Harold Reynolds explains how Buck Showalter has changed Francisco Lindor's mindset

On Thursday afternoon, prior to the Mets’ series opener in Philadelphia, manager Buck Showalter praised the team-first mindset Francisco Lindor has maintained amidst a 10-game slump where he’s hitting just .129.

“It’s not a topic of conversation; he’s always upbeat, the guy that stays consistent with his personality, at least since I’ve been around him,” Showalter said. “If there is something else, he’s all about the Mets winning. He’s one of those guys where he could be 0-for-5 with an error, and if we win, he’s sincerely happy. There’s a real sincerity from a team standpoint.
The baseball gods always pay you back if you keep that mentality.”

Part of the reason for that is Buck himself, as Harold Reynolds revealed in chatting with Tiki & Tierney on WFAN earlier Thursday.

“I have a real strong belief in this, because it happened to me: don’t tell me a great coach or manager doesn’t matter, because that changes everything. Buck Showalter has changed Francisco Lindor’s outlook,” Reynolds said. “He’s managed in New York all these years, and the first thing he said to Francisco after the lockout was, ‘you go play baseball, I’ll handle everything else. You go out and play shortstop, I’ll handle the media and New York for you. You spent last year trying to prove your contract – go back to being who you were, I’ll handle the rest,’ and that’s what we’re seeing.”

As Reynolds noted, Showalter was the first one to come charging out of the dugout when Lindor was hit in the face by a pitch in Washington – and apparently, that’s backup Lindor had never had before.

“I’ll let you inside the curtain here: after the game, Francisco went into Buck’s office and told him he never had anyone stand up for him like that,” Reynolds said. “I’ve been watching Mets games from a distance, and if you watch closely, every time after a game, Francisco is sitting there talking to Buck.”

Sitting there, Reynolds says, to be underneath the learning tree of a man who is in his 21^st season as a big-league manager and his 46^th year working in or around professional baseball.

“I asked Buck what they talk about, and he told me (Lindor) is the most curious player he’s ever been around,” Reynolds said. “He wants to know why Buck made a certain move, or what he was thinking. He’s never had that opening to do that, and I think it’s changed his whole outlook.”