PORT ST. LUCIE — John Gibbons sees the new Mets manager as so prepared he probably doesn’t even need a bench coach.
Given that Carlos Mendoza just entered his first spring training as a major league manager, Gibbons’ assessment could be deemed extreme.
But Mendoza’s apprenticeship over the past four seasons with the Yankees, where he served as the bench coach under Aaron Boone, may have given him all the practical experience needed for his new endeavor.
If anything, it might be the experienced Gibbons — hired by the Mets in November to serve as Mendoza’s bench coach — who is adjusting the most in this new partnership.
