Post by JohnM on Mar 25, 2024 14:46:33 GMT -5
Andrew Marchand
The YES Network not only wanted to bring in one former New York Yankee manager this offseason, but two.
While YES hired Aaron Boone’s Yankee predecessor, Joe Girardi, the network also had discussions with Buck Showalter about joining the network, executives briefed on the talks told The Athletic.
The Mets had the right to prevent Showalter from advancing talks with the Yankees’ regional sports network under the terms of Showalter’s original three-year deal that paid him slightly less than $12 million in total to manage the Mets. However, a Mets spokeswoman said they would have allowed Showalter to work for the crosstown network if talks had advanced.
The Mets fired Showalter after going 75-87 last season. In his first year with the team, Showalter won 101 games and the Manager of the Year award for a record-tying fourth time. The Mets are paying him $4 million not to manage in 2024.
“We had very preliminary discussions with Buck,” a YES spokesman told The Athletic. “Once we learned that he was still under contract, we did not pursue it any further.”
The Mets said they would not prevent Showalter from pursuing a job with YES.
“We are open to it, as we have been to other opportunities,” a Mets spokeswoman told The Athletic.
Showalter declined to comment.
Showalter, 67, will be part of MLB Network’s coverage this year, doing once-a-month appearances. Besides his long managing career, Showalter has been an analyst on TV, working previously at ESPN, MLBN and YES.
YES added Girardi, which is a unique circumstance considering he was the previous manager.
Girardi was fired in October 2017 after the Yankees’ surprising season in which they advanced to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
He was then replaced by Boone, who has not gone further than the ALCS and last year, did not make the playoffs.
It is unclear if Showalter would have taken a YES job. With Boone on a perceived hot seat after failing to make the playoffs, Showalter may not have wanted to be seen second-guessing the current manager.
Showalter’s role on MLBN will be broader and only an appearance a month, eliminating such a predicament.
The YES Network not only wanted to bring in one former New York Yankee manager this offseason, but two.
While YES hired Aaron Boone’s Yankee predecessor, Joe Girardi, the network also had discussions with Buck Showalter about joining the network, executives briefed on the talks told The Athletic.
The Mets had the right to prevent Showalter from advancing talks with the Yankees’ regional sports network under the terms of Showalter’s original three-year deal that paid him slightly less than $12 million in total to manage the Mets. However, a Mets spokeswoman said they would have allowed Showalter to work for the crosstown network if talks had advanced.
The Mets fired Showalter after going 75-87 last season. In his first year with the team, Showalter won 101 games and the Manager of the Year award for a record-tying fourth time. The Mets are paying him $4 million not to manage in 2024.
“We had very preliminary discussions with Buck,” a YES spokesman told The Athletic. “Once we learned that he was still under contract, we did not pursue it any further.”
The Mets said they would not prevent Showalter from pursuing a job with YES.
“We are open to it, as we have been to other opportunities,” a Mets spokeswoman told The Athletic.
Showalter declined to comment.
Showalter, 67, will be part of MLB Network’s coverage this year, doing once-a-month appearances. Besides his long managing career, Showalter has been an analyst on TV, working previously at ESPN, MLBN and YES.
YES added Girardi, which is a unique circumstance considering he was the previous manager.
Girardi was fired in October 2017 after the Yankees’ surprising season in which they advanced to Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
He was then replaced by Boone, who has not gone further than the ALCS and last year, did not make the playoffs.
It is unclear if Showalter would have taken a YES job. With Boone on a perceived hot seat after failing to make the playoffs, Showalter may not have wanted to be seen second-guessing the current manager.
Showalter’s role on MLBN will be broader and only an appearance a month, eliminating such a predicament.