The New York Mets hired former Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler to be their new GM last November, and Eppler ultimately played a role in the selection of veteran option Buck Showalter as the team’s manager. Both men have been targets of some angry fans following the club’s latest epic collapse, but it appears neither is going anywhere this fall or winter.
Mike Puma of the New York Post reported Monday afternoon that Eppler and Showalter are safe and not in danger of losing their jobs coming off the wild-card series loss to the San Diego Padres that was cemented via Sunday’s 6-0 defeat that featured the Mets recording just a single hit at their home ballpark of Citi Field.
Under Eppler and Showalter, the Mets built a 10.5-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division standings by June 1. However, Atlanta went 78-33 over the season’s final four months and watched as the Amazins were swept by the third-place Chicago Cubs (74-88) at home in September. The Braves then took three straight from the Mets from Sept. 30 through Oct. 2 to essentially clinch the division crown, while New York still managed to win 101 total regular-season contests.
Puma adds that the Mets want to eventually hire a president of baseball operations who will sit above Eppler and a new team president to replace the departing Sandy Alderson. Alderson’s successor could merely oversee the club’s business operations, while Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns has been linked with the Mets as their potential president of baseball operations since at least last year.
Stearns has another year remaining on his contract and recently told Wisconsin’s Morning News on 620 WTMJ that he expects to stay with Milwaukee through at least 2023.
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