Jonah Keri on the success of the Orioles in the Duquette/Showalter era

[OFFNY]

Maddon led the Rays to the World Series in 2008.

You're not making much sense in this thread. You've acknowledged that Buck has had a significant impact on making the Orioles a winning team, yet you're casting him as the reason the O's haven't gotten to a World Series. How do those two connect? So Buck is a great regular season manager and then, what, just forgets how to manage in the playoffs?

I agree.

Also, in regard to Maddon's AL Pennant that Rays won in 2008 ......

I remember that series very well. The Rays were winning 3 games to 1, and were crushing the Red Sox in Game 5 by a score of 7-0 heading into the bottom of the 7th inning. The Red Sox exploded for 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning, 2 more runs in the bottom of the 8th, and won it on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 9th.

So instead of wrapping up the series easily, Maddon's Rays blew a 7-run, 7th inning lead, which allowed the series to continue for a Game Six, back in Florida.

The Red Sox then won Game Six by a score of 4-2, forcing a winner-take-all Game Seven.

In Game Seven, Red Sox jumped out to an early lead, but the Rays came back and took the game by a score of 3-1 ...... barely holding off the Red Sox, and just averting what would have been looked back upon as an historical all-time choke if they had lost.

I don't necessarily blame Madden for his team nearly blowing a series that his team could have and should have easily won, but I also don't necessarily give him lots of credit for navigating his team to an AL Pennant through great management on his part. It was a short, 7-game series, and the Rays (to their credit) were able to find a way to win it in the end ...... but I would hardly use that series and that AL championship as a major dividing factor when comparing Showalter to Maddon in terms of who is and who isn't a "championship-caliber" manager.

[LA2]

Earl Weaver.

Eddie Murray.

[Frobby]

I can't speak about what Buck did in NY, Arizona or Texas. But I've watched him for about 900 games as our manager, and I think he's pretty spectacular. To fault him for our postseason losses is sorely mistaken IMO.

[Reboulet'sStache]

Buck is fine. Not the best when it comes to in-game adjustments, but I don't think the O's or any team that should have been a WS team, failed to get there because of that. He's good enough to where a legit WS contender can get to the WS with him, he's not going to prevent that.

[Phantom]

Maddon led the Rays to the World Series in 2008.

Well then I withdraw my questioning of your clearly well reasoned, large sample size scientifically minded thinking.

[Redskins Rick]

I can't speak about what Buck did in NY, Arizona or Texas. But I've watched him for about 900 games as our manager, and I think he's pretty spectacular. To fault him for our postseason losses is sorely mistaken IMO.

Nice post, and I agree, he has done a spectacular job here in B-more.