New York Mets have their finalists for managerial opening

The New York Mets are changing the perception of how their offseason has been. Once Billy Eppler took over as the new general manager, the Mets have been moving decisively and quickly. They made their mark in free agency before the lockout, revamping their outfield and adding Max Scherzer to the rotation. It has been a surprising and welcome change.

That newfound urgency has extended to their managerial opening. After conducting several interviews, the Mets have identified their three finalists, with interviews expected to take place in the coming days.

New York Mets managerial opening down to three finalists

The Mets are not expected to take long in deciding their next manager once the second round of interviews are over. According to Joel Sherman, the new manager is expected to be named by the end of the week.

One has to imagine that Buck Showalter would be the prohibitive favorite for the opening. Billy Eppler had wanted to bring him to the Angels when Brad Ausmus was let go, only to be overruled by Arte Moreno. Scherzer and owner Steve Cohen have lobbied for Showalter, and he does have experience managing in New York.

But he still needs to earn the job. Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro have been viewed as managers of the future for years now and just need the opportunity. That may come in New York, as they have impressed the Mets’ front office enough to get to the next round.

Whoever gets the job will be feeling the pressure from Day One. The Mets are expected to contend for a playoff berth and anything else will be considered a failure. Cohen is determined to bring a championship to the franchise and that begins with having the right people. The manager is a key part of those plans.

The New York Mets have their finalists for their managerial opening. One of Buck Showalter, Joe Espada, and Matt Quatraro will be at the helm next year.