Is Orioles Manager Buck Showalter Too Loyal To His Players?

[PressBoxOnline]

Buck Showalter was asked Aug. 22 if he, perhaps, is too loyal to some of his players, and the Orioles' manager seemed put off by the question.

 

"I think you have to have a long memory here, but you also have to have a short memory sometimes," Showalter said. "I'll probably stand accused of that because I know a lot of things that other people don't know about players."

 

https://www.pressboxonline.com/2017/08/23/is-orioles-manager-buck-showalter-too-loyal-to-his-players

[Aglets]

Yes, in my opinion.

But I totally understand why he is that way.

[panick]

Of course he is. And he has an incomprehensible love for Rule 5 picks.

So his defense is that he knows things other people don't know. Well of course he does. But what other people know are results. That should be what is most important to Showalter. But I guess has summoned his inner John Calipari and decided that what he really cares about is the players, not the results for the team.

His answer shows me two things about him. One is that he won't admit his mistakes(like not using Britton in the playoff game last year). The other is that he is not the right manager for the O's once they begin to bring up some of the players from the minors who could be part of the future core of the team. I can just see it now. In 2019(at the latest), when Mullins and Hays may have proven they are ready to be starters for the O's, Showalter will be keeping them on the bench because he knows what other people don't - that Rickard, Santander and an aging, re-signed Jones are the best outfield for the O's.

[ORIOLE33]

Yes.

[Pheasants]

Notice at the end of the article, it said Tillman will likely get another start.  How loyal can one get.  

I also find that Buck is not willing enough to try new things.  He went to 6 pitchers during a period in which everyone threw well and the team ERA fell about .40.  He went back to five without Tillman and every other game became horrible again.  Why not stick with what worked and try a different sixth pitcher.  Castro went 6 good innings in relief of Tillman and never got a look as a starter.

[Tx Oriole]

25 minutes ago, panick said:

Of course he is. And he has an incomprehensible love for Rule 5 picks.

So his defense is that he knows things other people don't know. Well of course he does. But what other people know are results. That should be what is most important to Showalter. But I guess has summoned his inner John Calipari and decided that what he really cares about is the players, not the results for the team.

His answer shows me two things about him. One is that he won't admit his mistakes(like not using Britton in the playoff game last year). The other is that he is not the right manager for the O's once they begin to bring up some of the players from the minors who could be part of the future core of the team. I can just see it now. In 2019(at the latest), when Mullins and Hays may have proven they are ready to be starters for the O's, Showalter will be keeping them on the bench because he knows what other people don't - that Rickard, Santander and an aging, re-signed Jones are the best outfield for the O's.

I think Buck won't be in Baltimore after 2018. 

[hoosiers]

Yes, Buck is too loyal to his players and this was an issue at his last stop as well, I believe.

We should not have signed Hardy, CDavis and some others.  I don't know if DD wanted to extend them or if Buck said he could win with them.  It's not easy to say, 'thanks for your efforts in helping us win, but we are going in another direction at your position' but it needs to be done.  We did it with Markakis, but apparently not with Hardy or Davis.

[Cumberbundy]

1 hour ago, Pheasants said:

Notice at the end of the article, it said Tillman will likely get another start.  How loyal can one get.  

I also find that Buck is not willing enough to try new things.  He went to 6 pitchers during a period in which everyone threw well and the team ERA fell about .40.  He went back to five without Tillman and every other game became horrible again.  Why not stick with what worked and try a different sixth pitcher.  Castro went 6 good innings in relief of Tillman and never got a look as a starter.

The more Tillman starts the less likely we are to make another deal for a bad starter. Buck is saving us. 87 dimensional chess.

 

[El Gordo]

What have you done for me lately, off with their heads if they aren't producing, is the cry of the fan. If a manager were as disloyal to his individual  players as the fans are, he would soon lose the clubhouse, and his job. There are things that don't directly result in production but are important to keeping the team on the same page. And those are things we don't know about. I don't think he is loyal so much as patient. People where screaming about CD batting 4th, and after a while he hit him 7th. Just not soon enough for some. Probably too soon for Davis.

[Pheasants]

Why hasn't Santander played since his first two days on the roster? Has Buck already made up his mind that he's not one of his guys?

[Frobby]

23 hours ago, El Gordo said:

What have you done for me lately, off with their heads if they aren't producing, is the cry of the fan. If a manager were as disloyal to his individual  players as the fans are, he would soon lose the clubhouse, and his job. There are things that don't directly result in production but are important to keeping the team on the same page. And those are things we don't know about. I don't think he is loyal so much as patient. People where screaming about CD batting 4th, and after a while he hit him 7th. Just not soon enough for some. Probably too soon for Davis.

There is a lot of truth to this.    That said, I do think Buck has stuck with guys too long at times.   

[El Gordo]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

There is a lot of truth to this.    That said, I do think Buck has stuck with guys too long at times.   

Buck says: