buck showalter

The New York Mets are rolling. Going into Tuesday's double-header with the San Francisco, the Amazin's are off to a great start under new skipper Buck Showalter with an impressive 7-3 record. Timely hitting and great pitching are the perfect formula for success. However, the veteran manager of over two decades in the dugout knows that simple things can derail a great team. One of those things is chemistry.

Coaching young baseball players can be frustrating. Instructors are constantly imploring them to watch more Major League Baseball to reinforce how to play the game the right way. However, time after time, we see MLB players making Little League mistakes. Knowing the rules can be one of those costly mistakes, unless you are one of those teams that take advantage of knowing the rules.

Philadelphia fans are known for being tough. Whether you are on the visiting team or a home player, Philly fans can be a bit rough. Remember when they booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game? Prior to the New York Mets falling apart in the 8th inning of Monday's game against Philadelphia, it was one of the Phillies own that was directing his ire at the fans.

I think the Mets had the slightly better opening weekend than the Yankees. It was a great opening for New York baseball.

New York Mets first-baseman Pete Alonso is never afraid to get his uniform dirty. In the fourth inning, the burly Home Run Derby champion tried to score from first on a double to the wall by new teammate Eduardo Escobar. Fleet of foot, Alonso is not. He was gunned down by Washington shortstop Alcides Escobar on a perfect throw to the plate. But that wasn't the worst of it in Game 1 of 2022 for the Polar Bear, as he is nicknamed.

Thursday afternoon, barring rain, Buck Showalter will take the helm as manager for a New York based Major League team for the first time since 1995, when he was the manager of the New York Yankees. That year, Showalter led the Bronx Bombers to the American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners.

The New York Yankees and Mets play each other each year in a regular season Subway Series. The two met for the only time in the World Series with the Pinstripes prevailing in 5 games. On a daily basis the two New York Major League Baseball franchises beg for attention from the nation's biggest media market.

Back in November, when New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and general manager Billy Eppler decided on Buck Showalter as the next Mets manager, deciding on who would be the Opening Day starter for the New York Mets, seemed like a problem for a later date. Well, the day has come and circumstances not foreseen a week ago, have clouded the skipper's choices.

No one will argue the fact that Robinson Cano's best years were in New York. The 39-year-old represented the Yankees 5 times out of his 8 trips to the All Star game. Cano was part of the Pinstripes last World Series team in 2009. At the time, I would have bet that Robinson Cano would have been a Yankee for life. Then he left for a big contract.

In his first year as manager of the New York Mets, the experienced and deliberate, Buck Showalter will certainly being doing everything in his power to assemble a World Series worthy team. Given the roster and the financial support courtesy of Mets billionaire owner Steve Cohen, the new skipper really couldn't ask for much more. However, Buck has a decision coming up that may be tough for even a billionaire to swallow.

As New York Mets manager Buck Showalter wanders the team's spring training complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, who will be that Opening Day designated hitter for his team, must be rolling through his mind. Yes, the obvious righty or lefty pitcher that you're facing plays into into it. However, sometimes, managers are stuck between veterans with albatross-like contracts and young talent, that if given a chance, may blossom into an All Star.

On Thursday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the adoption of the universal DH rule for 2022. Now National League pitchers will no longer have to hit. So, who will fill that role with the Mets? Given the New York's endlessly deep pockets, thanks to billionaire owner Steve Cohen's determination to bring a winning team to Cit Field, there are quite a few roads to pursue an answer. The Amazin's have several internal designated hitter options, given the number of defensively challenged players that fill their current 40-man roster. At times, superstar right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom has been the best hitter in the Mets line-up, making this question even more interesting.