The Mets started the second half of their season losing to the only team with a worse record than them in the National League, the Miami Marlins. There's plenty of games to go until changes are made one way or another, but such an outing is not going to quell the rumor mill.

Within those rumors which have picked up steam in recent weeks, the name Joe Girardi is the most prominent one connected to the team.

General manger Brodie Van Wagenen said prior to Friday's game that Mickey Callaway's job is safe. But that won't change much in regard to public opinion, and it won't change the Girardi-Mets connection floating about.

SNY's Andy Martino reported prior to the All-Star break that the Mets have asked around about the former Yankees manager in regard to bringing him to Flushing next season.

Girardi discussed his feelings on exactly that this week. He didn't outright say he wants to land in Queens, but the current baseball analyst did say he wants to find himself a home in a dugout somewhere soon.

"(Where) doesn't really matter to me. I'm excited to try to manage again. I want to try to manage again, we'll see if I get an opportunity," Girardi said speaking to Radio.com's Big Time Baseball.

Speaking on potentially joining the Mets, Girardi took an approach that was unsurprising for a former manager. With Callaway on the hot seat, Girardi acknowledged he knows how Callaway is feeling.

"I've been let go twice. It's hard. For anyone who's even rumored to be let go, I feel for them in their situation because I know Mickey Callaway has put his heart and soul into this and is doing everything he can to turn that club around and get em' on the right track," Girardi said. "There's a lot of familiarity with me and New York, maybe that's why you hear my name sometimes, but I feel for these guys and what they're going through because I don't ever want anyone to be let go because I know how difficult it is."

Girardi did say he believes this Mets team has the right pieces in place, adding that New York could copy one divisional foe in particular in order to reverse their fortunes.

"The bullpen has had their struggles, offensively, they've had to rely on the kids and some of the veterans haven't done what people expected them to do," Girardi said. "But if I'm the New York Mets, if I look at where the Washington Nationals were and how they've turned it around, and say, 'why not us?' I mean, you look at the Washington Nationals, they have the big three at the top of the rotation, I think you can say that about the Mets. They have three or four guys that can really get it done. You look at the struggles that the Washington Nationals' bullpen had, I think the Mets have the talent to turn it around."

Girardi also mentioned regardless of the direction a future employer could want to take, he would feel confident in his ability to steer the ship.

"I don't really have a particular team that I'm looking at, I'm not looking at a particular situation. I've been through a lot of situations. I've been with rebuilds in Miami, and you know, it's some what of a rebuild in New York. I've been with young players, I've enjoyed that immensely. I've been with older players, I've enjoyed that immensely," Girardi said.

The 54-year-old former bench boss has strong credentials to his name. As he mentioned himself, putting together most of that resume in the same city as the Mets helps. In his career with the Yanks, the former catcher put together a 910-710 overall record from 2008-17. In 2009, he guided the Yankees to a World Series title. In his lone season with the Marlins in 2006, he won the National League Manager of the Year as well.

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