The New York Mets announced yesterday Ken Oberkfell, Chip Hale, Mookie Wilson and Jon Debus would not be part of Terry Collins’ coaching staff in 2012, with Hale signing a two-year pact to become bench coach in Oakland. Along with hinting Wally Backman might replace Tim Teufel as Buffalo’s skipper next spring (the latter being promoted to third base coach for the parent club), there’s speculation next year’s coaching staff might include one of the following former big league managers, Jim Riggleman, John McLaren, Bob Geren or Larry Bowa (above).

Let’s consider for a minute the suitability of some of these baseball veterans in helping Sandy Alderson pass the time until the club is sold in a rebuilding process. Bob Geren came out on the short end of a public pissing match with successive A’s closers. Riggleman quit on a rapidly improving Nationals squad who were within shouting distance of contention at the time. And as for Bowa, well, as longtime CSTB readers know all too well, he’s nothing short of blogging gold.

So I say, find room for all 3 of ’em. McLaren, too. If we’ve got 3 GM’s on the payroll, what’s 3 or former 4 managers when a season’s worth of blog fodder hangs in the balance?