Three days after the end of the worst season in Baltimore Orioles history, the team parted ways with Buck Showalter, its second-longest tenured manager.
The news had been expected by Showalter, who met with John and Louis Angelos on Wednesday. He had also had a meeting on Saturday.
Showalter’s dismissal was first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by an industry source.
The Orioles have yet to make an announcement.
Showalter came to the Orioles in August 2010 and had a record of 669-684. Only Earl Weaver, who managed 17 seasons, surpassed Showalter’s tenure.
The Orioles improved immediately under Showalter. In 2010, the team finished with a 34-23 record but fell back to a 69-93 record in 2011.
On the final day of the 2011 season, the Orioles eliminated the Boston Red Sox from playoff consideration with an exciting win, and expectations were heightened for the following season.
In 2012, the Orioles won the first American League wild-card game and had a 93-69 record, breaking a streak of 14 losing seasons.
The Orioles were eliminated by the New York Yankees in five games in the 2012 Division Series.
Though the Orioles didn’t qualify for the postseason in 2013, they were 85-77, and won their first AL East title in 16 years in 2014.
A three-game sweep of Detroit in the Division Series was followed by a four-game sweep by Kansas City in the American League Championship Series.
That was Showalter’s only trip in 20 seasons with the Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers and Orioles to an LCS.
In 2015, the Orioles had an 81-81 record, and followed that with their third postseason berth in five years in 2016.
Showalter came under fire for not using Zach Britton against Toronto in the wild-card game as the Orioles lost to the Blue Jays in 11 innings.
In 2017, the Orioles were again in the playoff picture, but lost 19 of their final 23 games to finish 75-87.
This year’s team was never in contention and limped to a 47-115 mark, just four games better than the worst mark in American League history.
Showalter will not have a role in the organization, and his future plans are unknown.
Originally hired on a contract that ran through 2013, Showalter received a five-year extension after the Orioles’ successful 2012 season. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Dan Duquette, who was hired in November 2011, was extended concurrently with Showalter.
The contracts of both Showalter and Duquette were set to run out at the end of this month. There’s no word on Duquette’s future.
The Orioles will join the Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays in searching for a new manager.
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Thanks Buck for the great job you did with the team, the past couple of years weren't your fault, the talent failed you. Good luck with your future endeavors.
Mike Devereaux should be the next manager!
That's a name I hadn't thought of, Devo.
Yeah; sad but unsurprising. The ID of the new manager seems less important than the GM and the players. Might be someone cheap no one knows. Hardy, Flaherty and Bordick are intriguing choices. I for one hope its not a Yankee castoff.
Those are interesting names, Boss.
Tessio: "Tom, can you get me off the hook, for old times sake?"
Tom Hagen: "Can't do it Sally" (turns and walks away)
Thank you for raising the level of discourse around here, Bancells.
Thank you Buck! Biggest loss of the year. Please tell me it’s not gonna be Mike Bordick as his replacement. Love Mike but come on
I have a feeling it's going to be some no name, with no experience, which is the total opposite of what we need with all these young players
That is the new trend. Young. rely totally on analytics and CHEAP!
deqalt, I am just guessing at this point.
A sad but expected day. Knew it was coming but still a punch in the gut. I was around to watch Earl Weaver and despite winning the championships he wasn't all that far ahead of Buck in overall standing. That being said I like the Mark De Rosa rumors I'm hearing. Hopefully they can find a way to get JJ Hardy in there as a coach for the IFers.
Lots of possibilities, Orial.
Its a move that had to happen. The Rumour mill overflowed with intrigue between Buck and Duquette. If Duquette wantedto protect Buck he would have gotten better returns for the sell off including finding a way to get rid of Chris Davis and save everybody face if not money. I sensed a coup afoot early on when the team was loaded with unhappy walk year veterans . All of which seemed to play like they were unhappy. Going into the dark side further is very swampy but I don't think anything can be ruled out when a team that should have at least finished third sank like a stone in Chesapeake Bay. AS it looks now rather than spending to keep up with the larger cities and more well endowed this team will fall years behind Tampa Bay in keeping with their current standing. Is move on the horizon ? has Baltimore baseball gone the way of Indianapolis baseball? Can it rise as a great AAA city ? If so do we see the Montreal Orioles in the Future ? Who knows ?
The Orioles aren’t going anywhere.
Bad Move. Thanks Davis!!!!!! Now, let’s get Rid of Peter and his “don’t know anything about baseball Sons”. Please, Please, Sell the Team.
The team can’t be sold until the MASN matter is settled.
It had to be done. This is why management gets the job in the first place. Management must take the hit no matter who is truly at fault. Ownership will not be held responsible by anyone that really counts. Change always hurts someone and can be a blessing ton another.
Thankfully the future is becoming clearer.
The intrigue has just begun.
Hello? Is Paul Molitor there?
He could be, Beeb.
Latest rumor Billy Ripken
That’s been out there for a while, Magic.
Bittersweet to say the least. Thank you Buck for all you’ve done in Birdland.
With that being said, I sure hope that we don’t look back in twenty years and use the Britton/Ubaldo disaster as the measuring stick of Buck’s time in Baltimore, a la Grady Little/Pedro Martinez.
Also, something that’s been on my mind recently is that we always hear about how much respect and admiration the clubhouse had for Buck. I’m beginning to wonder if it was kinda like how employees love the boss that lets people kinda do whatever they want without accountability or consequences. I see quite the parallel of how the same situation plays out in the real world...everything seems great until it all comes crashing down. Definitely not a model for long term success. Just a thought.
Anyway...just heard DD is out too...
I guess we can stop paying attention to managerial rumors until the GM position is addressed.
Goodbye Showalter....I think the next move should be Duquette..then add Bordick as
Manager...Make Anderson as General Manager....then add Palmer to oversee
Pitching....Ripken to be headcof minors...evaluate all coaches in total organization
For their ability to develop talent..bring back old O's who were winners.
Get rid of Davis...focus on Pitching and Defense. we
Liam and Caroline’s dad, Showalter’s legacy will be an overwhelmingly positive one.
Goodbye Showalter....I think the next move should be Duquette..then add Bordick as
Manager...Make Anderson as General Manager....then add Palmer to oversee
Pitching....Ripken to be headcof minors...evaluate all coaches in total organization
For their ability to develop talent..bring back old O's who were winners.
Get rid of Davis...focus on Pitching and Defense.
Jacobs, interesting scenario you’ve laid out.
Thanks Buck for the memories! Let’s get Dempsey in the dugout. Bordick as bench coach. B McDonald as pitching coach, and anyone that can teach some of these guys how to hit (better than .168) as hitting coach. Really gonna be sad to see Dickerson and Kirby leave. One last time for Buck.... “I liked our guys”!!
Buck leaves behind lots of fans.
I feel sick to my stomach. There is nobody out there who will be as good as Buck Showalter. I hope we dont hire someone like Bordick - no managerial experience.
Buck was the second best manager the Orioles have had behind Weaver.
This is the second time the Angelos family has gotten rid of a good manager. In 1997, they pushed Davey Johnson out the door. He was followed by the likes of Ray Miller, Mike Hargrove, the immortal Lee Mazzilli, Sam Perlozzo and Dave Trembley.
Oriole fans, we are back at square one.