Mets Took Step Backwards Hiring Buck Showalter
Since Steve Cohen purchased the New York Mets, the organization has made it a priority to build a great analytical organization. It was an important part of their defense becoming leaps and bounds better in 2021, and its positive impact could be seen elsewhere.
How the organization goes from that to hiring Buck Showalter makes little to no sense.
Sure, he’ll talk a good game, and undoubtedly, he will say he will use the analytics and collaborate, but that runs counter to who he is. Really, he was the same guy in 2016 pitching Ubaldo Jimenez (and not Zack Britton) as he was in 1995 pitching Jack McDowell.
He overly says he tracked against shifting. He said he uses it to confirm what he’s thinking. He says it overlooks the magical unseen tools. He even tries to sound smart saying how analytics disagree with themselves.
Really, it’s just another way to say I’m going to manage my way. Honestly, when you hire Showalter, that’s apparently all you want.
The Mets didn’t want a Joe Espada or Matt Quatraro. These are managers who could’ve taken the Mets to another level and taught them all the things they don’t know.
They didn’t push for Bruce Bochy. Bochy is a manager who actually won something, and he’s gotten that little extra from his teams. Remember, Showalter has a .506 winning percentage and win exactly zero LCS games.
However, Showalter is seen as a great hire because the media loves his press conferences. They also love his eschewing analytics. His having won nothing is of little consequence.
Overall, Showalter was the popular choice. That doesn’t make him the right one. That’s because he wasn’t. Really, the Mets hired someone who runs contrary to what they were purportedly trying to do when they revamped their analytics department.
In reality, this is a step backwards. Hopefully, this Mets roster will be so good that it won’t matter . . . much like the 2001 Diamondbacks team who won the year after Showalter was fired.
I would have chosen Ausmus, personally — but there are some incredibly poor takes this article espouses.
1. You place far too much weight on the lack of use of Britton — which Showalter has admitted was a mistake. Despite this admission, you state that this choice represents who he is. It does not.
2. You’re mischaracterizing his stance on analytics. Here are his quotes to Jayson Stark:
“I want to verify what my gut is telling me, The analytics and the statistics are great. I use ’em. We were using ’em back in 1985 in the Florida State League. … they bring things that I can’t bring. I don’t have time, I can’t. And we bring things that they can’t bring.”
3. Where does Showalter say that things analytics can’t tell you are “magical unseen tools.” I don’t blame you for characterizing such a statement as backwards. But he didn’t make it. You did.
4. Analytics certainly can be used to point to different answers which are in contradiction with each other. All data can. That’s why they require interpretation. You can’t really be taking issue with that, can you?
5. Winning percentage? Shouldn’t you be taking into account the quality of talent the teams had? And why is it that you ignore his 3 Manager of the Year awards?
I do think it’s fair to point out his not having won a pennant or a WS.
So I don’t think your entire article is off-base.
Just most of it.
Of course, you ignore his full quotes in the articles, and as usual, just come around to troll
There was nothing in his post that was trolling. He made good points.
He’s a troll. This indisputable b
Got to love how you know this is the wrong choice & the other 2 guys would have definitely been great managers! If they were such great managers then why didn’t Oakland hire them? The Mets have gone the young gun route so to speak the last 3 managers & it hasn’t worked! I hated HATED Terry Collins! I thought he was the worst manager for the team that was trying to rebuild & he refused to allow the younger guys to play even though they were a million games out of first place! Once they got to the postseason it was clear he was the right guy & I was wrong! My point, it is very clear this team needs a guy who can take NO BULLSHIT & you cannot argue w/ his track record! He has built winners everywhere he has gone! He took the freakin Orioles to the postseason & they had a winning record like every year he managed for them! Why would you assume no analytics will be used just b/c he is in charge now! I think the Mets (Sandy, for example) made it clear that this is the direction the team was going so Buck knows what is up! Give the guy a chance…..I think he is exactly what this team needs w/ the players they have & hopefully will get in the very near future! To say it has taken a step backwards is basically saying you have a crystal ball & know what is going to happen yet the 2 managers you wanted have literally done nothing…..nada…..as far as running a team! I have heard great things about the Houston coach who I have read could end up becoming a great manager from what others are saying, but do you want to take a chance w/ that considering you have a team that wants to win right now!? What if you have another Mickey Callaway? Then what? You know exactly what you are getting w/ Buck & last I checked Tony LaRussa isn’t a spring chicken who has embraced analytics! Looks like he has done just fine w/ the White Sox so far, no? This article is the very definition of thinking you know things that others don’t know….including the experts that are doing the hiring! LOL
The guy has managed for how many years?
Awesome response Gregg, thank you for making it so I don’t have to. I love how this guy calls making valid arguments trolling.
All Gregg does is troll. I know it. He knows it. Everyone who pays attention to his nonsense knows it.
You should try refuting my points rather than empty ad hominems.
I even numbered them to make it easier for you.
Are you going to deny you’re a troll?
I thought your take was ludicrous and I gave you an itemized response why.
I’d call that refuting. You can call it whatever you like.
In any case you haven’t addressed the points.
I’ll note you haven’t denied the fact you’re a troll, which is why a response is not worth my time
Did you watch mlb tonight where they interviewed Adam Jones for twenty minutes and he raved about Buck or the athletic where Manny Machado thanked Buck for everything? You are a fool.
Well, if players like him clearly that means he’s now analytically inclined.
Yes, he owned me by outright lying and pulling selective quotes.
Gregg’s post was excellent and owned you so you call him a troll
Yes, he owned me by outright lying and pulling selective out of context quotes completely disregarding the full context of the interviews
Boy are you a loon
I figured the big Jeff Wilpon, BVW, and Terry Collins supporter you are would be thrilled with this hire
Howie Rose comps the hire to the Rangers hiring Mike Keenan in 93.
It’s a ridiculous comparison
And you claim people make up stuff about you ! Some chutzpah by you!
You can try to say different now all you want.
You lost your mind after Callaway (who you loved), got fired and then mmo had to fire you due to your arguments with commenters on there.
Boy are you embarrassing yourself here because you clearly don’t know anything, and really, all you’re doing is further proving your adoration of the Wilpons
Thoughts on Zeile saying your boy Stroman was a divisive force in the clubhouse?
I don’t care
No surprise you are fanboying for a guy that bullied reporters and teenagers on twitter you must be like that clown Brownstain.
You’re telling on yourself here
Don’t forget Stro liking an ethnic slur directed at Dicomo.
https://twitter.com/metsdaddy2013/status/1465329475491614729?s=21
Your response make no sense and I quit twitter seven years ago it’s a hellhole.
“These are managers who could’ve taken the Mets to another level and taught them all the things they don’t know.”
Strongly disagree. Two bench coaches with zero real life manager experience are not going to teach players things they don’t know.
Espada and Quatraro have managerial experience, but ok
Neither have ever managed a major league baseball team. They have held minor league roles, hitting coach roles, and other roles. Espada was a 3rd base coach, hitting coach, and bench coach. Quatraro was a hitting coach, and bench coach, and managed minor leaguers. You can make the argument that Espada managed the Puerto Rican team in the WBC, but still not the same.
So, it’s not that they don’t have managerial experience. It’s now that it’s not MLB experience and that you can’t be a good manager unless you have MLB experience?
Dude, are you even a Mets fan? You are the only person who actively fights with his readers. Almost every article you write or republish is against the Mets. I can’t tell you how childish this is.
You actually are the ultimate troll. You definitely have to be a Yankee fan acting like a Met fan. If you have to defend yourself against every comment….than you are spouting nonsense. I read your articles to have a big laugh. 90% of your articles are ridiculous…GROW UP. You should be called METS BABY, not METS DADDY.
Yes, comments complaining about objectivity is quite childish, and it’s ridiculous fair and honest commentary is regarded as trolling.
Great comment Joe— but sadly Metsdaddy has the Francesian inability to admit to being wrong.
Apparently, I have the inability to admit I’m wrong because you don’t agree with factual information.
Oh, and I’m now not a Mets fan because I want them to be good and make smart decisions
Hahahahaha! Mets Baby! LFGMB!
You thinking that’s clever contextualizes your comments
Why ban old backstops comments? Fear of getting destroyed?
He knows he was banned for racist comments and going over the line far too many times.
I gave him way too much rope, and I warned him many, many times. He still continued the behavior.
Worse yet, I’ve allowed him to occasionally “sneak in” with fake names like Jack M, and he can’t help himself. Eventually, he just has to do it again.
Maybe he gets lonesome for the 2015 schedule and wants the proper place to get get a look.