Why did Buck give that game away?

[Hank Scorpio]

Did he get Britton up in the bottom of the 9th or or later in a tie game non-save situation ONCE since he became closer this year?

Not saying he should, but the fact is Buck manages to the Save Rule and he would never bring his closer in on the road in a tie game, unless maybe it was the 16th and he had used everyone else in the pen.

And he had already used every other lefty in the pen.

So he would have had a righty pitching to McCann if he walked Jeter.

It was probably still the right baseball move to walk Jeter. But can you imagine the booing that would have occurred if he had done that?

I would have turned my TV volume all the way up and probably videoed the IBB with my phone, cementing it in my head for all of eternity.

I then would've gone online and purchased a Showalter jersey.

[MDK02]

Hmmm. This didn't bother me. I'm not too worried about the number 1 seed, we're most likely not getting out of the first round, and if we do, the Angels are probably not getting out of the first round, themselves. They have real pitching problems with all the injuries right now. Real problems.

Nice outlook...

[Moshagge3]

Its not like Evan Meek will ever be a part of a greater moment than this either. Kind of like Shawn Boskie. Ahhh...what the hell, right?!

Except that Cal Ripken owning the Angels that series actually kept them out of the playoffs. They collapsed and lost a one-game tiebreaker to Seattle.

[Lester Freamon]

Seriously though, that was horse blank managing by someone who I thought better of.

Funny, I feel differently. I actually have even more respect for Buck for the way he handled it.

[kelsey59]

20 years from now you will see this clip on a Budweiser commercial. There is no such thing as a 24-hour news cycle for picture-perfect moments in sports.

No, you will see Clydesdale horses. Do you see Ripken's last game in commercials? Animals always trump people.

I think people should be more worried about our Defense tonight.

[Why Not?]

Yeah, Buck would have been the story. He would have cemented himself as one of the greatest Orioles managers ever because he did something miraculous in a situation like that: instead of cowing to the ESPN masses, he would've tried to give his own ----ing team its best chance to win the game.

Instead, he simply added just a little bit more to Jeter's already profound mystique. Congratulations, Jeter had himself another moment. Never mind the WS rings and the constant competitiveness. He simply could not be forsaken that one G-ddamned AB.

It's not about ESPN, it's about perspective and seeing farther down the road than tonight's game.

Your first paragraph is simply untrue. Buck would be roundly criticized for being a petty jerk, and that assessment would be correct.

There was zero chance any manager would walk Jeter there. Or any other great player in a similar situation.

[Palmoripken]

Nobody cares who he hit it off of, there's 12 people who know who Evan Meek and Zach Britton are, 6 of them are on this forum and the other 6 are those guys and their parents.

Bottom line is I hate the entire Yankee majestic dynastic complex garbage, whatever, call me irrationally emotional, I can judge my players using spreadsheets but I also watch the games and this annoys the crap out of me.

You think I don't hate that too man? My point is that this isn't some amazing moment. Jeter was facing a guy who was a September call up and not the O's best. I am not objecting at all to being upset about it. I am objecting to it being made out to be Jeter the heroic moment because you couldn't have asked for a more textbook ending (sans Jeter doing this to win the pennant or division). I hate the smug Yankee attitude and how they're "classy.".

[malkusm]

In a game that will not effect the standings, NOT A SINGLE MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER would walk Jeter in his last home at-bat. NOT ONE. It is fantasy to think otherwise.

Maybe someone who knows can answer - Would Weaver have walked him?

[Malike]

Nice outlook...

Yes, I find that realism works best for me. I do understand that it doesn't work for everyone.

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

[Dannyboy]

Seriously though, that was horse blank managing by someone who I thought better of.

You really need to get over yourself.

[Three Run Homer]

I can't blame Buck for not walking Jeter. It was probably the correct strategy in that situation, but Buck is a human being, not a robot.

But I do blame Buck for letting Meek pitch in that situation. Tommy Hunter threw seven pitches last night. Andrew Miller didn't pitch last night. There were other options that wouldn't have jeopardized anyone's health.

The Orioles were trying their hardest to win that game. Adam Jones and Steve Pearce had heroic at bats. They were fighting like hell to win. And Buck puts in Evan Meek?

[Trace21230]

I just think can't we wait to see if Buck was staying away from particular relievers from the get go tonight for non Jeter reasons?

Yeah, they needed rest for our playoff game NEXT THURSDAY.

I'm not rolling my eyes at you. I'm rolling my eyes at the debacle I watched tonight. Totally deflating. Hopefully this passes before the ALDS starts. Nothing burns me more than throwing away games, and to throw away a game purposefully against JETER and the YANKEES burns me 100x more.

Does anyone on earth think Girardi would have managed it like Showalter if the roles were reversed?

[CA-ORIOLE]

Not only would walking Jeter have been a horrible tactical decision, it would have assured the Orioles a place in baseball infamy.

[Hank Scorpio]

Funny, I feel differently. I actually have even more respect for Buck for the way he handled it.

I don't like Derek Jeter nor do I ever take any joy in seeing Yankee fans celebrate.

To each their own I guess.

[MrOrange82]

It's not about ESPN, it's about perspective and seeing farther down the road than tonight's game.

Your first paragraph is simply untrue. Buck would be roundly criticized for being a petty jerk, and that assessment would be correct.

There was zero chance any manager would walk Jeter there. Or any other great player in a similar situation.

(1) that's absurd. Especially the bolded.

(2) who cares? Buck shouldn't.