, everything that occurs in baseball operations, including our Major League record, is my responsibility. I also have a responsibility to push us forward, to look for solutions, and to make difficult decisions and change when I think it's needed. I understand there's no magic bullet here, there's no one change that immediately is going to turn this around. This is incremental, this is day to day, this is doing the work every single day to get us back on track. I've asked Andy Green to help us with that work for the remainder of the season. He'll be our interim manager through the rest of the season, and at that point, we'll conduct a full managerial search. I think Andy's got a wealth of experience to help us in this role, in a variety of different positions.
His familiarity with our players, some of our players, and our processes will help, and he's going to provide a fresh perspective, new eyes, some new thoughts. I'm happy to take any questions. Steve.

**SPEAKER_5** (2:30)
David, the results haven't been there since day one this year, but you've remained steadfast in your support for Carlos. What change that made this happen right now?

**David Stearns** (2:42)
I don't think there's one thing.
You know, we were steadfast in our support for Carlos. I was steadfast in my support for Carlos because we believed in Carlos. And we believe that collectively, with him helping us lead this, we were going to turn it around. And we haven't. And in some cases, it's gotten worse. And when that happens at some point, you got to make a change. So there's not one moment or one thing or one observation. But it was time.
And so we did this.

**SPEAKER_5** (3:23)
You can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as though you're pretty emotional about this. Just what are you feeling on a personal level that's leading to that right now?

**David Stearns** (3:34)
Look, in these roles, you're a partner with the manager. Um, Carlos and I spoke almost every day for the last two and a half years. So these are very difficult decisions.
Um, I have a ton of respect for them.
At the same time, this is my job. And I have a responsibility in the best of my ability and the best of my judgment to lead the organization. Um, that includes making difficult decisions. It includes making change when change is needed. And my estimation, our estimation, change is needed right now.

**SPEAKER_5** (4:10)
You um, last one for me. You had also said that ultimately it falls on you, the record.
You remade this entire team this offseason, you were very confident in what it could do. As you have evaluated what's happened, where do you think your initial projections and thoughts fell short?

**David Stearns** (4:32)
Yeah, I think that evaluation is ongoing and will continue to be ongoing. Clearly we've fallen short. Um, I still have confidence in the talent that's in our room. I believe in the talent that's in our room.
But belief on its own does not lead to results. And I understand that.
We need better play. We need better production. And my focus right now, Andy's focus right now is going to be doing everything we can to put our guys in the best positions to succeed.

**SPEAKER_7** (5:03)
Mike? David, you said you consider partnership with Mendy. That said, have you considered stepping aside? Is that something you've thought about?