Mets manager Buck Showalter says he has a problem with his 1994 ‘Seinfeld’ cameo

(NEXSTAR) – It’s not even Festivus yet, but Buck Showalter is ready for the Airing of Grievances.

Showalter, the current manager of the New York Mets, is one of the few MLB personalities to appear as himself in an episode of “Seinfeld.” But in a recent chat with SNY’s Steve Gelbs, he explained why he isn’t exactly gaga about the show’s constant reruns on TV.

During an in-game interview at spring training on Sunday, Gelbs asked Showalter whether he felt he was better on “Seinfeld” than former Mets player Keith Hernandez, who also guest-starred on the show.

“I don’t know about him, I’m still getting taxed on that stuff,” Showalter responded, claiming that it costs him $19 every time the episode airs.

Showalter was managing the New York Yankees when he appeared in the 1994 episode “The Comeback” alongside Jason Alexander, whose character (George Costanza) asked if Showalter would consider letting the team play in cotton uniforms.

“I didn’t even know the show was popular,” he told the MLB Network in 2016, explaining that his kids were the ones who urged him to accept an invitation to appear.

During the same 2016 interview, he also elaborated on the financial losses he incurs every time his episode airs, claiming that the cost of his Screen Actors Guild membership doesn’t cover the residual payments.

“If somebody comes up and says, ‘Hey, I saw you on “Seinfeld,”’ I say, ‘Oh geez,’” Showalter said.

“I think we cashed a check for 89 cents last week, seriously,” he added. “By the time it’s over, every time they show an episode it costs me $19 in taxes.”

It’s a shame, then, that Showalter didn’t appear in more than just one episode. But as he explained on Sunday, that wasn’t entirely his decision.

“You’ll notice I didn’t do a second appearance, because when Mr. [George] Steinbrenner found out they were making fun of him, I was told no.”

The Mets play their first game of the regular season on April 7. It’s unclear if the team will be wearing uniforms made with a polyester or cotton blend.