New York Mets make safe decision with Buck Showalter hire
The New York Mets have hired Buck Showalter as their new manager, putting an end to a search that lasted more than two months and giving the franchise an experienced voice to lead the dugout.
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen made the announcement on Twitter, bringing in the 65-year-old Showalter with 20 years of experience and 1,551 victories under his belt. Showalter has previously managed the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Texas Rangers.
Buck Showalter’s experience was a key factor in his hire as the New York Mets manager
Reports say that Showalter’s deal is for three years and will make him the highest-paid manager in Mets history. After last season’s collapse by the Mets, Cohen is making it clear that he intends to make a run at the National League East title and more in 2022.
Since Billy Eppler was brought in as New York’s general manager on November 18, the look of the Mets has been transformed. That new look includes Showalter in the dugout and starting pitcher Max Scherzer, outfielders Starling Marte and Mark Canha, and infielder Eduardo Escobar on the roster.
Scherzer reportedly made it clear that he preferred Showalter to be the manager, as did Cohen, blazing the path for Showalter to get the job over the two other finalists (Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada and Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro).
Showalter was the only one of the three finalists for the job to have previous managing experience, and that savvy could be put to the test this season. There will be immediate pressure to perform for a franchise that has invested heavily this offseason and has not been to the postseason since losing in the 2016 National League Wild Card Game.
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Can Showalter pull together the personalities within the star-studded roster to overthrow the defending World Champion Atlanta Braves in the division? Showalter is a three-time American League Manager of the Year, but has just a 9-14 postseason record, advancing as far as the 2014 AL Championship Series with the Orioles.