When Buck Showalter was an analyst and broadcaster for MLB and YES Network the past three years, he would watch and comment on baseball matchups in-studio, then his head would hit the pillow as soon as the nightly spread of games ended. But a few days ago, after he learned from Mets owner Steve Cohen that he won the manager job, Showalter stayed up late at night and rose early the next morning. He joked on Tuesday that his wife, Angela, has already noticed a stark difference in his daily routine. She playfully asked: “It’s starting already?”
It was a reminder that nobody will be more prepared than Showalter as he begins his fifth stint as manager of a Major League Baseball team. Showalter is known to pore over information, videos, analytics, scouting reports — any detail small or large that will make the team better. As Showalter said in his introductory press conference on Tuesday, if people think the Mets will get beat due to a lack of information, then they don’t know him very well.
Now, as he settles in as Mets skipper, one of his first tasks on the job will be filling the majority of a coaching staff. Showalter will collaborate with team president Sandy Alderson, GM Billy Eppler and Cohen to find individuals, including a bench coach, to supplement the Mets’ already successful offseason. In doing so, Showalter will look and ask for that same compulsive dedication from his coaching staff.
“I’m trying to fit the coaching staff to the situation we’re in,” Showalter said on Tuesday. “I don’t bring in buddies. I bring in people that can deliver what needs to be done for the players. It’s all for the players.
“One thing a manager has to do is create avenues where everyone in a department feels comfortable and everyone can bring what they want to bring. One of my pet peeves is any type of hazing. It doesn’t happen. If you’re wearing Mets blue and orange, bring it. Bring what you bring, and make sure we create a comfortable atmosphere for that to happen in.”
On Monday, Showalter spoke with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner on the phone for over an hour. Hefner is the Mets’ only coach under contract. At the beginning of the offseason, Alderson gave everyone else, including bench coach Dave Jauss, hitching coach Hugh Quattlebaum, assistant pitching coach Jeremy Accardo, third base coach Gary DiSarcina, first base/outfield coach Tony Tarasco, and bullpen coach Ricky Bones, the permission to seek jobs elsewhere. DiSarcina has since signed a contract with the Nationals for the same role.
Despite their vast improvements on both the roster and front office staff this winter, the Mets and Showalter still have plenty of work to do. MLB’s owner-driven lockout still allows teams to interview and hire individuals for their coaching staffs.
“I’m very impressed with [Hefner’s] knowledge of things,” Showalter said. “I can’t wait to get back on the phone with him to be honest with you. Just trying to play catch-up and not leave any stone unturned as you go forward. There’s a lot of challenges you face on the field between the lines. The collaboration part of it, that won’t be one of them.”
It is likely that the Mets will look for a blend of old school and new school on Showalter’s coaching staff. Don’t be surprised if Showalter is paired with a young, tech-savvy bench coach to help complement his traditional style of managing. In a radio interview on Tuesday with broadcasters Howie Rose and Wayne Randazzo, Showalter indicated he would have no problem with that.
Rose asked Showalter if he prefers a younger bench coach who has managerial potential, or an older and more experienced bench coach as his consort, to which Showalter jokingly replied: “Yes.” In other words, the age or experience of the members on his eventual staff are not deal breakers. Showalter is looking for smart, capable, and driven individuals to saddle up with him with the Mets.
“I’d like to have it done yesterday, but we’re going to take our time,” Showalter said. “There’s so many good, qualified people out there. It will be a collaboration with Billy and Sandy. We’ve been exchanging names for three days. One, I gotta look at what team jobs do we have? Now I know what jobs we need to look for and we try to fit the person with it. We’re moving as fast as we can, but we don’t want to make a mistake. These are very precious and important jobs.”
