What The Buck Showalter Hire Means For Mets

The timing was right.

When the Mets made the decision to hire Buck Showalter to become the 24th manager in franchise history, they opted to roll with the most experienced candidate who held the best résumé out of the three finalists that included bench coaches Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro.

Although the front office was particularly impressed with Quatraro's vision of leading a winning ball club, the Mets were about to bring in their fourth manager in the last five seasons and they had to get this one right. Especially after whiffing on first-time managers in Luis Rojas and Mickey Callaway in their previous two attempts.

After spending $254.5 million in free agency on Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha, which brought the current payroll to around $270 million, the Mets signaled that they are in win-now mode. And by hiring Showalter, they are getting a win-now manager who has a knack for turning around losing cultures.

Showalter, 65, did so on numerous occasions across 20-years as a big-league manager. Showalter, a three-time Manager of the Year Award recipient (1994, 2004, 2014), ended both the Yankees (1995) and Orioles' (2012) 14-year playoff droughts, he led the Diamondbacks to a division title and 100-win season in their second-year of existence and also helped the Rangers produce an 89-73 campaign in 2004. The Mets have eclipsed just three winning seasons since 2009, and have not made the playoffs since 2016.

The veteran skipper will enter the Mets' clubhouse and make an immediate impact due to his reputation around the game. Showalter will be the main leader and voice within the team, which is a key ingredient that the Mets were lacking a season ago. And he should already have the respect of the players upon arrival, given his track record.

In 2021, the Mets held onto first-place in the NL East for 103 days, but after losing Jacob deGrom (elbow) and Francisco Lindor (oblique) simultaneously, they ultimately fell apart in the final two months of the season to finish with a record of 77-85. They also dealt with a number of distractions from the rat-raccoon altercation between Lindor and Jeff McNeil, the thumbs-down fiasco when their players were booing the fans and the arrest of now ex-acting GM Zack Scott on suspicion of a DWI. With Showalter at the helm, he will not put up with such nonsense due to his ability to control the room and personalities.

Another bonus in hiring Showalter is his prior experience managing in New York, having spent four seasons as the Yankees' skipper from 1992-1995. And since leaving the Orioles after the 2018 season, Showalter has served as an analyst for MLB Network and YES, so the media aspect of the Mets' job likely won't phase him.

The final box for Showalter to check in his career is to win a World Series Championship. He was fired by the Yankees and Diamondbacks before both of his former teams went on to win a title in the season following his departure. By capturing a ring with the Mets, it could make up for his shocking dismissal from the Yankees which occurred 26 years ago.

Mets GM Billy Eppler spent 11 seasons with the Yankees, where he served as the scouting director prior to getting promoted to assistant GM in the Bronx. And while Showalter was let go nine years before Eppler's arrival to the organization, former Yankees GM Gene Michael, who worked with Showalter, was Eppler's mentor throughout his career.

During his tenure as Angels' GM, Eppler wanted to hire Showalter after the 2019 season, but was overruled by team owner Arte Moreno, who went with Joe Maddon. Now, Eppler and Showalter will finally get a crack at working together and they have a chance to do something special in Queens with Mets owner Steve Cohen willing to do whatever it takes to win. Not only can Showalter end the Mets' six-year playoff drought, but he has the opportunity to close the book on a 36-year World Series title drought as well.

Cohen, along with Mets newly signed star pitcher, Scherzer, preferred Showalter to be the team's next manager and made this known prior to the interview process. And on Dec. 18, their wish was granted as Eppler met with Showalter to let him know he was getting the job on a three-year deal, which is expected to be the richest contract for a manager in Mets' history.

Espada and Quatraro may make excellent big-league managers sometime in the near future, but the timing was right for the Mets to hire Showalter, which proves they are all-in ahead of the 2022 season.