The Mets took their time, too. Buck Showalter was fired on Oct. 1, 2023. It was believed they had one solid target in mind as his replacement in Brewers manager Craig Counsell, but Counsell wouldn’t be available for exactly another month. The wait seemed like only a wink-wink formality. He and David Stearns had worked together for years in Milwaukee. 

So on the 35th day — when Counsell decided to stay close to his Midwestern roots and sign a $40 million deal with the Cubs that obliterated what Stearns and Steve Cohen were expecting to pay for a manager — the Mets pivoted. And were ready. They were already comfortable enough to make Carlos Mendoza and his lifetime 0-0 record as a manager a viable Plan B. 

On the 36th day, Mendoza became the manager. It’s difficult to find anyone who will tell you today that was anything but an inspired choice. 

There is a lesson in that as we watch the Knicks take their time identifying and hiring Tom Thibodeau’s successor as head coach. Thursday will only be their 10th day without a coach, and it is starting to look like the Mets’ 35-day vigil is a likely model for how this might all shake out.