Mets’ Buck Showalter is the NL manager of the year

Hey congrats Buck…

Which is nice and all but let me remind you, the idea is to win the World Series

Buck did do a good job but second place is first loser

Did the Braves do just an incredible job hunting down the Mets? Sure! And isn’t THAT a case for manager of the year

And look, I’m not mad he won. I like Buck. He was the right hire. The Mets had a great summer.

I’m just killing time in a car in the rain waiting to pick up my kid. However, I do like to give you guys things to think about in opposition to the tendency to just be like Yay Mets Anything.

The Mets have sent out this snazzy press release!

BUCK SHOWALTER NAMED NL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

 

FLUSHING, N.Y., November 15, 2022 – New York Mets manager Buck Showalter tonight was named the 2022 National League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).

 

Showalter received eight of 30 first place votes, tied for the most first place votes any candidate earned, and garnered 77 of a possible 150 voting points. He is the first Mets manager to win the award, which was established in 1983. This is the fourth Manager of the Year award for Showalter and his first in the NL. He also won the award in 1994 with the Yankees, 2004 with the Rangers and in 2014 with the Orioles. Showalter’s four Manager of the Year awards are tied for the most in the award’s history with Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa. In addition, he is one of eight managers to win the award in both leagues, joining Cox, La Russa, Lou Piniella, Jim Leyland, Bob Melvin, Davey Johnson and Joe Maddon.

 

“This is a well-deserved honor,” Mets Owner, Chairman and CEO Steve Cohen said. “There is no doubt Buck had the players’ respect and they played hard for him. He is one of the sharpest minds in the game and he builds a winning culture.”

 

Showalter is the first manager in Mets history to record 100 or more victories in his first season with the club and joined Yogi Berra as the only managers to guide both the Mets and Yankees into the playoffs. Showalter has managed four teams to the Postseason. He is the fourth manager to accomplish that feat in major league history, joining Dusty Baker (five teams) and Billy Martin and Johnson (four teams).

 

“Buck poured every ounce of himself into making the Mets better on a daily basis,” Mets General Manager Billy Eppler said. “I’m thrilled the voters recognized what I got to witness every day this season.”

 

Showalter led the Mets to a 101-61 record in his first season at the helm in New York. The 101 wins were the second-most in franchise history behind only the 1986 club (108 wins). He owns a 1,652-1,578 career record as a manager. His 1,652 wins place him 19th all-time in major league history and third among active managers behind Baker and Terry Francona.

 

The Mets won 24 more games in 2022 than the previous year, the largest improvement in franchise history for a full season under a new manager.

In other news…NYCFC is building a soccer stadium across from Citi Field and the Wilpons are involved. But it’s a long off-season so let’s deal with that story tomorrow.