Who is Buck Showalter, The New Manager Of The New York Mets?

Buck Showalter, has recently been announced as the manager of the New York Mets by owner Steve Cohen. In what seems to be a bid to “win now”, the Mets have hired the baseball manager who has now been managing in the MLB for close to 20 years. The Mets will hope that Buck’s experience and winning mentality will translate to some results on the diamond as well.

Success as a Manager

Showalter has maintained a 1,551-1,517 (.506) with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, Rangers and Orioles through his years in management. Showalter has even won Division titles with the Yankees, Diamondbacks and the Orioles. The pennant however, has somehow always eluded him. And with the Rangers, despite not turning in a playoff run, he still managed to win the Manager of the Year Title in 2004.

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Many on the Rangers remember an instance in which, Showalter in a routine media interaction told them how relieving it was to just have to focus on management. He then went on to talk about a potential trade the team could make. Following up quickly with a way to change the pattern at the Globe Life Field, so that the outfielder’s throws would skip more directly to the base plates.

His longest stint in management so far has been with the Orioles. Managing them for 8 years, Showalter also won his most recent Manager of the Year Award with them in 2014. And even despite being out of the managing game since 2018, Showalter bring a certain poise and experience to the position.

Appointment as Mets Manager

The Mets have shown clear intent to set on a winning season with signing of free agents in the 2022 off-season. Prior to the lockout, the Mets had signed Max Scherzer, Startling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar, all free agents with big contracts. Showalter too, at 65, is likely there for his experience in the Mets’ bid for their first playoff run since 2015 and their first playoff win since 2016.

Steve Cohen, owner of the Mets, took to Twitter to make the announcement with a statement from the team expected the following week.

The Mets in 2021 managed a 77-85 record, failing to make the Playoffs and only ending 6th in the Wild Card standing under Luis Rojas. They will be looking to turn this record around come 2022 and certainly seem to be heading the right direction.

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Showalter will look to replicate his success from across the city in the Bronx with the pre-dynasty Yankees and firm up his reputation in the city. Certainly the experienced roster would do wonders to complement the elder statesman’s management style.

While the elusive World Series has never quite been in Showalter’s grasp, with Cohen spending big this season, the Mets could just be setting up a deep playoff run here.