Handing out some original awards to Mets players in 2023

The "Ghost of Buck" award goes to the 2024 Mets

Despite the disappointing way in which his tenure ended, I appreciated having Buck Showalter as the Mets manager. Now that the Mets have made the decision to let him go, though, it's time to look ahead, and David Stearns will have a critical decision on his hands when choosing the Mets' next skipper.

One ray of hope for Mets fans is the odd success of teams in their first year post-Showalter. Both the Yankees and Diamondbacks won the World Series immediately after firing Buck, and the Mets hope to become the third next year.

Who will be the manager that tries to take the Mets to the promised land? Count me among the proponents of Craig Counsell, but time will tell.

David Stearns' promise to field a competitive team should give Mets fans hope that 2024 won't be a rebuilding year. In Lindor, Senga, Alvarez, Diaz, and Alonso, the Mets have a core in place that could give them a chance to make a run at it, and that's even before seeing what moves Stearns makes this offseason.

The baseball season is long, but it can feel even longer when your team doesn't have much to play for. After a hot start in April, the Mets could never quite keep it going, but there were still plenty of reasons to watch. With new leadership and a full offseason to prepare, let's hope that we can give out some even better awards in 2024.