Cleveland Sports Forum

Buck Showalter speaks: On the Mets’ mojo, Francisco Lindor and taking it all in

May 31, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets manager Buck Showalter (11) and shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) shake hands after defeating the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports



It was a Sunday night in Anaheim, Calif., and Buck Showalter’s heart was still pounding. For good reason.

Just minutes before, he’d waved in his closer, Edwin Díaz, to face a guy named Mike Trout — in the eighth inning. There was a time when the Mets manager never would have played that card. But he played it here — and everything worked, just the way he’d scripted it in his head.

Trout represented the tying run. And down he went, whiffing on a fire-breathing 99.7 mph fastball. Díaz would go on to close out the first five-out, five-K save of his career. And as Showalter ambled out of the dugout to take in the Mets’ postgame handshake line, he found himself doing something else he used to never fit into his busy schedule.

He savored the moment.

“I’m pretty good at taking in a moment,” Showalter told Doug Glanville and me on the latest Starkville edition of “The Athletic Baseball Show.” “If we have a great walk-off win or something or what have you, I’ll stop for a moment, kind of watch the players celebrate, take it in.

“Watching Edwin Díaz compete against Mike Trout, with people standing on their feet and the game on the line, that’s cool. If you don’t like that, even though it can be an anxiety situation for some, it gives me a kind of peace to realize how lucky and honored you are to be able to watch that and watch certain things evolve during a game.”



This entire conversation was Showalter at his unfiltered and insightful best, weaving through everything from Mets owner Steve Cohen’s art collection to Francisco Lindor’s passion for the game to Shakira’s recent visit. But it was when Showalter talked about how he’d learned over time to stop and appreciate those special baseball moments that he gave us a window into how the Buck Showalter of 2022 compares with the Buck of old.

“Billy Martin had a line, a long time ago,” he said. “I was walking down the runway with him in Fort Lauderdale. And he said, ‘Come on, young man. Let’s go see what the boys have in store for us today.’ You know, there’s probably something every night where I kind of go, ‘Wow. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that before.’ And it’s interesting. When you kind of look at some of your veteran coaches, and they look at you, and they go, ‘I’ve never seen that before’ — that’s why we play the game. That’s why there’s a heartbeat to our game, and it continues to make us want to watch it.”

Two months into his first year as manager of the Mets, Showalter has made himself the early favorite for National League manager of the year. His team has spent the last two months in first place. He has the most skeptical fans in America in his corner. And he has the players buying into his special blend of encyclopedic wisdom and never-ending curiosity, mixed with a sense of fun many of them never expected.

It all poured out of him in his visit to Starkville. So here are some of the memorable excerpts, which have been edited for clarity and length.

ON WONDERING IF HE’D EVER GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO MANAGE: I didn’t wonder. I didn’t. I’m not saying I didn’t care. But it’s not going to define my life. I’ve got children, I’ve got some grandkids. … Just, I enjoy, as we get older and learn more about what not to do, I enjoy helping people and impacting their lives. And (saying), “Hey, don’t do that. I did that. I made a mistake.” You know, it’s simple as that. And learn things. I learn something every day. We’ve got a lot of new things that are really another shape of old things, and that I’m learning.

ON WHY THE METS HAVE BEEN SUCH A GREAT FIT: It’s a great opportunity. I had some things pass my way (opportunities with other teams). But I think that this one really fit me. I really like (general manager) Billy Eppler and our front office and the way we do things. And of course, we have great ownership with Steve (Cohen). And it’s been fun. We’ve been winning more than we’ve been losing. And I know how it goes. Nobody wants to hear about the struggles. They want to hear the end game. And we know what the end game is here.

ON ENJOYING HOW LINDOR AND EDUARDO ESCOBAR MESS WITH HIM DURING PITCHING CHANGES: Hey, I’m like a good-luck charm for them or something. They paw on me. I don’t care. Whatever. We’re trying to win a game. If that makes them feel more comfortable, I think sometimes it’s kind of like whistling in the graveyard. You know, there are some tense moments out there. You’ve got the game on the line. And here comes Edwin Díaz to face Trout or whatever. And I think it lightens the mood a little bit.

I don’t take myself nearly as seriously as people think. I take what I’m hired to do very seriously. But, you know, getting to the end game is what it’s all about, and how we get there, I’m OK with it. Believe me … you don’t see what I do to them behind the scenes.

ON BONDING WITH LINDOR: He loves the intricacies of the game. When he puts his hand up when I go, “Any questions?” and he starts talking, I go, “Oh, geez. Here it comes.” He’s good. He’s a student of the game. And he watches. In other words, he’s that guy that has court awareness. He sees the cutting guards. He sees the backdoor cut. He sees the snowbird, the cherry picker on the fast break. He’s good, man. He’s got alert eyes, and he takes it in. And he laughs easily. And I tell him, “No, don’t lose that.”

ON WHETHER THE “OLD BUCK SHOWALTER” WOULD HAVE BROUGHT IN HIS CLOSER IN THE EIGHTH INNING (AS HE DID TWICE ON THE METS’ LAST ROAD TRIP): Probably not. Probably wouldn’t have been allowed to by the front office. You know (people think) it’s the other way around. People looked at me, but there’s another way that’s evolved. I mean, I’ve got three MVP candidates hitting in the eighth inning (Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner in Los Angeles last week). And why wouldn’t I take my best pitcher to pitch against them? I had Mike Trout (up Sunday) with a chance to tie the game up in the eighth inning.

They were two different situations there, though, because Edwin had only pitched once out of five days (before Sunday), and it was like an 11-pitch outing. He was equipped to do it physically, and the game dictated it was OK. And we talked about it before the game that night. Over in L.A., that wasn’t the case. But we thought the game was going to be won or lost in the eighth inning.

ON HIS FIRST LOOK AT COHEN’S ART COLLECTION WHEN HE INTERVIEWED FOR THE JOB AT COHEN’S HOUSE: I had a birthday recently, and you know, we’re the same age (66). So I don’t know if we have some of the same interests, but the artwork — I mean, I have an interest in it. But I usually have to pay to go see that stuff. …

(So after the interview) I really want to see some of this artwork, OK? And now I know there’s a different look to it. You remember the Andy Warhol picture of Marilyn Monroe with kind of the yellow hair jumping out at you? Well, I’m walking through with him, and he’s kind of talking to Billy (Eppler) and (team president) Sandy Alderson. I said, “Wow, I remember this picture. I’ve seen this before. I think Andy Warhol did it. That’s a beautiful copy.” And he goes, “That’s not a copy. That’s it.” … And when you have a piece of artwork in the bathroom that’s worth more than your house, you know you’re in high cotton there.

when they were clearing the roster last winter the one deletion I objected to was young lefty Francisco Perez who looked good enough to keep on hand in his debut last summer. Washington signed him and so far he's not looking like big loss:

9 walks 10 hits in 8 2/3 innings. but he's somehow managed to keep his ERA at 4.15

Not sure if or how this affects the Guardians or David Blitzer but it seems to be somehow connected.

Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin to sell stake in Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, which owns 76ers, Devils
By Shams Charania

June 22, 2022Updated 9:58 AM EDT

Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin to sell stake in Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment, which owns 76ers, Devils. Rubin's sports retail behemoth Fanatics is reaching new athlete deals and beginning a new gambling and betting division that interfere with the leagues’ team ownership rules.
Entrepreneur Michael Rubin is selling his 10 percent share in Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment — which owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils — as his sports retail behemoth Fanatics reaches new athlete deals and begins a new gambling and betting division that interfere with the leagues’ team ownership rules.

Over the past few years, Rubin, the executive chairman of Fanatics, understood that it was in his and the company’s best interests that he sells his pro sports ownership stake as Fanatics expanded, sources said. Those with knowledge of Rubin’s decision understood Fanatics’ growth into new sectors made this transition inevitable.

Fanatics developed into a sports-merchandising giant and has turned into a global business, now including deals with individual players across the pro leagues within the company’s new trading card and collectibles business. Fanatics will soon launch a gambling vertical as well; another factor as to why the business became a conflict for Rubin as he served as an NBA and NHL team owner.

The sale of Rubin’s equity will close imminently.

“Given Michael’s tremendous success growing Fanatics into a global platform across every major sport, his decision doesn’t come as a surprise,” HBSE co-founder Josh Harris said. “I am so grateful for his years of partnership. His fierce passion, entrepreneurial mindset and steadfast commitment to doing the right thing have left an indelible mark on the Sixers organization.

“Michael will always be a member of our HBSE and Sixers family, continue to be a presence courtside and a key partner in our collective commitment to be a force for good in Philadelphia.”

“Michael is a visionary and innovator who has played an integral role in helping us grow and position HBSE for future success,” HBSE co-founder David Blitzer said. “He has been an incredible friend and business partner over the last 11 years and his instincts, work ethic, passion, and ability to bring people together have helped establish him as one of the industry’s most influential and successful leaders.

“Michael has used those same attributes to help us evolve and grow, all while becoming a driver of positive, inspiring change in our communities. As he prepares for this new chapter in his career, I’m excited to watch Michael further revolutionize the Fanatics business, unlocking its full potential by connecting sports fans from around the world through a multitude of new platforms and verticals.”

Rubin, who has a net worth of $8 billion according to Forbes, has no plans to buy into another ownership group in the future.

“Michael’s commitment, passion and business acumen have greatly benefited the 76ers and the NBA but Fanatics’ opportunity to build a global digital sports platform by moving into new and emerging businesses makes team ownership impractical for now,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “I look forward to continuing to work closely with Michael on expanding Fanatics’ partnership with the league.”

Rubin was awarded Sports Business Journal’s 2022 Executive of the Year award in May, and it’s believed throughout the industry that his stature as one of the most powerful individuals in pro sports only increases as he moves away from the team ownership side. He could potentially help the 76ers more than ever as a super fan who no longer has the shackles of being an owner limiting his ability to tap into his wide array of relationships and power.

I am speculating that Blitzer is continuing to venture into team ownership(s) while his old partner goes into the sports betting arena.

Phillies sign Mercado.

Believe it or not CF is an absolute black hole for Philly. He is an upgrade.

in case you remember him from his early days in the lowest minor leaguers, traded for Joe Smith I believe

10. Samad Taylor, OF, Blue Jays
Team: Triple-A Buffalo (International)
Age: 23

Why He’s Here: .364/.400/.955 (8-for-22), 6 R, 1 2B, 4 HR, 7 RBIs, 2 BB, 5 SO, o-for-1 SB

The Scoop: After a loud 2021 season, Taylor traded some power for contact and he’s continued to see strong results this season at Triple-A. Taylor started the week with three consecutive multi-hit games, including a two-home run game in Buffalo’s series opener with St. Paul. He finished the week with four home runs as he raised his season total from five to nine. Taylor is hitting .267/.348/.444 with improvements to his contact rate, chase rate and in-zone whiff rate this season. Taylor is an excellent base runner and is currently tied for first in the International League in stolen bases with 23. He’s a bit of a tweener defensively, seeing a majority of his time split between second base and left field for the Bisons, but can impact the game in a variety of ways offensively. (GP)

LIndor with his 15th homer, and 60th RIB. Avg is still at 240. Heading for a career high with 72 strikeouts. I guess he's become an all or nothing slugger.

Brad Zimmer in the running for the 26th man or the year award. He's appeared in 60 games for the Blue Jays but only had 71 at bats. [and 8 hits, 1/4 of them singles; 1/2 doubles; 1/4 homers] But swinging the bat is not really in his job description; he's a full time pinch runner and defensive replacement.

I'm sure someone keeps records that would confirm if Brad is leading the majors in pinch running opportunities.

Carlos Carrasco among the leaders in Wins with 9 although he's had enough bad games to net an ERA of only 4.55

Corey Kluber has been solid average with a 3.62 ERA [right up there with Bieber and McKenzie] WHIP of only 1.11 and 4-5 record

Mike Clevinger is currently on the Non-Injured list and his IP total has reached 35. ERA 3.34 2-1 record; Mike's still very good when he's able to pitch; he's 31 now and has a career total of 577 innings. [a Padres article says that the team needs OF help; may want to trade surplus pitching and suggest Clevinger: want to trade Naylor, Quantrill, Hedges, Miller, Arias and Cantillo for Mike?]

Trevor Bauer is probably busy on his computer and perhaps filing lawsuits.

Juan Soto trade market is not what you expect: 10 teams that could make an offer

Washington Nationals' Juan Soto in action during a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, July 17, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
By Jim Bowden
Jul 20, 2022
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The trade market for Juan Soto is a lot different than most people think. Initially, many pointed to the big-market teams — such as the Yankees, Blue Jays, White Sox, Mets, Dodgers and Giants — that could afford to extend the Nationals superstar to a 15-year deal. But there are also small- and mid-market teams — like the Rays, Mariners, Cardinals and Padres — that would trade a bevy of top prospects and major-league players for just the two and a half years of control remaining on Soto’s contract.

The Nationals have begun the process of trying to move Soto and they plan to continue to accept calls from interested teams leading up to the Aug. 2 trade deadline. They have made it clear they will make a trade only if it positively impacts their organization in both the long term and short term. In return for Soto, the Nationals want multiple major leaguers and top prospects but also to offload the bad contract of pitcher Patrick Corbin, according to sources.

They could still return to the negotiating table and try to extend Soto even though he rejected their recent 15-year, $440 million offer, but for the first time, they’ve decided to listen to all trade offers before considering whether to increase their contract offer again.

If they move ahead with a trade, the Nationals can point to the Angels and Mike Trout, who is 30 years old and hasn’t played in the postseason in eight years. Soto is 23, but the Nationals are at least four to seven years away from contending. They have the worst record in the major leagues (31-63) and one of the worst farm systems in terms of talent. Trading Soto for four or five talented players might offer a faster route back to contention. One superstar isn’t bringing a championship to an MLB team — just ask the Angels, who signed Trout to a record $430 million deal in 2019 and are no closer to the World Series.

Don’t get me wrong, if I were the Nationals, I’d make Soto say no to an improved offer of at least $500 million over 15 years before closing a trade, though I also understand the argument to move him and kickstart their rebuild.


Juan Soto finished top five in the NL MVP voting the last two years. (Geoff Burke / USA Today)
The prospect of this type of mammoth trade brings to mind past blockbusters across the sports world, such as the 1989 Herschel Walker deal between the Cowboys and Vikings, but every mega deal is different, and the Soto situation has its own variables. Here are some to consider:

• The return value the Nationals receive will depend on whether the other team extends Soto at the time of the trade or just acquires control of him through the 2024 season. Either way, the Nationals and those in the industry expect it will be the biggest haul in MLB history, sources said.

• The Nationals will try to make the team that acquires Soto also absorb Corbin’s bad contract, according to sources. Corbin has two and a half years left on a six-year, $140 million deal he signed after the 2018 season. He’s been the worst starting pitcher in the majors since the beginning of the 2021 season, with a 5.84 ERA in 50 starts during that span. So if your team wants Soto, who is making $17.1 million this year, it will need to account for the likely significant raises he’ll receive in his final two years of salary arbitration, a record extension (if it wants Soto beyond 2024) and perhaps taking on some or all of Corbin’s remaining salary. Bottom line: The Nationals want the Corbin salary off their books, even if they end up with fewer players or prospects in the deal because of it.

• In terms of timing, the Nationals could trade Soto at this trade deadline or during the offseason. They could move him at next year’s trade deadline or the offseason that follows, or even wait until the 2024 trade deadline, just before he becomes a free agent. However, his trade value is at its highest and it will decrease at every juncture. So if the Nationals can’t extend him, trading him now is probably the best decision.

• The prospective sale of the Nationals, expected by the end of the calendar year, is another factor to keep in mind. An incoming owner might want input on the Soto decision. The Lerner family, which has owned the team since 2006, might want to make the trade, or not make the trade, based on how much it changes the franchise’s value in the sale.

This could play out in any number of ways, but here are 10 teams that have the type of talent the Nationals would want for Soto. The bar will be high. At last year’s trade deadline, the Nationals landed the Dodgers’ top prospects, pitcher Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz, for two months of Max Scherzer and a year and a half of Trea Turner. But that blockbuster doesn’t compare to acquiring Soto, who is a combination of Hank Aaron and Ted Williams, not yet 24 and controllable for three more pennant races.

So, let’s look at some of the realistic trade partners for Soto and identify some of the players and packages the Nationals will be targeting.

AL East
Yankees — A package that includes top prospects such as shortstop Anthony Volpe, outfielder Jasson Domínguez and left-handed pitcher Ken Waldichuk plus a major leaguer or two at the level of right-hander Michael King will be the ballpark asking price. The Nationals might even ask for a young, proven player such as second baseman Gleyber Torres, 25. The Yankees might counter by substituting prospects, like shortstop Oswald Peraza for Volpe and catcher Austin Wells for Domínguez, but you get the idea of what it could take for the Yankees to land Soto.

Rays — The Rays made a surprising run at Freddie Freeman in free agency before he eventually signed with the Dodgers this past offseason. They need a middle-of-the-order impact bat. And they are the best-positioned team for a Soto deal, in some respects, because their farm system is so loaded. However, for Tampa Bay, it would probably be a two-and-a-half-year rental. The Rays could start an offer with outfielder Josh Lowe and infielder/outfielder Vidal Bruján, then load the package with elite pitching prospects, headlined by Taj Bradley, and perhaps two of Cole Wilcox (currently on the injured list), Sandy Gaston, Ian Seymour (IL) or Nick Bitsko.

Blue Jays — The Blue Jays would be a perfect fit for Soto as they need a left-handed impact bat between Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They could offer a package of one of their corner outfielders (either Teoscar Hernández or Lourdes Gurriel Jr.), along with a top pitching prospect such as lefty Ricky Tiedemann, power righty Nate Pearson and one or two of their top infield prospects, such as Orelvis Martinez, Jordan Groshans and/or Otto Lopez. There is definitely a combination from those options that could work for the Nationals.

AL Central
White Sox — The White Sox could start the conversation with either outfielder Eloy Jiménez or outfielder/first baseman Andrew Vaughn, then offer one of their top shortstop prospects, Colson Montgomery or Jose Rodriguez, along with an outfield prospect such as Yoelqui Céspedes or Oscar Colas and a pitching prospect like Anderson Severino or Jason Bilous.

AL West
Mariners — The Mariners are always active traders and they have the young starting pitchers to begin forming a Soto package with either prospect Emerson Hancock or rookie George Kirby. They could include outfielders Jarred Kelenic and Kyle Lewis in the deal. To close it, the Mariners might have to part with their best position-player prospect, shortstop Noelvi Marte, but they would try to keep him as their only untouchable with the idea of building the short- and long-term lineup core around Soto, Marte, Julio Rodríguez and Ty France.

NL East
Mets — Owner Steve Cohen has quickly established a reputation as this generation’s George Steinbrenner. He is willing to blow through luxury-tax thresholds and is committed to bringing a world championship to Queens. So it’s not hard to see the Cohen-led Mets aggressively targeting Soto. They could offer several major-league players in a Soto deal, such as All-Star Jeff McNeil and Dominic Smith, then make shortstop Ronny Mauricio the key prospect piece with either third baseman Brett Baty or third baseman Mark Vientos to finish off the package.

NL Central
Cardinals — The Cardinals have a long history of trading for superstar players and later extending them, like they recently did with Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. The Nationals will want the package to start with St. Louis’ most tantalizing prospect, third baseman Jordan Walker, but the Cardinals would instead probably offer one of their major-league corner outfielders, Dylan Carlson or Tyler O’Neill, with the idea that they could play Soto in right field and Walker in left. The Nationals could also be interested in third baseman/second baseman Nolan Gorman, who is expendable because of Walker, infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan or outfielder Juan Yepez, a trio that could start immediately for Washington. The Nationals are not high on lefty Matthew Liberatore so instead would probably focus on landing shortstop phenom Masyn Winn, outfielder Alec Burleson and a pitching prospect such as Michael McGreevy. Some combination of four or five of those players probably comes close to getting a deal done. Bottom line: The Cardinals are positioned to pull off a deal of this magnitude. However, there’s a problem: They need to acquire a starting pitcher or two, and that’s probably the direction they’ll go at this deadline, but you can’t ignore them based on their trade pieces and history of deals.

NL West
Dodgers — Soto just feels like a future Dodger or Yankee and after the blockbuster Dodgers-Nationals trade at the last trade deadline, why not do it again this year? The Dodgers could offer infielder Gavin Lux and put together a package of prospects from their loaded farm system, starting with power right-hander Bobby Miller or righty Ryan Pepiot, along with two more position players from a group of infielder Miguel Vargas, outfielder Andy Pages, shortstop Wilman Diaz or second baseman Michael Busch.

Padres — We can never count out the A.J. Preller and the Padres on a major deal. Although they probably can’t add a $500 million commitment to their payroll, they certainly could find a way to make Soto’s salary work for the next three pennant races, which aligns with their window to win a world championship. The Nationals would love a package that included left-hander MacKenzie Gore, one of the Padres’ top outfield prospects (James Wood or Robert Hassell III), infielder C.J. Abrams and another pitching prospect such as Victor Lizarraga or Kevin Kopps.

Giants — The Giants have been looking for their next mega superstar since Barry Bonds left and a trade for Soto would certainly check that box. San Francisco has the prospects to make a deal and the financial resources to sign Soto long-term. The Nationals would ask for either shortstop Marco Luciano (IL) or outfielder Luis Matos as the headliner, left-hander Kyle Harrison and then outfielder Heliot Ramos or Jairo Pomares. Throw in two mid-level prospects and a major leaguer of some sort and the Giants could be in the Soto sweepstakes mix.

Finally, as the Soto saga plays out, so will the public relations campaigns from both sides.

During the All-Star festivities, Soto expressed his “love” for the Nationals but said he felt “uncomfortable” about the prospect of a trade. He positioned the situation as being “out of his hands,” implying if the Nationals trade him, it’s their decision, not his. Everyday people can’t fathom turning down the astronomical sum the Nationals offered, but it would have put Soto at a $29.33 million average salary, which is below market value for him. And who’s paying that salary when the Nationals are sold? “I don’t think any player is going to sign with an owner he doesn’t know,” said Scott Boras, Soto’s agent.

From the club’s perspective, it was important for the Nationals to let their fans know they’d tried to sign Soto, so if they ultimately trade him, some fans will understand because he turned down a package of that magnitude.

This PR positioning is understandable from both sides, but the big question is whether the Nationals can even offer Soto enough money to not test free agency. I don’t think they can because of where they sit in the standings and the looming sale of the team.

My prediction: On Aug. 2, Soto will either be the first half-a-billion-dollar player in baseball history or will be wearing a different uniform.

The Blue Jays would be a perfect fit for Soto . They could offer a package of one of their corner outfielders (either Teoscar Hernández or Lourdes Gurriel Jr.)

,

I think they'd even be willing to part with Brad Zimmer if push came to shove.

Blue Jays scoring 28 runs gave Brad Zimmer a rare chance to get more than 1 inning of play; 2 at bats, only 1 strikeout, now batting 107 [8 for 75]

The San Diego Padres are finalizing a deal to acquire superstar outfielder Juan Soto from Washington, sources tell ESPN.

One of the biggest deals in baseball history goes down, and it sends the 23-year-old to SD, where he will team with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

Jon Morosi
@jonmorosi
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10m
Sources: #Nats are set to receive CJ Abrams, OF Robert Hassell III, OF James Wood, RHP Jarlin Susana for Juan Soto and Josh Bell.