The Mets, currently on the heels of their third straight non-playoff season, are on the hunt for a new manager. In what could be fortunate news for the club, one of the most respected skippers of the past couple decades, Buck Showalter, has interest in the job.
In regards to the position, Showalter told Steve Somers of WFAN: “Yeah, I’d like to be talked about it, but I’m not going to campaign about it, and I’m real uncomfortable even talking about it with you now because there’s a lot of good people out there and they’re going to make a good decision. They’ll have reasons why and why not, and, you know, I respect that.”
The 63-year-old Showalter would give the Mets a proven manager, which is something they didn’t have in the just-fired Mickey Callaway, who came with no experience in the role when they hired him. Showalter has guided the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles for a combined 20 years, amassing a 1,551-1,517 regular-season record with five playoff berths and three Manager of the Year awards. He sat out this season after the Orioles, who were in the incipient stages of a full rebuild, ousted him in the wake of a 47-win showing in 2018.
The O’s were blowing it up when they got rid of Showalter, whereas the Mets are trying to ascend as quickly as possible. The team rebounded from a horrendous start this year to finish with 86 wins in 2019, though that wasn’t enough to save Callaway. Now, after turning to the neophyte Callaway in its previous managerial search two years ago, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Mets opt for an experienced hand to steer the ship this time. As of now, though, there’s no word on whether general manager Brodie Van Wagenen & Co. are interested in speaking with Showalter.
Joe Girardi or Buck for the Mets the fan base would be happy
No, we wouldn’t. I don’t want either of them.
You don’t have to worry. Neither Buck nor Girardi are on sale In the thrift shop.
Cheapskate Wilson’s won’t spend the money.
Maybe you will get both of them.
History tells us Mets don’t pay managers & would be unwilling to meet Girardi’s salary demands….
So am I, Buck.
Showalter’s only 63 years old? I always assumed he was Earl Weaver’s bench coach.
Yeah I remember when he got the job with the Yanks they used to talk about how young he was at like 35
Your mention of Earl Weaver reminded me of the late AL Umpire and author Ron Luciano. Sometime in the 80’s after Luciano had published one or two of his hilarious books, the Book of Lists (is that even around still) asked him to list his 5 most hated Managers. His ranking was
1) Earl Weaver
2) Earl Weaver
3)Earl Weaver
4) Earl Weaver
5) Frank Robinson, Earl’s protege
Just a few gems from Ron Luciano for a laugh……..
“When I started, the game was played by nine tough competitors on grass, in graceful ball parks. But while I was trying to answer the daily quiz Quiz-O-Gram on the exploding scoreboard, a revolution was taking place around me. By the time I finished, there were ten men on each side, the game was played indoors on plastic, and I had to spend half my time watching out for a man dressed in a chicken suit who kept trying to kiss me.”
“Any umpire who lasts five years in the minor leagues deserves to be immortalized. Any umpire who lasts ten or more years in the minors deserves to be institutionalized.”
“Tommy John was pitching for the White Sox against the Orioles and accidentally dropped the ball behind him during his motion. He completed his delivery, and as a joke I called “steee-rike” on the batter. The batter, Don Buford, was aghast. He looked at me as though I was crazy. And out on the mound John was falling all over himself with laughter. I changed the call to “no pitch”, of course, but John couldn’t stop laughing. He walked the next three batters, gave up a double and was taken out of the game. He laughed all the way to the showers.”
Another Luciano-ism. Reggie Jackson asked Luciano after a Nolan Ryan called strike 3 if he was sure and did he see the Ryan fastball.
Luciano said he did not see it, but it sounded like a strike.
I remember that story…lol.
There was a player, I forget who, that was mired in a slump. He talked to Luciano at some point before his first AB and said “Ron, I am stuck in this slump. It’s driving me crazy so if I do ground out (Ron was the 1B umpire that day) please, please don’t shot me out”. He agreed not to.
Sure enough the guy grounded out and Luciano kept his promise. He didn’t shot him out……he threw an imaginary hand grenade!
Was in his early 30s when he was on Billy Martin staff
Get real. He was Connie Macks
Just don’t trade for Zach Britton, Mets.
Suckers!
Buck would be a good hire for the Mets.
Buck is a dinosaur.
Yes, And a micro manager which just might be what the Mets need.
I mentioned in another topic why I thought Buck is perfect for the Mets. He has street cred; he obviously knows the market, he probably doesn’t want a zillion dollars, he can be a calming influence.
It’s really a perfect choice.
I read if he gets hired he wants Mickey. Callaway as his pitching coach and Bobby V as his bench coach.
I’d be ok with that!
How embarrassing to beg and state at the same time he was not begging.
And who would name their child Buck?
They didn’t name him Buck that would be ridiculous. His real first name is Turtletaub.
His first name is William. Buck is obviously a nickname.
Someone actually picking the Mets, this is truly ground breaking headline.
Heard Mark DeRosa campaign for it on Mike Francessa’s Show too. Gave a breakdown on how he would fix Díaz.
How he would want Thor on his staff and would make it work with him.
How about Gabe Kapler?
That would be such an Adam Gase move.
Can’t you see it the Jets hire a bum coach who was let go by a division rival that couldn’t win anything
And then the Mets hire a bum manager from a division rival who couldn’t win anything
I can so see this happen
I’m interested in managing the Mets, should I give The Schmooze a call?
I actually think Buck would be a great fit there as a Brave fan he is their option that fears me the most for that team.
Mets lacked a manager who could make the right in game moves- Buck can do that. Go get him
Like putting in Ubaldo Jimenez in extra innings while the best pitcher in the world at the time, Zach Britton, was on the bench..in a must win game. Buck is a good manager but he tends to try and get fancy with guys he has an affinity for.
Well he doesn’t have any of “his guys” on the Mets. He may lobby to sign Adam Jones but that’s about all he could do there. I think he’d be a tremendous hire.
Buck is the man for the job!
Let’s hire a guys whose never won anything. Girardi would be a much better choice.
are you really that stupid!!!
alone… a 3x manager of the year.
2x minor league manager of the year
1993 Al east 2nd place
1994 Al east title
1995 wild card winner
1999 NL west title
2012 Al wild card winner
2014 Al east title
2016 al wild card
can’t say the man has no experience bud!
and for reference, that’s not to knock girardi!
I’d be happy with either or!!
Could do a lot worse than Showalter
The best candidates aren’t begging for jobs……the openings are begging for them.
One has nothing to do with the other. The Mets opening is begging for Buck. Just because management is to dumb to see it means nothing. Further Buck is not begging for it. He stated his interest.
Buck is easily one of the best managers in the game, but he’s also a throwback to when managers were the true field generals. I don’t see him getting along with Jeff Wilpon, who is basically the equivalent of one of those crazy fans on Twitter, yet he actually is in control of a baseball team.
I would also like to coach the Mets, collect several million dollars and do nothing of consequence as I get a first row seat to watching the yearly dumpster fire burn. I would happily do so for half, nay a quarter, of what Showalter is asking. And the team would fail to make the playoffs just the same.
How about Jason Giambi?