“If They Hear Anything…Behind Them, Run” – Buck Showalter Worried About Panther Spottings at New York Mets Training Ground

As Major League Baseball prepares itself for the lockout to end, so do the New York Mets. And manager Buck Showalter is already hard at work preparing for spring training. But with no players having reported yet, other members seem to be coming to work. Specifically, entities other than the players and coaches seem to be turning up to the training facilities for the Mets.

Reportedly, a panther, too, features on the list of uninvited guests. The Mets’ Clover Park complex in Florida saw a visit from unexpected quarters last week. Pugmarks from a Florida panther were noticed around the diamond one morning that caused quite a stir.

Buck Showalter, the recently appointed manager for the Mets, reported to their Florida facility to “stay ready” for spring training. With the lockout in force, the facility does not feature any roster members yet; but he indicated that it was a question of staying ready when the players do turn up.

However, it was the unexpected visitors that made the airwaves and featured more than the regular turnouts. Discussing prospects was quickly overshadowed by the mysterious visitor to Clover Park. Located right next to marshy swampland, the visit, although unlikely, doesn’t come as an unheralded surprise.

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Florida panther visits Mets’ training complex, Buck Showalter warns all

The New York Mets may have readied their complex for players’ spring training, but they saw us from wilder quarters. Reportedly, groundskeeper staff saw giant pugmarks of a Florida panther on the diamond. And as if to reemphasize the point, there was also a patch of dead grass nearby where the big cat had answered nature’s call.

And although Showalter admitted that he himself had not managed to catch a glimpse of the big cat, he had asked first-base coach Wayne Kirby to stay the night and get a few snapshots of the visitor. Flashing a smile as he said it, Showalter deployed his wry sense of humor at just the right time. Said Showalter, “I’m going to tell whoever is playing center,” with the positions of the roster still uncertain, “that if they hear anything ruffling behind them, run.”

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The Florida panther is an endangered species and has been the official state animal since 1982. A part of the fabric of the State, the NHL even features the Florida Panthers as a tribute to the animal. The Panther isn’t known to have humans featured on its preferred list of prey, choosing to go after smaller prey like deer and feral hogs for the large part. But with matters in the wild, we’re with Buck. Better safe than sorry!