Billy Eppler

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.

The 99 day impasse between the Major League ball owners and the players is over, for at least another few years. Spring training facilities will be buzzing for the remainder of March, as players, coaches and staff get ready for Opening Day on April 7th. But now the fun part begins. Free agency, as well as the trade market, should be on fire for the next several weeks. Let's see who may or may not land in New York.

Marcus Stroman left the New York Mets in December of 2021. More than two months after signing in Chicago, he's back, and blasting his former ballclub.

The Tweet came out on Saturday night, much like the white puff of smoke out of the Vatican when a new Pope is selected. This time it was from an estate in Greenwich, Connecticut and the home of billionaire Steve Cohen, the owner of the New York Mets. Cohen was alerting the New York Mets fanbase that Buck Showalter would be the new manager of the Amazin's. It was the name that the fans wanted to hear and much like their recent splurge into free-agency, they got everything that they wished for.

Matt Quatraro has been in professional baseball for 24 years. 16 of those seasons have been coaching. In his early coaching days, Quatraro would spend off-seasons volunteer coaching for the University at Albany Great Danes baseball team. Matt is a smart man. He is easy to be around. He is a team oriented and understands an organization's structure and each individual's role in its success. That is the baseball business today. That's the kind of person, if I had Steve Cohen's bank account, I would have representing my $2.5 billionaire dollar team on the field. Oh, and Matt's a competitor to the core and knows how to win at the Major League Level. Louis Rojas unfortunately didn't have that experience.

Much of the New York Mets fanbase along with the media, me not included, are rooting for the Mets to hire former Albany-Colonie Yankee skipper and long time major league manager, Buck Showalter. There are a few other candidates sprinkled in, including Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro, but Buck is getting the most attention. Showalter should get the most attention but shouldn't get the job.

Most years you could save 30% percent and get Free Shipping when shopping mets.com on Black Friday. Who cares? When your team disappoints you, do you really want to spend more money on a friend that continually kicks you when you're down? This Black Friday was different for Mets fans. The enjoyment of being a blue & orange loyalist was free, 'free agents' that is.