After another loss to the New York Yankees on Tuesday night, Mets fans think life without Buck Showalter sounds pretty nice.
If New York were to let Buck Showalter go midseason, there would be a number of obvious favorites to replace him. FanSided's Kevin Henry outlined what like without Showalter would look like for the Mets.
Joey Cora, a Mets assistant who has garnered praise from Showalter and many on the staff, would likely get the first chance at replacing the veteran manager. Showalter complimented Cora in July of 2022, making it clear he's a manager in the making.
"You never have to push Joey forward. He is engaged," Showalter said in this article. "I watch him sometimes in the dugout when [Francisco] Lindor or somebody jumps for a line drive. Joey jumps with them.
"[Joey] is the only guy I ever had that goes and practices coaching third base during [batting practice]. He takes so much pride in his work. The players are willing to do a lot of things for him because he is so driven."
But beyond Cora, are there any former Mets who could fill the vacancy longterm?
NY Mets Rumors: Hire Carlos Beltran to replace Buck Showalter
Carlos Beltran played for the Mets from 2005-11, making the National League All-Star team four times. If that weren't impressive enough, he was even in line to become the team's manager back in 2020, but then chaos broke loose.
Beltran was named in the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, with players suggesting he was one of the main conspirators. The 2017 Astros team cheated baseball, and won a World Series in the process. In the aftermath, Alex Cora and A.J. Hinch took a year off, Jeff Luhnow was unceremoniously dumped, and Beltran lost out on his opportunity.
Since then, Beltran's reputation has recovered some. He was hired to a front office role in New York not all that long ago. A transition to the dugout with the organization that's already paying him wouldn't be a difficult one.
NY Mets Rumors: Is David Wright a manager-in-the-making?
David Wright was a leader in the clubhouse during his days as a regular New York Mets All-Star. Unfortunately, Wright's career ended early due to injuries, but since then he hasn't been a stranger with the organization he called home for so long.
Wright was mentioned as a potential candidate for New York's managerial opening back in 2020, just a short time after he retired as a player. Wright was not interested at the time, and the Mets went with Showalter instead.
"I am not interested in coaching," Wright told Jon Heyman at the time. "Full transparency I did accept a position as a coach on my daughter's three-to-four-year-old coed tee-ball team this spring."
"I don't want to sound cold, and I don't want to sound disinterested, but I just don't want to coach," Wright continued.
That was three years ago, of course, and Wright was getting used to life as a family man outside of baseball. Things can change, and perhaps the legendary third baseman would prefer to wear a uniform once again.
In 2023, however, Wright reported to Mets spring training to work with their young prospects in Port St. Lucie. The 37-year-old expressed excitement to be back in the game he loves, and wearing blue and orange.
"I never played the game for the personal accolades, and the hall-of-fame being the greatest personal accolade… You think back about it (if I could've stayed healthy), it brings a smile to my face knowing I did everything I could and I played the game the right way," Wright said of his playing days. "I love being back, I bleed orange and blue! This is my extended family."
Now might be the time for the Mets to give Wright a call.
NY Mets Rumors: Can Mike Piazza replace Buck Showalter?
Fresh off managing Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic, Mike Piazza's next move would be to manage at the MLB level. As a former catcher, Piazza is used to managing pitching staffs, and being a leader in the clubhouse. He provided both of those attributes to an Italian team which over-performed at the World Baseball Classic.
Piazza has already been a regular at Mets spring training over the past few seasons, where he has worked with top prospect Francisco Alvarez, helping him make the necessary improvements in his game, especially defensively. Now, Alvarez is a regular in New York's lineup, and one of the best young players in the National League. Coincidence? I think not.
"I think from what I've seen [of Alvarez, he is] a very exciting hitter and hope he continues his hot pace," Piazza said. "He is coming up with clutch HRs, and that is a great sign."
Piazza went on to say the test for Alvarez will be adjusting to opposing pitchers after they've faced him multiple times.
"The big test," said Piazza, "will be when he goes around the league a few times and pitchers start adjusting."
Piazza, born in Pennsylvania, had little reason to be so damn committed to Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Unlike the players he managed, Piazza was involved every step of the way, even managing the team in the European championships. That's the kind of leader Piazza is, and with the Mets, he'd be involved from the top-down.
NY Mets Rumors: Don't touch Bobby Valentine
Former MLB manager Bobby Valentine, who coached the New York Mets from 1996 to 2002, has not been mentioned in connection with a potential opening should Buck Showalter be shown the door. However, as out of touch as some in the New York media market are, Valentine would be brought up at some point.
Valentine was a tremendous manager his first time through with the Mets. He won the NL Pennant with the team in 2000, and finished over .500 in five of his six seasons. However, much has changed since then.
In Valentine's only managerial opportunity since he left New York, he coached the Boston Red Sox in what can only be described as a disasterclass in 2012. Boston finished that season with a record of 69-93, and Valentine was promptly fired. Since then, he's made regular media appearances, thus keeping himself just involved enough to potentially receive another chance at coaching should the right opening reveal itself.
A return to Queens is not that opening. If the Mets did move off of Showalter, a younger, fresher face would be necessary to reach what's increasingly becoming a team full of early 20-somethings.
At 73 years old, how can anyone expect Valentine to reach a group of young players, including the likes of Alvarez, Brett Baty, Francisco Lindor and more.
