Mets reportedly “very impressed” with Buck Showalter interview

The New York Mets are interviewing a “mystery” candidate for their managerial opening on Thursday, as they look to fill one of the most important positions a team can have. They have already talked to several interested contenders, including Brad Ausmus, Matt Quatraro, and others.

Buck Showalter, was interviewed on Wednesday and things reportedly went very well. “(The) Mets first round of interviews is almost over. One interview tomorrow with a mystery candidate (not a mystery to the team, who have this person on the schedule, but to me). Buck Showalter did well today,” was the report of SNY writer Andy Martino.

Showalter is the favorite for the job, and has by far the most experience in the group of candidates, that also includes Joe Espada and Bob Geren.

Showalter managed the New York Yankees between 1992 and 1995; the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998 to 2000; the Texas Rangers from 2003 to 2006); and the Baltimore Orioles manager from 2010 to 2018. Showalter is also the preferred manager candidate of new Mets’ signing Max Scherzer.

The favorite for the Mets’ manager job could embrace analytics

Former Mets’ manager Terry Collins did say Showalter would be open to embracing analytics.

“I just know [Showalter] is so organized and with all the stuff available today, he is one of the guys who would use it all, sort it out and then make his decisions,” former Mets manager Terry Collins told The New York Post. “I know that he’s got great leadership in the clubhouse, he’s a no-nonsense guy — ‘The game is meant to be played a certain way and we’re going to go play it that way.’ And it might be time for that kind of attitude here.”

Per Joel Sherman, “the plan is to take what is currently six publicly known candidates who will all do the Zoom and whittle it down to 2-3 for face-to-face next week and potentially a decision.”