Buck

[tntoriole]

Who has been pitching very well the last couple of weeks. 3 GS, 2 QS, 16.7 innings, 3.20, 5 BBs and 13 KOs.

They even mentioned about his pitching well during the pregame talk.

Yes, and somehow DD did not seem to find Kazmir who is pitching very well nor did he take a chance on Chien Wang who also has pitched very well. Instead he signed Jurrgens and Garcia both of whom have been terrible. It is those kind of fluky chances that lead to good seasons or fair seasons. Last year, DD lucked out with the finiding of Gonzales and Chen and Hammel, even, but this year, not so lucky.

[LA2]

The times I've seen him really get aggravated are when an entire umpiring crew screws up, a starting pitcher fails to give enough innings (forcing Buck to overextend the bullpen or go through gyrations with roster moves), or the press seems to be disrespectful toward his players. I think he's a great manager, although, of course, that doesn't mean he's perfect.

[Redskins Rick]

The times I've seen him really get aggravated are when an entire umpiring crew screws up, a starting pitcher fails to give enough innings (forcing Buck to overextend the bullpen or go through gyrations with roster moves), or the press seems to be disrespectful toward his players. I think he's a great manager, although, of course, that doesn't mean he's perfect.

I agree, great manager, but not perfect.

So who is the best manager in baseball this year????????

[Ripken]

I agree, great manager, but not perfect.

So who is the best manager in baseball this year????????

Pittsburgh (if they don't collapse again)

[Norfolk orioles]

Yeah, can't understand why the fans would put him up on a pedestal after he helped turn around a moribund franchise and led us to both a winning record and the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Can't understand that at all.

How many home runs did he hit last year?

We got extremely lucky to make the playoffs last year with Chris Davis picking up a win, winning 16 or so extra inning games in a row and 29-9 in extra inning games.

Buck deserves some credit for that, but we weren't anywhere near a playoff team until manny came up. He changed everything as did Davis's power surge at the end of last year.

And this year, buck has managed some pretty poor games and everyone acts like he's a Teflon Don. He's a career .500 manager with no playoff victories who acts like he's won 4 or 5 World Series and every move he makes is unquestionable.

I don't give him nearly as much credit for turning things around as some others do......I think our players are hitting their prime now, that's the main reason. Players that were here before showalter was.

[OFFNY]

Is it just me, or does Buck same way more agitated this season? Whether it's with pitching changes, umpires or with the media, I am noticing a shortness to his temper that didn't seem to be there last season, when it appeared that he was mostly just enjoying the ride.

I presume the heightened expectations will do that, and I also assume he is beyond frustrated with the pitching staff and especially the young starters who just can't seem to turn the corner.

Part of me also wonders is this is what happened to Buck at his other stops.

I'm not sure. Maybe you're right.

[Tx Oriole]

Sorry, and I know I'm in the absolute minority here but I flat out just don't care for Showalter. I don't see him as being smoother. I see him as gruff and not a very pleasant guy. He seems to enjoy intimidating the press/media if an in-game move is questioned and it irks me that the press/media prefers to fawn all over him rather than press him. I think the fan base has put him up on a pedestal and it has gotten to his head. I thought his antics during the game in which he was ejected the other day were embarrassing. He's no Weaver, Lou Piniella or Billy Martin. That's for sure.

Fire at will.

Thank God he is not like Martin or Lou P.

[Ohfan67]

How many home runs did he hit last year?

We got extremely lucky to make the playoffs last year with Chris Davis picking up a win, winning 16 or so extra inning games in a row and 29-9 in extra inning games.

Buck deserves some credit for that, but we weren't anywhere near a playoff team until manny came up. He changed everything as did Davis's power surge at the end of last year.

And this year, buck has managed some pretty poor games and everyone acts like he's a Teflon Don. He's a career .500 manager with no playoff victories who acts like he's won 4 or 5 World Series and every move he makes is unquestionable.

I don't give him nearly as much credit for turning things around as some others do......I think our players are hitting their prime now, that's the main reason. Players that were here before showalter was.

I see. Everything good that happens is despite Buck and everything bad that happens is because of Buck. Don't you think that view of events might be a just a little biased?

[crowmst3k!]

You may be right, but I don't think it is going to be near as much fun as last year.

Last year is impossible to replicate in terms of fun. Best season I've ever experienced. Carry on, sorry for the thread hijacking

Sent from my SPH-M950 using Tapatalk 2

[Catch 8]

Look at the way we are playing this year vs. last year. Last year, how many times did the Orioles lose a game that they "had" won? I recall one of the top of my head. There were probably 2-3 all season. This year, we have thrown away like 8-10 such games... by JUNE.

We are a better team this year, but we played better last year - if that makes any sense.

[weams]

Look at the way we are playing this year vs. last year. Last year, how many times did the Orioles lose a game that they "had" won? I recall one of the top of my head. There were probably 2-3 all season. This year, we have thrown away like 8-10 such games... by JUNE.

We are a better team this year, but we played better last year - if that makes any sense.

Actually. We have played better this year. Better record.

[Norfolk orioles]

I see. Everything good that happens is despite Buck and everything bad that happens is because of Buck. Don't you think that view of events might be a just a little biased?

I think your interpretation of my view is absurd. Buck does plenty of good things.

Starting flaherty in motion multiple times with Mclouth at the plate lead to some scores, that was a great managerial decision.

I also think he pulled gonzo at exactly the right time.

I give buck credit when credit is due, he had a very good game tonight. But I also criticize him when he deserves it. I thought bringing in Johnson for a third night was a really bad decision before he'd ever thrown a pitch.

I call it like I see it. I still like buck overall as a manager, I think his strong suit is motivating his players and getting the most out of his guys. I think he stands up for his team and they really respect him for it and I do too.

I just don't think he's fantastic at bullpen management and knowing when to get starters and when to leave them in. It's just my opinion. It doesn't mean I dislike him or want anyone else managing our team.

Fair enough?

[SilentJames]

I think he has been agitated a lot recently because the orioles have been on the short end of some shaky umping the last couple of series.

It happens, it will all even out. That said last night's ump was all over the zone, blown call at first, the way Machado was just rung up. Angel Hernandez in Toronto.

Nothing really else to it than that.

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[El Gordo]

I don't usually bother with the pressers on MASN, same ol' same ol'. But I checked out tonight's to see what he said about Manny. It was a bit of a shock. This wasn't the same Buck I remember from last seasons pressers. He seemed genuinely pissed and preoccupied about something, and clearly did not have time for these people. That's understandable to some extent, for the most part the press are silly buggers, but it's part of the job and he used to make a much better effort than he did tonight. And this was a nice win. Seemed like something big was up. Like he is not getting his way on something important.

[InsideCoroner]

I don't usually bother with the pressers on MASN, same ol' same ol'. But I checked out tonight's to see what he said about Manny. It was a bit of a shock. This wasn't the same Buck I remember from last seasons pressers. He seemed genuinely pissed and preoccupied about something, and clearly did not have time for these people. That's understandable to some extent, for the most part the press are silly buggers, but it's part of the job and he used to make a much better effort than he did tonight. And this was a nice win. Seemed like something big was up. Like he is not getting his way on something important.

Any speculation? Maybe DD informing him not to expect any major help coming to aid the already beleaguered pitching staff?

There were definitely a few things to frustrate him along the way... forgetting that Machado let his emotions get the better of him (and aside from Little's botched call at first the night before, I don't know why... it was a clean strikeout), you had Jones voluntarily giving up a runner at second by assuming he was out, and to me the worst was Ishikawa watching a 2-2 pitch, down by a run with runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out, and getting rung up with the bat on his shoulders. Things like that probably take a week off Buck's life.