It's not exactly unknown that I root for the Mets.  Friends and colleagues know, I have strong opinions on personnel, staffing, who plays, player moves, even in game strategy. When first discussed last fall, I was not on board with hiring Buck Showalter to manage my Mets.  It turned out what I read about him was not what he turned out to be.  It started with his introductory press conference and learning he collected data before data analytics became integral to the game.  I found myself enjoying his interviews.  Some of the emphases he placed on playing smart impressed, including the time J.D. David broke for second base while former Met now D-Back Ollie Perez was about the appeal a runner leaving early from third who scored on a Sac Fly (He did not leave early but another story.); Ollie made a move toward second and as a result lost the ability to appeal the runner leaving early, even though he did throw to third.  

But listening to the latest episode of the "Amazing' Mets Alumni Podcast with (former Mets PR director) Jay Horwitz"I learned something perhaps more compelling about Buck.   In the podcast, "Ed Kranepool Shares Stories From Mets History," there was a lot of discussion about the late Gil Hodges who let the Mets to their first World Series win.  Remembers those 1969 Miracle Mets? Well Kranepool focused on the fact that in August the Mets players were fresher while the Cubs who played a regular lineup ran out of gas.  I realized how the current Mets manager has been careful to rest his players, including judicious use of the DH to allow Lindor and Alonzo to rest from the rigors of playing the field bit remain in the lineup.  And Buck continues to play everyone.  Might Buck be some modern day version of our revered Gil Hodges who just might lead another Mets team, some 53 years later to the promised land?  We'll see..