NEW YORK -- New York Mets fans frequently quibbled about the in-game maneuvers of manager Terry Collins this season. That was true right down to the bitter end, when Matt Harvey took the mound for the ninth inning of Game 5 of the World Series, then did not get pulled after a leadoff walk.
But the true mark of an effective manager is whether his players battle for him -- to the end of games, and to the end of seasons when the team is out of the race.
In that respect, Collins has been a major reason for the Mets' success.