The Mets are scheduled to interview Buck Showalter tomorrow as part of their managerial search, reports Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (Twitter link). That’s hardly a surprise, as Showalter was reported to be on New York’s radar last week. Perhaps of more interest is that Heyman adds that some around the industry see Showalter as the favorite, although he notes that other candidates are expected to sit down in the coming days.
Few around the game can match Showalter’s experience and credentials. He landed his first big league managerial job with the Yankees nearly three decades ago. Showalter spent the 1992-95 campaigns in the Bronx and went on to log stints leading the D-Backs from (1998-2000), the Rangers (2003-06) and the Orioles (2010-18).
Now 65, Showalter is a three-time Manager of the Year award winner, claiming that honor in each of 1994, 2004 and 2014. He’s overseen five playoff clubs (including three division winners), leading the 2014 Orioles to the AL Championship Series. Baltimore posted a winning record in five of his first seven seasons at the helm, but the club nosedived in 2017, leading to the complete rebuild from which the organization still has yet to emerge. That’s not entirely or even primarily the fault of Showalter, but the O’s nevertheless dismissed him after the 2018 campaign. He hasn’t managed since, yet he’s continued to express openness to a return to the dugout.
Showalter will become the fourth known interviewee with the Mets. New York has also spoken or scheduled interviews with Rays’ bench coach Matt Quatraro, former Tigers’ and Angels’ skipper Brad Ausmus and Dodgers’ bench coach Bob Geren. Ausmus and Geren both have prior MLB managing experience, but neither has as extensive a resume as Showalter.
The latter’s long list of accomplishments figures to hold some weight in the clubhouse, and Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated reports (on Twitter) that newly-signed ace Max Scherzer has indicated to the club he’d prefer Showalter land the position. It’s not clear the front office will place much or any stock into the reported preferences of individual players, but Scherzer is certainly an important figure in the organization both from an on-field and locker room perspective.
Interestingly, the Mets aren’t the only New York team to consider a pursuit of Showalter this offseason. Heyman adds that the Yankees kicked around the possibility of making a run at bringing him back earlier in the winter. That ultimately proved not to be, as the Yankees decided to stick with incumbent skipper Aaron Boone, signing him to a three-year extension in mid-October.
Just sign Ausmus, that would be the most Mets move.
Hiring Buck would not only bring instant credibility to the Mets but it would also make them contenders for years to come. As a Yankee fan I can only hope Cohen & Co. outsmart themselves again, but even being as dysfunctional as they are, I fear that won’t be the case. Ahahahahaha!
Unfortunately, its the Mets. The best thing to do and the Mets thing to do are two totally different things…
Seriously, Rsox? Your comments are usually better than that. Hate to see you resort to trolling with LOL Mets fallacies.
Sadly this one is fair…
Still Haven’t Got OVER 1986 …
Have YOU LOL
Scherzer is not very smart stating his preference for manager. If Buck doesn’t get the job, whomever does get it should greet Scherzer in ST by saying “Hi, I’m one of the guys you didn’t want as your manager”.
Definitely not a good way to start a manager/player relationship.
He’s making $120+M over the next three years. You think he cares?
To clarify, did he actually say that on the record? I thought it was closer to hearsay at this point.
@Fever He’s allowed to have a preference. There’s a difference between “I would like to be managed by Buck” and “You need to hire Buck and Buck only”.
Just because you couldn’t handle that kind of situation, doesn’t mean they can’t. Don’t measure others by your limitations.
“The ball gets by Buckner!” lol
Seriously though, you left out the word: “usually”. Not always do they make the wrong moves. And to be fair, you could say that about any team.
One of Scullys greatest calls
I really don’t think the new manager is gonna care about this the way you do. He stated who he’d like to be hired. Nothing wrong with that, it’s not a condemnation of anyone else.
The Red Sox got their revenge with 3 titles and a competitive teams almost every year while we wallow in Peyton Place excrement.
Scherzer is a very bright guy and is just stating the obvious.
The greatest Scully calls – and some were not on national tv – include the Koufax perfect game at Dodger Stadium. Of course Gibson’s HR. Wills last stolen base when he set the record. The last out of the 1963 World Series. I could go on and on. No other broadcaster comes close.
padam – Scherzer is not LeBron, if his manager isn’t exactly enamored with him then he could make some decisions that Scherzer will not like.
I don’t think his $120M will make one bit of difference to Scherzer if his manager pulls him after 4 2/3 innings and he thinks he should pitch to a few more batters. The highest paid players in the game still get very angry at times … some more than others.
@dodgers1958
You sir, ARE CORRECT!!!!
Cam – Show me where I said he’s not allowed to have a preference. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
If you’re old enough to work, have you ever started a job where your boss or people below you have openly stated that you weren’t their first choice for the job?
It’s probably a moot point anyway because Buck will probably get the job, but either way Scherzer’s comments shouldn’t have been publicized.
Cosmo – Why would I care? I’m not a Met’s fan. I pointed out something related to the article, that’s all.
If you’re a manager and you know your star player didn’t want you, that would have an impact on you. At the very least, you probably wouldn’t trust the player very much. Have you forgotten Bobby V’s time in Boston?
Fever
What is it with your age comments lately? “You probably aren’t old enough to remember this ” ” if you are old enough to work” did you suddenly reach the age of Methuselah and think you are suddenly wiser then everyone else.?
Btw Still think Boston is the best team in the AL?
PS
Giving yourself a thumbs up as soon as you post just makes you look like one of those social
media princess.
Ego really that fragile?
Jist of my post- stop trying to belittle people based on what you “think” their age is a set an example as a “Mature” adult.
“I don’t think his $120M will make one bit of difference to Scherzer if his manager pulls him after 4 2/3 innings and he thinks he should pitch to a few more batters.”
Are you implying that a manager would be so clueless that he would mismanage a game as payback against one of his TOR pitchers and the one with the highest AAV on the payroll simply because that pitcher voiced his support for the hiring of another manager?
talk – What is it with you and some others having difficulty comprehending the English language? Too many people like to make false assumptions, I’m not one of them.
It’s a fact many who post here have never had a job. Nothing wrong with that, I think it’s cool that young people are interested in baseball, myself I was published multiple times in Baseball Digest when I was around 12 years old.
I find it fascinating that you view being young as a negative and consider it insulting because I allow the possibility somebody is young. I’d love to be under 21 again!
When somebody shows that they don’t understand something adult related, such as the basic fact that it’s not cool or wise to openly discuss during the hiring process who you’re preferred candidate is or isn’t, then I will cut them some slack by acknowledging they might not have ever been in a work environment before and therefore wouldn’t know.
And you somehow twist that into a bad thing?
Come on man, you’re better than that.. Don’t get wrapped up in the confrontational tendencies like all too many do here. I never bring up age unless it’s relevant to the conversation, you know that. Those who go on the offensive with personal attacks over the silliest things are the ones who are fragile.
Now stop making baseless confrontational accusations and get back to talkin’ baseball.
And like the writers here have said many times, the offseason isn’t even half over so why would you try to rate the Red Sox right now? Let’s see if they sign Schwarber, Suzuki or Story and make other moves before judging them … even though I think there’s no chance of signing Story unless they trade Xander.
Fever
Bottom line is you are making assumptions with 0 basis in fact. Calling you out on questioning someone ages on a regular basis is not confrontational but holding you accountable. 2x you have done it in this thread and a number of other times recently. You have no clue the age of the posters and to “question” them on their age as if it somehow makes their argument lacking in knowledge is arrogant.
Where do I say being young is a negative? By bringing up a persons age to begin with makes it seem like you do. Knock of the projection, you are better then that- .. hopefully.
Talk – It’s very evident you’re simply in attack mode here. Quite arrogant of you to accuse me of making an assumption when the words “if you are” remain there for all to see. You are intentionally pretending the word “if” isn’t there.
I know in the past you’ve admitted to intentionally “pulling my chain” or whatever term you used because you’re bored and enjoy getting a rise out of people, but I have no desire to continue playing along.
Contenders and early playoff exits
I think they are going to listen to Scherzer and hire Showalter. He is really putting himself on the line. If he has a bad year and Showalter is no good people will likely lay the blame on Scherzer for making bad suggestions and not living up to his $43 million salary. Why would Ausmus be the the most Mets thing to do? Is there some relationship there other than the Eppler thing I haven’t heard about?
Buck Showalter is one of the best managers for recognizing talent in the organization and building a team up. He’s one of the greatest ever at building and managing a bullpen from the scrap heap. Owner interference will not mesh with Showalter.
Brad Ausmus is a great interview. He won the Detroit job over much better candidates when he “blew them away…” at the interview. I don’t think his management abilities match his interviewing abilities.
@Gothamcityriddler I love Buck, but you’re overestimating the importance of a manager. Credibility will be gained by the FO and the talent on the field. The Mets just spent a record setting 250MM+ on FAs this offseason. That’s what gave them creditability. Now if they somehow manage to finish 3rd place or lower, they’ll lose all that creditability again, but I think this team is too talented to fail. That doesn’t mean they’ll win the division. I still think the Braves are the most complete team (assuming they sign Freeman), but I expect the Mets to compete all year.
@VonPurpleHayes
Hey you could be right, I tend to think managers often times get too much credit when the team excels & to much blame when they struggle. It’s not an easy thing to gauge accurately, but I will say the Mets could do a LOT worse than Buck. And if Queens doesn’t want him, I for one would welcome him back to the Bronx with open arms. Ahahahaha!
But the last 2 morons couldn’t manage a game. Mickey costs us a dozen games and Rojas thought he was a laptop. Baker and LaRussa showed smart is smart.
How? While he is a good coach he isn’t an instant oh he’s gonna shoot your team into the playoffs etc. in 20 years as a head coach he’s been above 90 wins only 3 times and 5 post season appearances. He has more 3 4 and 5 place finishes then 2 or 1.
@Rammac… in fairness, they were dominating in 1994 before the strike, and winning 89 w Texas in 2004 is damn near a miracle… every team he took over was terrible before his arrival and they either made the playoffs within a couple of years or like in Texas, won 89 games after losing ARod which was a heck of a feat.. he does have a record of turning franchises around
Buck Showalter should of been hired already. He will be the best manager in NY if he is hired, no-brainer for the Mets!
I too was wondering what would be the most Mets move, and landed on LaRussa, but he gone.
Trading Baty or Alvarez for LaRussa. It wouldn’t be the first time the Mets traded a player for a manager (Bill Denehy for Gil Hodges, which worked out exceedingly well).
No Showalter is way better
The Mets should roll out the red carpet for Buck. I think he’s going to do a fine job there. Patience, experience, and success with some relatively young teams will serve him well.
I think he would’ve been the better manager for the Yankees, that’s just my opinion. Not entirely sure on Brad Ausmus, or Geren other than to say they would be one tier below Buck imho, especially with a Cohen-type personality at the helm.
I rarely have a opinion if a manager is any good or not, especially in today’s baseball where they don’t really make any decisions. With that said Showalter did more with crappy Orioles teams that anyone could have.
Except he could have done more …wasn’t it Buck who didn’t use Britton in the ’16 WC?
The team wouldn’t have been there to begin with without buck managing the team so. Using Britton earlier and not having him close the same simpletons who are results oriented would say he should’ve done something different. If your judging whether or not a manager is bad by one mistake they made then nobody is a good manager.
Post Season play bottom of the 11th in a tie game on the road with the meat of the Jays order up , you leave the best reliever in baseball on the bench for a what if. Only a simpleton would say that was anything other then a colossal mistake.
@kodion
And Cash pulled Blake Snell in the World Series when he was cruising … so therefore he’s a bad manager, despite getting one of the lowest-budget teams to a World Series?
I had to read that twice. You’re right.
good
Scherzer just asked for him. I’d be shocked if Papa Stevie didn’t push for this.
The Buck stops here!
Title should read “Buck Showalter To Interview Mets”
COHEN: What can I do to make you say yes?
BUCK: Sell the team.
Why on earth would he say that? Cohen is willing to open up the checkbook and sign whoever he wants. Any manager would love an owner like that.
You were expecting a reasonable take from Cey Hey?
Then why did it take so many tries to hire a general manager?
Then they wouldn’t be able To Pay Him & Have to get a WILPON HIRE Like
MICKEY PERVERT
That GM signed Scherzer, Marte, Canha and Escobar. What exactly is your point? Other than you hate the Mets?
What, the Buck!
Yeah, that’s some buckin’ nonsense.
Cohen throwing all kinds of money around. Managers are *always* pro Good Players.
Man, Mets are getting Bucked, Farhan got Wood, and Yankees Fans are getting screwed – all over money!
Good Luck Buck…it would be a good move!
Uncle Steve make it right .
Like the idea Bobby Geren . He deserves a shot, like his old school demeanor.
Bob Geren can be the Mets new catching coach. Buck is the best man for the job
Showalter is the choice. Also, the Yankees should have hired him back. Boone is weak.
Buck does what he wants
Boone does what he’s told
Both of those statements are false. Do you have any idea how Major League Baseball works?
I know that there is no crying in baseball so you should stop, Cey Hey.
@lordd99- I agree with you 100%. The Yankees blew it by giving Boonie that extension. Buck should of been hired to be the Yankees new manager. Big mistake.
I love Buck, but I wonder how these old school managers deal with the new game, especially when it comes to a FO that seems pretty involved in the decision making process.
Buck has an interesting take on old school versus new school. A little of this, a little of that. He says quite a bit that makes sense in this two-minute clip. It’s as if he’s answering a job interview question.
youtube.com/watch?v=OIKyblodyck
Exactly, Cey Hey. What a lot of the “old school” guys that hate analytics don’t understand is the point of analytics is to quantify what we see into numbers and to find the things we are missing with our eyes. Too many people think analytics is trying to remove watching players and games and developing them. No. It is just a very useful tool designed to compliment it. If there is a discrepancy between the numbers and the eyes, well we need to take a deeper dive to see which one is more accurate. Not just completely ignore one for the other.
@Chipper’s young ‘un. Yep. Common sense. These people make a ton of money. And if I was paying them, I would hope they would have a wide-angle vision rather than painting themselves in a box. Doing that will cause friction on the job. Considering opinions unlike your own is the essence of teamwork. Fans who call managers puppets these days are missing the point. Since the field manager and general manager have a common goal, it makes sense that they work together. It doesn’t mean the FO is bullying the guy in the dugout.
Getting back to the Buck clip: That’s an excellent way to tackle that type of question in a lot of job interviews, not just sports coaching. It can’t just be my way or the highway.
Chipper J’s IK: I agree with your point, but I think the reason Buck-style managers are so popular now are because we’ve swung the pendulum to the other side, where new style managers can’t make the on-field decisions necessary when is goes against analytics, especially when the apparent decision is literally right in front of their eyes –
Certain mangers, the really great ones, like Aaron Boone (kidding) can balance that.
Yankee Clipper:
I think your belief that “new style managers can’t make the on-field decisions” is completely off the mark. Analytics aren’t designed to make decisions for the manager, or take the decisions away. That’s a false narrative repeated by those that don’t like the way analytics have dictated much of the way baseball is done today.
In well-run organizations, analytics data is given to the manager so he can make on-field decisions with the best odds of a positive result. That’s unlike the data given to GMs/PBOs which is about who might be the best players to sign, or extend,
The FO can’t make in-game decisions about match-ups, which comprise the majority of in-game decisions. The FO depends on the manager to make those decisions, and if they don’t like how the data is used they look for a new manager.
The Giants and Cards are a good examples. Kapler was extended because it was well documented that FZ was happy with how Kapler used the analytics data provided to him. On the other hand, (and admittedly, this is complete conjecture on my part), but my guess as to why Shildt was fired, despite the PS berth, was Mozeliak didn’t like they way Shildt used the analytics data supplied to him.
I remember seeing this clip awhile back, and truthfully I don’t think any manager, old school or not, is foolish enough to completely ignore analytics. It’s just important to not become beholden to analytics. I think Buck is a brilliant guy. If he’s given some freedom, he’d do great.
@VonPurpleHayes, had Mattingly been more in tune with it at the time, the Dodgers wouldn’t have replaced him with Roberts.
Good interview. Thanks for posting it.
You are very welcome. Love the screen name.
I think Buck would be fine. The man coached for Steinbrenner and is also the only Orioles manager since 1998 (out of 8) to even have a winning season. I think it’d be a good fit.
Buck managed the Yankees under George Steinbrenner. I think any modern day front office involvement would seem like a gentle breeze compared to what this man has seen, haha..
Bob Melvin is a good example of how an old-school manager deals with both, it can be done well. Of course I’m pulling for Buck.
Now if we can get Danny Tartabull…
Might switch to cotton uniforms, too. Cotton breathes.
Don’t take it. The New Orleans Gators franchise will be up and running soon enough. Wait it out.
I wanted Buck as Yankee manager this year.
I think most of us did, Persky.
Disappointing for sure. Did you hear anything that the Yanks were interested in bringing him back, or was it just the media?
Watching Buck Showalter would be the only reason to follow the Mets. Great guy!
I mean, they have deGrom and Scherzer as a 1-2 combo (provided they are healthy) so I’m not sure the manager would be the only reason to follow them.
Don’t forget Gary, Keith and Ron. Those guys actually make bad games bearable.
The Mets have a great broadcast group.
Completely agree. I’m a Yankee fan but I throughly enjoy those guys. Gary might be best current play-by-play man.
Not only is the SNY broadcast pretty great, but Howie Rose on the radio is one of the best as well. This is coming from a Phillies fan.
I doubt Kramer and Newman would agree…at least as far as Keith Hernandez goes.
You got me there…
Look like the Mets are Buck up the Show of come Geren out when he Walter and to the Ausmus!!!
I was thinking the same thing
PLEASE SAY “NO”, Buck!! Just to keep the streak going!
Lol wut?
Buck and Lindor will not be a good match. Joe Espada would be the best choice. Green would be the safest.
Geren, not Green. Shawn Green is not welcome back in Queens.
Why would Buck and Lindor not be a good match? I would tend to think the opposite. They both want to win, right?
Not another rookie manager, please.
Buck Was responsible for the 2018 oriole roster, which is one of the worst rosters of all time. He didn’t even have five worthwhile starters, but he insisted that Chris Tillman was worth 3 million guaranteed dollars even though everybody else in the world realized Tillman was done. If you want Buck you go right ahead and sign Buck. And the world will laugh.
We’ll always have 2016…
Yeah, that was a pretty rugged squad, @fomeols.
& the Zach Britton thing…
However, all that being acknowledged, I would have much preferred to see him in the Yankee dugout as opposed to Boone. Granted, that has much more to do with the fact that Boone is merely an extension of Cashman & his band of merry computer guys than anything else.
So, I guess it was more about a type of manager than it was about Showalter specifically. But he is certainly representative of the kind of manager I felt would balance out Cash’s on-field influence.
Geez every other article on mlbtr is about the Mets. There are 27 other teams. Time for other sites.
There is a lockout in case you hadn’t noticed. Mets and A’s manager searches are the biggest stories going on.
By the way, there are 29 other teams, not 27.
We’re in a lockout. One of the only things happening right now is the Mets managerial search.
There is a lockout which means a whole a lot of nothing going on.
Mets and A’s forever search for a manager is really the only news going on right now.
What would you prefer MLBTR to do? Since there is nothing going on and they need to keep feeding any news they can since that is how they create revenue to keep the site going during these tough times.
@Dunk Dunkington, Have you seen the MLB.com website? Not a single photo or mention of a current player. That’s the law during a lockout, and it goes for official team websites as well. Not sure if will affect team names and uniforms being shown on baseball cards. If so, they’ll have to delay releasing the cards.
It’s all so crazy when you consider the winter meetings would have been this week (December 5-9).
always had respect for buck, watched him for years as the orioles played the red sox so much, i just always felt his teams died and quit on him, like if he does get the job he needs to make sure that doesnt happen, even when the orioles were ‘good’ they seemed like they werent that into winning, also if he does get the job ill miss him on the MLB Network, love to hear what he has to say with 30+ years experience, hopefully get gets the 1 thing he never has-
a championship.
Amanda – I know you’re probably too young to remember 2011, but that year Buck was directly responsible for an epic Red Sox collapse. The O’s lost 93 games that year, but won 5 of 7 against the Sox in late September to cap a month where the Red Sox missed the playoffs by blowing a 9-game lead on the Rays. It was brilliant managing by Buck.
just imagine whether its him or someone else lets say they get a 3 yr contract, im choosing that because thats how long max will be their, and if in those 3 years they dont even make the playoffs, then just sit back and be like ok, theirs something seriously wrong with this team. EVERY team in that division got better, even Miami.
Miami? What are you talking about?
The Yanks should have hired Buck a month ago.
Watching Boone manage is like watching a high school freshman fumble with a condom while a Kardashian rolls her eyes at him and files her nails.
Boone is just an extension of Cash. Nothing more.
Interesting analogy. Do you think she files her own nails or does she pay someone to do it for her?
If it was Cashman, he would trade the condom and a couple of prospects for the nail file.
I’m trying to figure out why, in Dave’s mind, Kim Kardashian is getting intimate with a 14 year old.
Hire Bobby Bonilla. Mets need to embrace their existance and accept that the circus is forever in town.
A smart, well rounded baseball guy. Will clean up the clubhouse. It pains me as a Yankee fan, but I still like the guy.
Gravitas!
Great guy. Would help create a health culture in the clubhouse.
Buck would be a great choice and a sign that the manager will have some actual autonomy.
I think this current crop of young Mets players would love having an experienced manager that might actually be able to teach them to WIN, not just read stat sheets.
He might even push them to find more within themselves instead of coddling and making excuses. Take off the kid gloves, quit worrying about everyone’s feelings and put them emphasis back on winning.
I think if Buck comes in and says, “Look, if you want wins, I’ll give you wins. If you want a puppet or media manager, look elsewhere.”, the job is his. Then let him handpick his own staff and put this chapter to rest.
A good businessman knows how to delegate authority. Let’s see if Cohen can do that.
As long as he promises not to leave his best reliever on the bench as the other team walks you off and outta the playoffs.
He’ll teach them how it feels to come up short in October
2024 MoY winner
As a Jays fan I have very fond memories of Buck with the Orioles. 2016- Wildcard- EE and a fantastic Buck decision.
This hiring would be good for the rest of the NL. Whoever plays them in October will be guaranteed a series win
Scherzer is a very bright guy and knows what he is doing….Hire Buck…
The Mets need some ass kickerz like Buck Showalter and Max Scherzer around after the circus came to town and played with all the organizational pieces and left town with them as part of the act.
A truly great manager. Orioles would have never made the playoffs without him.
I like Buck Showalter. I hope the Mets don’t happen to him.
Exactly how I feel about Don Mattingly. Poor guy. Stuck with a club that refuses to participate
Mattingly got to coach the Marlins in the playoffs.
2020 was a fake season.
Seemed pretty real.
I laugh at all the mets haters here especially from the division but now the idiots are coming from all over baseball. Yes it was a disappointment for his first year but every moron here would love to have a owner like him haters gonna hate. It will either be buck or Espada.
I have nothing against Buck Showalter, but he’s a re-tread manager. There’s a reason he hadn’t been managing the last few seasons, he’s a completely average manager who’s not super well versed with the more sabermetric direction of the sport. Joe Espada on the other hand is a better communicator and having served as the bench coach for AJ Hinch (one of the better new school mangers) and Dusty Baker (one of the better traditional managers) there’s no doubt he’d be a great blend of both. I’m confident Espada will be a very good manager but I understand the hesitancy going with a first year manager after Luis Rojas blundered. That being said, Cora was another former bench coach of Hinch and he’s already looked like a capable manager.
I’ve had some reasonably close interaction with Showalter, and while he was somewhat amusing, he was also sarcastic, and seemed not to be very open-minded. He’s had success, but that was in a different era. I’m not sure how well he would embrace today’s game, and analytics data,
Full disclosure, I am a fan of modern analytics. TBH I don’t think they should have not picked up the option on Rojas, but I understand why; they needed a scapegoat. I don’t think he was the problem.
I’m only guessing from experience that Showalter is not a fan of analytics, But I remember when the D’backs let him go, many of the players were happy he was gone.
Maybe this is a false equivalency, but I think a manager that’s so old school that he and his coaches verbally critique the clothes that every player is wearing as they board the plane, doesn’t seem like the type of new-age manager that relates to younger players, and embraces analytics.
Admittedly I don’t have a good alternative, though between Showalter and Geren, I’d lean toward Geren. I’m afraid that the Rojas hire has soured the Mets toward a young, analytics-driven manager, that can relate to players, and they will over-compensate with someone like Showalter.
I attended one of the early MIT Sloan analytics seminars where Showalter was one of many speakers. I found him a bit like someone who thinks he’s smarter than he actually is but he was certainly knowledgeable. At that point a lot of the methods were being improved upon, but he struck me as someone who thought he already knew the answers. That was disappointing. I am reminded of one of my father’s (an MIT PhD) statements, “I’ve made up my mind, don’t confuse me with the facts.”
That aside, I still think he’s the right guy.
Well, you could be right. What little I know about him makes me question him as the right choice, but it is very little to go on. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does well if the Mets hire him.
Should be Buck. Mets need a positive culture. Love him or hate him, ne cleaned up 4 teams and they did well. The first 3 went to the WS right after he set them straight.
I think they call it “accountability!!”
Yes he can rub some the wrong way. Pissed off owners. Buck should ask for a 3 yr deal, clean up what he can and then walk away. All the time bring in bench mgr. to groom.
Some being interviewed are already in that position, so not sure they’d do a lateral move? Ausmas I don’t think would take a bench job. Though he’d also be a strong catching pot of experience.
Go new? Train Grandy or David Wright
Right guy at the right time. The Mets have a borderline Championship contending team but a lot of things have to break right. For starters, they need to score runs. That changes the whole dynamic. Secondly, they need healthy pitching. If Megill continues to develop and Walker doesn’t fall off, the rotation should be strong. Bullpen needs improvement. But most importantly, they need to learn how to score runs. They have enough hitting to do that but it wasn’t happening last year. That’s why once deGrom was gone, they were finished. It’s hard to root for them because of their ineptness but maybe just maybe they can turn the corner.
Showalter took a bad franchise to new lows. Yeah…hire him. That makes perfect sense.
New lows like taking a 32-73 team and finishing 34-23 with them? 3 playoff appearances including a division win in a tough AL East? Not his fault the 2018 Orioles had the worst pitching staff ever assembled and they traded their only good player to the Dodgers midway through the season.
Has a Braves fan, I would hate this hire. Mets on paper, have had a stacked them for years (much like the Phillies). In fact, it’s hard to recall a year where the experts picked the Braves 1st over the last few years because on paper, both the Phillies and Mets looked better. That tells me 1 thing is for sure. The culture is completely off with the Mets. They need someone to come in and change their mindset. They also need someone who can keep these guys from getting injured (if that’s even possible lol). Case in point, buck would be that guy and that would be something the rest of the East would have to watch for over the next couple years as he turns that sinking ship around and patches the holes
Give it to buck
Even the Mets can’t Fubar this hire or can they? LOL
Buck’s experience with the NY media, and dealing with obtrusive ownership, should make him the perfect candidate. I don’t know if he’s a “brilliant” manager, but it’s pretty obvious he’s a good one. And I don’t think this “old school/new school” dichotomy really exists; Branch Rikey used the “analytics” of his day, as did Casey Stengle and Earl Weaver.
And let’s be realistic. Buck’s probably going to command in the 4M range for a salary, likely a HUGE upswing from his current gig at MLB network. For 4M a year, he strikes me as the kind of guy who’ll do what the boss tells him. In fairness, so would most of us.
Buck was trained to manage by Billy Martin. George directed Billy to work with both Buck and Lou Pinella to develop them as future managers.
If you talk to any ML manager they’ll tell you that they only have so much power with the players. Like other things in life, the leadership in the clubhouse has to police the other players.
A poster here made a great point a month or so ago – the Mets player leadership is “immature”. Scherzer was brought in partially to turn that around. Alonzo (with ripping off players jerseys after a game winning hit) and Lindor are competitive players that badly want to win. Unfortunately, the leadership qualities they exude ARE “immature”.
Bringing in Buck should help. But truth be told, he was totally ineffective with players the majority of time in his last few stints. The analytic thing is only a part of it. For the past 15-20 years MLB players (like employees in any large business) have expectations of entitlement. They were raised that way. Their agents influence as well as their union reinforces that attitude (you ought to be in a locker room and listen to them make fun of the fans). In short – the better players expect their rear ends to be kissed. Buck comes from a generation of taking responsibility for your actions. Not sure he fits with any professional sports team.
I actually in entitlement, new jersey but not everyone is like that so maybe he will be ok. But then again, this is the Mets, so who knows.
There is a sense of entitlement among players today, but there’s also a more enlightened approach to players allowing them more latitude. When it comes to Showalter, I always think about how he and his coaches would make comments, some very derogatory, about how each player was dressed as they boarded the plane for a road trip.
If Showalter is still that guy, he might have a short tenure, even if he wins. If he’s learned how to better relate to younger players he’ll probably do fine.
They won’t hire Buck because he will not put up from the crap from the front office especially the owner.They want a yes man.Someone who can help them be in 3rd place.
At one point Showalter was a 36 year old manager, (still the youngest rookie season from a Yankees manager). There’s something to be said about experience from a manager, but the same can be said about managers who will bring a fresh energy to a club and have good relatability and communication with the players. Kevin Cash, AJ Hinch, Alex Cora come to mind.
I hope Buck gets another shot.
good abcde