Where Mets' Billy Eppler, Buck Showalter Will Go From Here
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With the whirlwind of uncertainty surrounding MLB's lockout, Mets general manager Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter intend on being ready for anything.
Now that the Mets finally have their GM, manager and coaching staff in place, all they can do is wait until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached.
But in the meantime, Eppler and Showalter are preparing for a number of different scenarios in case Spring Training winds up getting delayed.
“I think I’m just going to go down and wait until a player shows up -- one that I can really talk to,” said Showalter via zoom on Monday.
Unfortunately, Showalter is at a bit of a disadvantage since he cannot speak with any of his new players due to the regulations of the work stoppage. But that doesn't mean that the skipper isn't prioritizing contingency plans at the moment.
"It’s frustrating not being able to speak to the players directly, but I know that 29 other clubs don’t have a head start with it," Showalter. "So we’re really spending a lot of time trying to say, ‘OK, if we start on this date, what are we going to be able to do? What are we going to be able to do on this date?’ Just plug it in.
"You can’t go down there completely on the blind and not be prepared. It’s just like having a workout for when it rains. You have to be ready for that when it happens.”
Both Showalter and Eppler plan to head down to Clover Park in Port St. Lucie around Feb. 6 or Feb. 7 to spend some time around the Spring Training facility until players arrive. And although big-leaguers cannot show up until there is a new CBA, Showalter will still be able to manage Mets prospects, while interacting with team staff members and personnel.
As for Eppler, who was hired in mid-November and had to hit the ground running by signing free agents before the lockout, he is going to take some time to take a deeper dive into the various departments within the Mets' organization.
"Now it’s time for me to really connect with player development, with amateur scouting, pro scouting, with amateur international scouting, with analytics, with performance and science, the general front office in baseball operations, the baseball systems group because there’s a lot of ideas people have and there’s a lot of initiatives we want to implement as we move forward," said Eppler. "So I won’t be bored, I’ll put it to you like that.”
In a way, this downtime could be a blessing in disguise for Eppler, who now has some breathing room to become more acclimated with the Mets' current infrastructure.
Not to mention, Eppler and Showalter are currently house hunting in New York and Port St. Lucie as well. And as Showalter revealed, he will concede some of the larger housing options to Eppler since the GM has three kids.
After the lockout ends, Eppler will re-visit free agency and trade market options in order to continue to upgrade the roster. And Showalter will be allowed to get to know his new team and help them get ready for the season.
But for now, all this duo can do is prepare until MLB and MLBPA strike a deal.
“I’m going to probably head down about [Feb.] 6th or 7th,” Showalter said, “and just pray that somebody walks through the door quickly thereafter.”
