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Scott Polacek is a featured Columnist for the New York Mets.
This file photo was taken by Patrick Semansky.
The New York Mets are close to naming a manager.
Buck Showalter and Joe Espada are both considered for the position, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. The third finalist is the bench coach of theTampa BayRays.
The Mets plan on having Steven Cohen involved in the process of hiring a manager at some point this week according to Sherman and Davidoff's report.
Showalter and Espada have previous ties to Billy Eppler, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that they are connected to the New York managerial position.
Eppler was the assistant general manager with the New York Yankees when Espada was in the front office. The American League West team was recommended to hire Showalter by Eppler, who was the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels.
According to Sherman and Davidoff, ownership overruled him in lieu of Joe Maddon.
The bench coach for the Houston Astros, Espada was the third base coach for the Miami Marlins and the Yankees before becoming a manager.
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com said he interviewed for the Angels, Rangers, Giants, and Cubs, but all went elsewhere. He helped the Astros reach the World Series twice and is in the running for a position in New York.
Showalter was a manager with the Yankees, Arizona, Rangers, and Baltimore Orioles at different times during his career.
He has three Manager of the Year awards on his resume.
Quatraro was the assistant hitting coach for Cleveland before he became a manager in the minor league system. He was the third base coach and bench coach for the last few years.
The Mets have missed the playoffs in each of the last five years, and whoever becomes the next manager will look to change that.
