On Tuesday afternoon, New York Mets manager Buck Showalter sat down with the press for his first press conference of Spring Training. Here are some key notes from the 40-minute presser:
New Rules
Buck said that there are a lot of unknowns regarding the new rules, saying that no team will have the changes locked down perfectly. He also said that he has spent a lot of time with his minor league managers, discussing the rules to try to gauge the effect it will have on the season.
2023 Expectations
Showalter noted that every MLB team’s expectation is to win the championship, even the ones who haven’t spent as much as the Mets. He specifically said the Mets’ goal is to win the division, and they have to figure out ways to be better than the other four teams in the division. He also noted that he is looking forward to the more balanced schedule.
Padres Wildcard Loss Reflection
Buck noted that it was ruthless. He told the players that life is not fair, but who was to say what happened was not fair? He said the players didn’t get caught up in it.
Thoughts On The Roster
Buck said they were happy that we got some key parts back, especially noting that Brandon Nimmo was a great addition to get back. He also noted that Jose Quintana and Tommy Pham are underrated pickups. Buck is happy with his players and looks forward to being around them this season.
Embed from Getty ImagesOpening Day Starter
Buck says they are not ready to announce the starter, despite already having conversations regarding the topic. He noted it’s a great challenge to have, and they may surprise us with the pitcher selected.
Starling Marte’s Health
Buck noted that Starling Marte’s health is ‘so far so good’ and thinks he’ll be ready to play on Opening Day. He also said that Martewon’t be joining the WBC roster, and also said that catcher Michael Perez won’t be going.
Kodai Senga
Buck said that everything is going well with Kodai Senga, drawing on his experience with Japanese pitchers. He did note there will be an adjustment period with the right-hander.
Featured image of Buck Showalter by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Alex Worth is covering the New York Mets during 2023 as part of the growing team of writers at Bat Flips and Nerds. Follow him on Twitter @AlexWorth17