Lindor a no-brainer for Mets captain? Not so fast

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Early this spring, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation, Mets officials broadly discussed the idea of naming a captain for the first time since David Wright retired seven years ago. Francisco Lindor is the most obvious candidate given the leadership responsibilities he’s assumed in recent seasons.

Ultimately, they decided to table the conversation -- at least for now. That’s not a reflection on Lindor, whom teammates and officials believe would be an excellent organizational steward. It’s simply an acknowledgement that the Mets’ leadership picture is a nuanced one.

In addition to Lindor, there is Brandon Nimmo, the longest-tenured Met who’s played an influential role in team affairs. How could the Mets name Lindor a captain without also making Nimmo one? Then there is Juan Soto, who only just arrived but is a commanding figure under contract for the next 15 seasons. Where does he fit in? At times last year, Sean Manaea became a vocal leader. Pete Alonso and Francisco Alvarez served as emotional beacons. They’re all still in that room, too.

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“It’s supposed to be one person,” Nimmo said of the captaincy. “But from what I’ve seen, and how our team responded last year, I saw many different people step up and lead. And I think that just slapping the ‘C’ on one guy would probably not be a full picture of what’s actually been going on in here.”

“You’ve got so many guys doing things that captains do,” added manager Carlos Mendoza. “Lindor’s right at the top, but you could make a case for a few of the guys. They police themselves really well.”

Wright, who served as captain from 2013-18, was the obvious choice of his era. At the time, no other Met featured his unique blend of natural leadership qualities, peer respect, organizational tenure and contractual stability. He had been a Mets leader for a long time and was set to remain one for years to come. In that regard, Wright had no equal.

The current situation is different, with two long-standing leaders in Lindor and Nimmo, a high-profile newcomer in Soto and several other veterans who garner outsized respect. Nimmo is under contract through 2030, Lindor through 2031. When things went wrong for the Mets last year, both helped lead the renaissance.

“We bring different things to the table,” Nimmo said, “and I just don’t think it all works as well without bringing it all together.”

Could co-captains work?
This spring, public discourse has mostly centered around Lindor, who’s coming off an MVP-caliber season on the field. His role in organizing the team meeting that helped reverse the Mets’ fortunes in late May is well-documented. Teammates have referred to him as the soul of this club.

When asked about the captaincy, Lindor responded: “I do feel like I’m one of the leaders of the team. … If it does happen, it would be an honor. It would be a privilege. It’s something I would never take for granted.”

Nimmo offered similar thoughts regarding his own situation, albeit with this caveat: “Man,” he said, “it would be tough to slap a ‘C’ on my chest without slapping a ‘C’ on Lindor’s chest.”

So what about both? Despite naming only four captains in their 63-year history, the Mets are one of several teams to have employed co-captains: Keith Hernandez and Gary Carter from 1988-89.

“Co-captains can co-exist, absolutely,” Hernandez said in a telephone interview.

Although Hernandez and Carter varied in personality and had some well-documented differences, both sought the same end goal. Even before then-manager Davey Johnson decided to make them both captains, each led in his own way.

“It wasn’t like we were crowned before a military tribunal and given a raise in rank,” Hernandez said. “It just happened. There was nothing different from the day before when I was solo captain to when Gary became co-captain. It was nothing. It just was what it was. Davey made the announcement, and it was.”

Do the Mets even need a captain?
Currently, 28 of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams don’t have an official captain. The lone exceptions are Salvador Perez in Kansas City and Aaron Judge in the Bronx.

In Wright’s estimation, the fact that one of the two plays in New York is no coincidence. This is a unique market, featuring outsized fan attention and media demands. Having one person filter the team’s message and deliver it to the public can be helpful. Even internally, having a single player act as a conduit to the manager and front office can be more effective than a scattered approach.

“I think New York is a special place in that it’s nice to have one guy,” Wright said.

Following difficult losses, Wright was typically the one to stand in front of his locker and face the media. At times of crisis, no other Met carried the same gravitas.

These days, Lindor and Nimmo both shoulder such duties. Soto, who has been a leader in other markets, figures to share some of that job in Queens. Alonso differs from the others in that he’s not on a long-term contract, but he’s nonetheless been a spokesman when needed. He’s also been in the organization for the better part of a decade.

Both Nimmo and Lindor have been clear in saying that even if the Mets were to name a captain (or two), nothing would change in terms of how they conduct their business. But these are human beings. Crowning one without the other could have the power to offend -- or at the very least, to misrepresent the leadership picture in New York. By its very nature, it would change a power dynamic that worked remarkably well last year without any formal titles attached.

“The ‘C’ I almost think is more for the fans, and it’s more for just an outward appearance, because on the inside of this clubhouse we know who we’re looking toward,” Nimmo said. “We know who the leaders of this clubhouse are. We know we have many. And we know that we all want to pull on the same end of the rope and get everybody going in the same direction.

“But it’s a great problem to have. To be able to have many leaders is a good, good thing.”