The biggest question surrounding Mets GM candidate Doug Melvin has been why he wants to return now after stepping down as Brewers GM in 2015 -- and suggesting at the time that the job of a GM might be better-suited to a younger person.
While speaking after his second-round interview on Tuesday, the 66-year-old Melvin said that for the most part, he just needed a break.
"That's probably how I felt at that particular time," Melvin said about feeling the job might be better for a younger person. "Maybe I needed a break from it at that point," he said, adding that he "Gradually got a couple of years where I could take a breather after 20 years as a GM."
Melvin, who has been an advisor for the Brewers since stepping down as GM, said he was caught up in all the excitement of the Brewers' success this season before the Mets reached out to him -- and that he likely wouldn't have considered the role if a different team had called.
"I'm energized," he said. "I look forward to challenges. I'm a baseball lifer. ... as a general manager, like I've said, there's been a lot of general managers who stepped aside in the past to take a breather."
Here are the other highlights from Melvin's 35-minute call with reporters...
On analytics:
"The teams that are gonna be successful in the future are gonna be the ones that blend those two components together. I don't believe you can go 100 percent analytics, and I don't believe you can go 100 percent scouting and development without analytics."
He added that the small Mets analytics staff can "probably be improved upon" and said he hired his first analytics person in 1995.
"I've always been very open-minded to it. ... I'm open to ideas. I'm always open to anyting new, creative."
Melvin cited his knowledge of launch angle, spin rate, and exit velocity, and said he is excited about educating scouting and player development people about analytics and vice versa.
On whether the role of GM has changed since 2015:
"There's a lot more people involved in today's game than ever before. ... there's new information out there to help you that you didn't have years ago. ... I might think there's more people involved, but there's also more excitement to the job."
On whether he feels the Mets can win now:
"You have to form your club to the talent that you have," Melvin said while praising the starting pitching and noting "there's some holes in the bullpen."
He suggested his idea if hired would be to try to win now and that a total rebuild isn't necessary.
On Mickey Callaway:
Melvin said callaway was put in a bit of a tough spot in 2018 and "probably deserves a chance to do this again."
On staffing/authority:
Melvin said he has been given the freedom to hire his own staff, but doesn't want to "jump to conclusions" and say he's going to bring in lots of people
Regarding the baseball moves he wants to make if hired, Melvin said he believes he'll have "the authority to make the decision that I thought was in the best interest of the organization."