5 questions Buck Showalter needs to answer as Mets tenure begins

Buck Showalter jersey swap - wearing blue Mets hat and jacket, treated image with blue background — Buck Showalter jersey swap – wearing blue Mets hat and jacket, treated image with blue background

The Mets recently hired Buck Showalter as their next manager, with Showalter beating out finalists Joe Espada and Matt Quatraro for the job.

While Showalter won’t be able to speak about specific major league players while the MLB lockout is ongoing, there is still plenty he can discuss between now and the start of the season.

Here are five questions Showalter needs to answer as his tenure begins…

How will he blend analytics with a more traditional approach?

We recently went into great detail while debunking the myth that has been out there regarding Showalter’s supposed anti-analytics stance.

Let’s say it again — Showalter is not anti-analytics.

But it’s fair to note that he is not nearly as cutting edge as the two finalists he beat out for the job. And since his most recent managerial stint came with the Baltimore Orioles, whose analytics department at the time was woefully inadequate, Showalter has no experience working with a modern analytics department.

Showalter, while speaking about analytics in the past, talked about a desire to blend all of the numbers with a more human approach — and to have the numbers confirm what his gut is telling him.

The above can be a good thing, especially in an age where things have arguably gotten a bit too robotic.

So, what does that blend look like?

What kind of bench coach are the Mets seeking?

At 65 years old and with a three-year contract to manage the Mets, there’s no reason to believe Showalter is getting close to retirement.

But there are two reasons why it could make sense for New York to pursue a younger bench coach to work alongside Showalter.

One option who could fit is 41-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, who was one of the Mets’ candidates for manager.

Jul 1, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (L) talks with Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough (86) in the dugout before the dodgers' game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. — Jul 1, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (L) talks with Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough (86) in the dugout before the dodgers’ game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

If the Mets were to hire a younger bench coach who is well-versed in analytics, they would be giving Showalter someone he can lean on to help with analytics-driven matters while also possibly grooming Showalter’s heir apparent.

What are his thoughts on the Mets’ current clubhouse culture?

The Mets’ clubhouse was a bit of a mess last season, highlighted by the altercation between Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil, the “thumbs down” fiasco, and the lack of a real leader.

Basically, the Mets didn’t have anyone on their roster with the ability to tell his teammates to cut certain things out — or that person was on the roster and chose not to speak up.

Some of the clubhouse stuff falls on Luis Rojas, but most of it falls on the players in the room.

Sep 5, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates with left fielder Jeff McNeil (6) after the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.

Either way, the leadership void was an issue.

And as much as Pete Alonso has tried to fill it a bit, his optimistic words as the Mets’ season was slipping away did not help.

The addition of Max Scherzer should help when it comes to accountability in the clubhouse, but what does Showalter plan to do to clean things up?

How close are the Mets to a World Series?

The Mets’ collapse from first place team at the All-Star break in 2021 to out of contention by mid-September was so ugly that it’s easy to forget one of the main reasons why it happened.

New York was decimated by injuries last season, which is why their lead at the break wasn’t bigger. And it’s why the Atlanta Braves were close enough to go for it at the deadline, eventually overtake the Mets, and go on to win their first World Series since 1995.

But in addition to all of the Mets’ injuries, most of their offensive players underperformed last season at a level that was shocking. And their rotation, aside from Marcus Stroman, collapsed without Jacob deGrom.

The additions of Starling Marte, Mark Canha, and Eduardo Escobar should help the offense, and the Scherzer signing gives the Mets a two-headed monster atop the rotation.

But just how close are the Mets to winning it all? And if Showalter could choose a few more areas of the roster to be addressed, which areas would he bolster?

Would it be another reliable starting pitcher? Another back end bullpen arm? Another big bat?

How has his prior experience in New York helped him prepare for the Mets job?

There are some who poke fun at the idea that managing in New York is tougher than managing elsewhere.

And there are some who try to separate what happens in the dugout and in the clubhouse with what happens elsewhere, not accounting for the fact that the same person needs to be in charge of all of it.

But when it comes to managing in New York City, knowing how to handle the media here matters, knowing what to expect matters, knowing how to deal with the pressure matters, and knowing how to disseminate the messaging of the front office twice a day for the entire season matters.

Showalter, who managed the Yankees from 1992 to 1995, has done it before.

And though things have changed since then, he should have no trouble getting the hang of it once again.

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