3 unsatisfying NY Mets manager replacements if the team fires Buck Showalter

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Will Buck Showalter become a victim of the fiasco known as the 2023 New York Mets? As the manager of the team, he’s one of the most logical scapegoats to go.

There has been a lot of anticipation as to what David Stearns will do in the managerial seat. Does he give Showalter the courtesy of sticking around for another year or rip the cord quickly and bring in his own guy? Many are already expecting Craig Counsell to be a candidate. We also cannot rule out the possibility of Showalter stepping down or taking on another role with the Mets for a one year promotion so they’re paying him to at least do something.

Whatever happens, the big mistake could be if the Mets replaced Showalter with any of these high-profile candidates who could be looking for a new manager role next season.

1) NY Mets replacing Buck Showalter with Bob Melvin feels too lateral

There was a time when Bob Melvin felt like a much better fit for the Mets. When they were looking for a new skipper after the 2021 season to replace Luis Rojas, Melvin was one of the top candidates suspected of landing in Flushing. He ended up with the San Diego Padres instead where he has led the team to a pair of seasons very similar to what we witnessed in New York.

Going from Showalter to Melvin feels too lateral. We can debate how much the managerial style might differ. Whatever the argument for or against it might be, something about Melvin seems ill-fitting for the Mets at this point. Why not just keep Showalter or look for a different type of personality?

Melvin is still under contract for 2024 but like the case is with Showalter, he is on the hot seat. He would be a boring choice and one that will probably feel like any problems the Mets had in 2023 will simply continue.

2) Gabe Kapler might be the worst possible NY Mets replacement for Buck Showalter

Ugh. Maybe the worst case scenario for the Mets would be to bring in Gabe Kapler. It’s not because he’s a guy who marches to the beat of his own drum. There are just too many red flags from his time as a manager for the San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies beforehand to stay far away from him.

Kapler was run out of Philadelphia after two years of playing as close to average as possible. He went to the San Francisco Giants where the same trend continued with one exception: the 2021 season. Somehow the Giants defied the odds and won 107 games in the regular season. They didn’t do anything in the postseason then came back to finish at .500 in 2022 and three games below it at the time of Kapler’s firing.

Kapler’s managerial style is described by some as “genius” whereas others would get irked by it. It’s all about the analytics with him. Whether he was at fault or not with the Giants, it surely weighed on the fans like it did in Philadelphia.

What’s scary is that Kapler could fit well with a President of Baseball Operations like Stearns. However, it does seem like Stearns would be wise enough to pick someone more moldable.

3) NY Mets should be cautious about replacing Buck Showalter with Mike Schildt

Former manager of the St. Louis Cardinals Mike Schildt has a pretty good resume. He was 252-199 during his four seasons with the club. He first took over with 69 games left in 2018 and left after the 2021 season due to “philosophical differences.” Where did he go? He has been employed by the same Padres Melvin is managing in a player development role.

It’s not so much what Schildt did with the Cardinals or his connection to the Padres which should scare the Mets away. Schildt just doesn’t seem like the answer for the Mets. His success, while noteworthy, isn’t what the Mets need in the manager chair right now. Much like Melvin, what could he possibly bring to the table that Showalter didn’t already?

Two seasons now gone from managing a baseball club might have made Schildt a little rusty. His success in a city like St. Louis shouldn’t be overlooked and yet where he was so good does matter. Going from "baseball heaven" to the hustle of New York could end up as a mistake.

How would Schildt handle the aggressive New York media? There was never a question with Showalter who had the experience under his belt during his time as the skipper for the Yankees. Schildt may be perfectly fine. The Mets cannot settle for just fine.

Schildt has the capacity to be a really good manager somewhere, maybe even as a replacement for Melvin if the Padres decide to move on. For the Mets, it feels stale. There is a reason the Cardinals moved on despite the success. Tread lightly if his name comes up in a conversation. Don't kick and scream if he does get hired. With Stearns in the POBO role, we need to know the manager is fully on board with a shared philosophy. If Schildt and Stearns are a match,

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