Grandpa Buck Has Got to Go

This season, despite committing $359 million to player salaries, the New York Mets 2023 season has been a disappointment. They currently sit in fourth place in the NL East and 15 games out of first place. While there is plenty of blame to go around in Queens, it ultimately falls on the shoulders of manager Buck Showalter. For the Mets to make good on the expectations of the money they spent, I believe the Mets need to hire a new manager at the end of the season.

Called It From the Beginning

Before the season began, I wrote how Buck Showalter wasn’t going to be the manager to take the Mets back to the World Series. After all, he has never been able to win when it matters. Naturally, “Buck Backers” scorned me over the inner webs of Twitter defending their man of honor. Oh, how silly they look now given how bad their team has been this season. Now to those who are still defending Showalter, don’t use the “Edwin Diaz is hurt” excuse because David Robertson has certainly been a capable replacement this season.

Ratio

— Ryan (@Rkeary23) February 17, 2023

Yeah, you know nothing.

— Jay Patel ??️‍? (@JackDoe351) February 17, 2023

Buck Showalter’s Is Similar to Joe Girardi’s Last Season

Buck Showalter now finds himself in a similar predicament to that of former rival manager Joe Girardi. While Girardi’s Phillies had two non-playoff seasons, both situations have their similarities. Like the Mets, the Phillies put a significant amount of money into player payroll before the 2022 season. Like the Mets now, the Phillies struggled to a 22-29 record to begin last season. After almost two and a half seasons, Girardi would be fired. The commonality that Showalter shares with Girardi is like the Phillies, the Mets have poured significant money into player payroll. The expectations to bring home a championship are huge; owner Steve Cohen and the fans demand it. Currently, Showalter’s team isn’t meeting that expectation, with the amount of money that’s been invested into this club.

Showalter Can’t Win When It Matters

Firing Showalter during the season won’t solve anything. I can’t see anybody on the staff turning this season around like Rob Thomson did last year with the Phillies. Buck is too respected to be fired during the season anyway. However, a $359 million team should be winning division titles and competing for championships. So far, Showalter’s Mets have had an early playoff exit and might miss the postseason completely this year.

The Mets need a proven winner and Showalter has shown that he can’t win when it matters. There will be plenty of available experienced clubhouse skippers available who know how to win when it matters. Showalter is the Marty Schottenheimer of Major League Baseball. Like Schottenheimer, Buck has been great at turning teams around making them into playoff contenders. However, when it comes to the postseason, Showalter’s teams have always seemed to fall short.

Buck Flaws Have Shown Up All Season

Showalter has also shown himself to be stubborn in how manages the team. He’s insisted on still putting the slumping Daniel Vogelbach and Jeff McNeil in the lineup. This is despite having guys Luis Guillorme and Mark Vientos on the bench. Guillorme has been productive when called upon to play and Vientos is a young up-and-coming prospect who just needs playing time.

Another issue that plagued Showalter in past stops and now with the Mets is his mismanagement of pitchers. This season, we’ve seen Showalter keep his starting pitchers in a batter too long or selecting the wrong reliever despite better ones being available. While no manager is perfect, it has consistently happened with Buck Showalter this season.

While the New York Mets’ $359 million mess isn’t just Buck Showalter’s problem, he certainly has a hand in it. The almighty dollar rules in this situation, a team that put $359 million into the 26-man roster shouldn’t be in fourth place. It cost Joe Girardi his job last season in Philadelphia and Buck Showalter’s fate should be the same this season. Like I said before the season began, Buck Showalter isn’t going to take the Mets back to the World Series. In order for the Mets to get back to the promised land, it’s time for them to move on from Grandpa Buck.

For more on baseball, check out Belly Up Sports and follow Eric on Twitter.