The 2015 Buck Showalter Is a Genius Thread

[Can_of_corn]

But, he with with his gut, not going to fault him on it.

Valbuena was coming up with a man on first and had already taken a ride out of the park earlier off Ubaldo. With Bach already up and warming since the inning started, Buck was clearly playing to win and turn the game over to his steady reliable bullpen.

I wasn't faulting him.

Just saying, if it were me, I would either pull the starter at the beginning of the inning or give him more then one batter worth of rope.

[Redskins Rick]

and I think this is what really stands out. He sticks with a guy that has been getting hammered all year and was struggling all game, and he has a quick hook with his best pitcher who had dominating stuff.

I think Buck is in a slump and needs to get back in touch with the percentages. Brad Brach is a journeyman reliever making near the ML minimum, Ubaldo is the ace of his staff making 12 million a year. I could see that move in the 8th @ 110 pitches, but in the 7th at 91 pitches. It was a bad call, and I threw my remote at the TV when I saw him walk out of the dugout, so it wasn't hindsight; and I would have called it a bad move even if Brach got the next 3 outs on 2 pitches.

WC,

You are borderline trollish with remarks that like.

Journeyman, are not 10-2 for the past two seasons for the Orioles.

[Redskins Rick]

I wasn't faulting him.

Just saying, if it were me, I would either pull the starter at the beginning of the inning or give him more then one batter worth of rope.

Roger that, he had Bach up and throwing, it was clear to some of us, that he was going to hook him the first sign of trouble.

[PaulFolk]

Even after the loss last night, he is 10-2 over the past two seasons.

Brad Brach is a journeyman reliever making near the ML minimum, Ubaldo is the ace of his staff making 12 million a year.

I'm not sure which of these arguments is worse -- saying a relief pitcher is good because of his win/loss percentage, or saying he's bad because of his salary.

Personally, I would've let Ubaldo stay in a bit longer. He had just cruised through a 12-pitch sixth inning with two strikeouts, and the 7-8-9 hitters were coming up after Carter's single. I think Buck was just spooked about letting Ubaldo face Valbuena, who had homered off him earlier. And Brach has been pitching very well the last few weeks.

I'd be interested to know how long Brach was warming up before he came in. When they showed a shot of him in the bullpen, it kind of looked like he was rushing to warm up.

[Redskins Rick]

I'm not sure which of these arguments is worse -- saying a relief pitcher is good because of his win/loss percentage, or saying he's bad because of his salary.

Personally, I would've let Ubaldo stay in a bit longer. He had just cruised through a 12-pitch sixth inning with two strikeouts, and the 7-8-9 hitters were coming up after Carter's single. I think Buck was just spooked about letting Ubaldo face Valbuena, who had homered off him earlier. And Brach has been pitching very well the last few weeks.

I'd be interested to know how long Brach was warming up before he came in. When they showed a shot of him in the bullpen, it kind of looked like he was rushing to warm up.

Buck said Bach was warming up at the start of the inning and wasn't rush, who knows. Whatever reason, he was off his game last night.

I am not going to argue W-L with you about Bach, but dangit, the guy has been pretty much lights out for the team, the past couple of seasons. Would you not agree with.

I agree with you, I said the same thing earlier. Valbuena was coming up with a man on base, and Buck had the early hook, playing for the win.

[Dipper9]

and I think this is what really stands out. He sticks with a guy that has been getting hammered all year and was struggling all game, and he has a quick hook with his best pitcher who had dominating stuff.

I think Buck is in a slump and needs to get back in touch with the percentages. Brad Brach is a journeyman reliever making near the ML minimum, Ubaldo is the ace of his staff making 12 million a year. I could see that move in the 8th @ 110 pitches, but in the 7th at 91 pitches. It was a bad call, and I threw my remote at the TV when I saw him walk out of the dugout, so it wasn't hindsight; and I would have called it a bad move even if Brach got the next 3 outs on 2 pitches.

I agree with you that it was a bad call and a quick hook to remove Ubaldo after that single, but if you truly threw your remote at the TV because he was yanked, before anything bad even happened, wow dude. Just wow.

Try this next time...

[Redskins Rick]

Showalter is one win away from tying Frank Selee (1,284) for 34th place on the all-time list. Charlie Grimm (1,287) is 33rd and Cap Anson (1,295) is 32nd.

Roch posted that tidbit today. He is moving on up the list.

[Dipper9]

I was at work yesterday and only saw the quick MLB.com gamecast highlight of Buck getting tossed. From that highlight it appeared he just wanted to get tossed. I can't blame him, I wouldn't want to watch some of this either.

Can anyone who actually watched the game or heard any commentary afterward shed light on exactly what happened? I mean, Chen had 9 K's, so the strike zone was obviously going both ways.

[Redskins Rick]

I was at work yesterday and only saw the quick MLB.com gamecast highlight of Buck getting tossed. From that highlight it appeared he just wanted to get tossed. I can't blame him, I wouldn't want to watch some of this either.

Can anyone who actually watched the game or heard any commentary afterward shed light on exactly what happened? I mean, Chen had 9 K's, so the strike zone was obviously going both ways.

Buck came out of the dugout, he hands was several feet apart.

He had issues with how wide the strike zone was.

[bobmc]

So no mention of being ejected yesterday?

http://www.masnsports.com/media.php?show_id=2502911&p=

[bobmc]

Buck on ZB's usage:

"Britton threw 28 pitches to record five outs and notch his 16th save. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 10 appearances.

"They've all been under very similar circumstances," Showalter said of the five-out saves. "This would have been his fourth day without pitching. He would have thrown 14 pitches in four days. You won't see that all the time, but he was equipped to do it today. That's one reason why we did the sixth and seventh inning the way we did it. We got enough outs to set up the right situation for him."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/06/updating-gonzalez-and-wrapping-up-a-1-0-win.html

[bobmc]

More Buck's musings on the roster - but was Parmelee's call-up a stroke of genius or luck?

"I got it," Showalter said. "I look at it some. I don't say those things will just work themselves out. We've got quality here and we're trying to hold the pieces. We like Chris and we want to see what he can do, because I know where they're going to end up. You might be seeing them in another dugout. There are ways, there are ways. And you've seen we'll explore all the ways to make the pieces fit.

"Players realize it's kind of what we do and we've gotten a good return for it. It's what's best for the team. I understand the math of some things, but you can drive yourself crazy if you're always looking at that. Dan (Duquette) is on top of it."

The Orioles may need to explore a trade with so many players out of minor league options.

"There's a lot of time," Showalter said. "So you're saying a lot of these things will come up before the trade deadline? It'll make for...you guys sorting it out."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2015/06/more-on-chen-and-thoughts-on-schoop-rejoining-roster.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[OFFNY]

o

Showalter's IQ is out of this world when the Orioles are winning.

His bullpen usage looks great when the bullpen comes through.

Wei-Yin Chen throws 8 scoreless innings.

David Lough replaces the injured Adam Jones in centerfield, and the team promptly scores 19 runs and 6 runs, respectively.

Ryan Flaherty picks up teammate Manny Machado being unable to handle a groundball on the previous play by making a very athletic double play to end the game.

Pure genius.

[UpstateNYfan]

You are never quite as good as you are when you are winning and never quite as bad as you look when you are losing (Phillies may be an exception). DD has to be a part of that discussion of genius. He gets guys on the roster that come up big for stretches of time and Buck knows how to use them properly.

[OFFNY]

o

Steve Pearce at 2B for the first time ever in his professional career.

Nolan Reimold in CF for the first time since 2006, when he played there for 30 games for Advanced-A Frederick.

Showalter isn't afraid to take chances and/or manage outside of the box, that's for sure.