In an interesting turn of events, the firing of the New York Knicks’ head coach has become a hot topic in MLB. Tom Thibodeau, once considered an architect of the Knicks, did his best to take his team deep into the playoffs. But unfortunately, they failed to win the NBA Championship. And it also marked the end of his journey with the Knicks, despite having one of their most successful seasons to date. Now, whether you blame it on the team’s lack of effort or the coach’s potential, the New York Mets manager, Carlos Mendoza, refused to sit idly.

Since joining the Knicks back in 2020, he has been overseeing the Knicks, and under his leadership, the team has made it to the playoffs four times in five seasons. While announcing the decision, Knicks president Leon Rose said, “Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans. This pursuit led us to the difficult decision to inform Tom Thibodeau that we’ve decided to move in another direction.” The news hit hard, echoing through Madison Square Garden and across the city, and reporters scrambled for reactions, not just from basketball insiders but from the wider New York sports world.

Over at Citi Field, Mets manager Mendoza was asked what he thought of the Knicks’ controversial move. Mendoza, who knows all too well the pressure that comes with leading a New York team, didn’t sugarcoat his response. According to the Mets beat reporter Mike Puma, Mendoza said, “When you’re in this seat, man, anything can happen.”

Let’s be fair—Mendoza didn’t say anything wrong, either. The firing of the head coach happened right after one of the Knicks’ stars, Jalen Brunson, tried to defend Thibodeau following their loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6. This led to the Knicks ending their postseason run.

But it wasn’t just Hart and Brunson who praised the head coach. Even Knicks superfan Ben Stiller heaped praise on Thibodeau, who made the team “relevant again” across the social media platforms. Now, regarding Mendoza’s reaction, it’s clear he understands the stakes that come with the job. It also gives us a stark picture of how close the New York franchises are.

Not to forget, his statement also reminds us that even with success, nothing is guaranteed. This applies to coaches and managers in every sport, who understand how fragile their career may be, even after doing their best to take their team deep into the playoffs.

Carlos Mendoza feels the pressure despite the Mets standing atop the division

Well, it may sound concerning for the Mets fans. But yes, Mendoza knows very well that there is very little margin for error in high-performing leagues like this. Despite the Mets standing atop the NL East with a 38-23 record and a .623 winning percentage, Mendoza must feel the pressure of making decisions in New York.

His reaction also reflects how difficult it is to play in New York, it also gives us an overview of how momentum can shift every now and then. And even if one gives their best for the team, there’s no guarantee of what’s going to come in the upcoming times.

Meanwhile, Mendoza wants to focus on the Mets as of now, especially since an injury to their third baseman, Mark Vientos, has cast a dark shadow over the team. So far, Vientos has slashed .230/.298/.380 and posted only six home runs with 21 RBIs. Regarding his injury, Mendoza said that they would bring him back to New York for an MRI and do whatever is possible.

As of now, it appears that, rather than worrying about whether he might face the same fate as Thibodeau, Mendoza wants to focus on doing what is best for the team. And the results will follow.