Buck Showalter

William Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III (born May 23, 1956) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) manager. He has served as manager of the New York Yankees (1992–1995), Arizona Diamondbacks (1998–2000), Texas Rangers (2003–2006), and Baltimore Orioles (2010–2018). He also is a former professional Minor League Baseball player and television analyst formerly for ESPN and currently for the YES network for Yankees telecasts. A three-time American League (AL) Manager of the Year, Showalter has earned a reputation for building baseball teams into postseason contenders in short periods of time.[1] He helped the Yankees rise from the bottom half of the AL East to first place before a players' strike prematurely ended the 1994 campaign.[2] Under his watch, the Diamondbacks made their first-ever playoff appearance in only the second year of the team's existence.[3] He left both franchises just prior to seasons when they won the World Series.[1]

Buck Showalter
Showalter at the 2015 Winter Meetings
Manager
Born: (1956-05-23) May 23, 1956
DeFuniak Springs, Florida
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB statistics
Managerial record1,551–1,517
Winning %.506
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Early life

Showalter, who was born in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, on May 23, 1956,[4] grew up in nearby Century.[5] His father, William Nathaniel II, served 23 years as a teacher and principal at Century High School, from which the younger Showalter eventually graduated. Before becoming a teacher, his father had been a Little All-American fullback in 1940 at Milligan College, and had considered a career in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but chose to become a high school coach instead.[6]

Baseball career

Playing career

Showalter with the Nashville Sounds in 1980

Showalter was known as "Nat", and had not acquired the nickname "Buck", prior to turning professional. Nate Showalter played baseball at Chipola Junior College (now Chipola College) in Marianna, Florida, in 1976. From there he transferred to Mississippi State University.

In 1976, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) for the Hyannis Mets, where he won the league batting title with a .434 batting average, and was named league MVP. In 2002, he would be inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame.[7]

He was an All-American and set the Mississippi State record for batting average in a season by hitting .459 during the 1977 season.[8] He was selected by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the draft, and spent seven seasons in the Yankees' minor league system where he had a career average of .294 with 17 home runs and 336 RBIs. He never made it to play in the major leagues.

Minor leagues

Showalter was hired as manager of the Single-A minor-league Oneonta Yankees of the New York–Penn League in 1985, leading them to 114 victories in two seasons. In August 2017, he was named as an inductee in the New York–Penn League Hall of Fame.[9]

In 1987, he became manager of the minor league Fort Lauderdale Yankees, leading the league with an 85–53 record in his first season. By 1989, Showalter was with the Double-A Albany-Colonie Yankees of the Eastern League, where he was named Minor League Manager of the Year by Baseball America.[10]

New York Yankees

In 1990, Showalter was promoted to the coaching staff of the New York Yankees, and eventually succeeded Stump Merrill as the team's manager for the 1992 season. During his four years as the Yankees' manager, the team posted a record of 313–268, finishing first during the strike-shortened season, thereby being named by the Associated Press as the American League Manager of the Year and became the 1995 American League manager for the All-Star Game. The Yankees won the AL wild card in 1995, participating in the playoffs for the first time since 1981. However, they lost to the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Following the season, owner George Steinbrenner offered Showalter a new, two-year contract—but demanded that Showalter fire his hitting coach, Rick Down. Showalter was unwilling to do this and resigned.[11] Showalter's ousting was due in part to the playoff loss and other fallout from the strike.[12][13] It was the second time that the Yankees had forced out their manager in the aftermath of a strike; the Yankees fired Gene Michael after of the 1981 strike.[14][15][16] Showalter finished with a regular-season record of 313 wins and 268 losses and a playoff record of two wins and three losses.[17]

The Yankees won the World Series the following year and they would win the World Series in 4 of the next 5 years. However, Showalter could not watch the Yankees win the World Series, saying that "I feel badly for the fans" in New York for what they lost during the 1994 strike.[18]

During this time period Showalter appeared as himself along with Danny Tartabull in the 1994 Seinfeld television episode "The Chaperone".

Arizona Diamondbacks

In 1996, Showalter was hired by the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks two years before the team was scheduled to begin play in order to take a more active role in developing the eventual roster. In the Diamondbacks' first season (1998), Showalter managed the team to a 65–97 record, but following numerous off-season player acquisitions, which included Randy Johnson, Armando Reynoso, Todd Stottlemyre and Steve Finley, Showalter managed the 1999 team to a 100–62 record and the National League West title, making them one of the fastest expansion teams to win a division title. They lost in the NLDS to the New York Mets. After regressing to an 85–77 record in 2000; however, the Diamondbacks fired Showalter, leaving him with a 3-year record of 250–236.[17] Just as the Yankees did after replacing him, the Diamondbacks won the World Series the following year.

Texas Rangers

After a few years as an analyst on ESPN, Buck Showalter was hired as manager of the Texas Rangers on October 11, 2002, following a last-place season under manager Jerry Narron. In his first season with the Rangers, Showalter managed the team to a 71–91 record—again in last place; but following the high-profile, off-season trade which sent Alex Rodriguez to the Yankees, Showalter's Rangers jumped out to an early-season record of 17–9 by early May of the 2004 season. The Rangers stayed in playoff contention for most of the season, performing far better than most had predicted. The Rangers failed to make the playoffs, finishing third in the AL West, though Showalter was again named Manager of the Year. In Showalter's 4 years with the Rangers the team failed to finish better than third (of four teams) in the AL West. He was fired as manager on October 4, 2006. He finished his Rangers career with a 319–329 record.[17]

Baltimore Orioles

Showalter was hired as a senior advisor to baseball operations for the Cleveland Indians on December 1, 2006,[19] and then returned to ESPN as an analyst, before being appointed to succeed Juan Samuel as manager of the Baltimore Orioles on July 29, 2010.[20] He chose to wear uniform number 26 as a tribute to Johnny Oates.[21] Signed to a contract through the 2013 campaign, he inherited a ballclub with the worst record in the majors at 32–73.[22] In his debut as manager on August 3, the Orioles recorded a 6–3 win over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Oriole Park, leading to a three-game sweep.[23][24] The team's first-ever season series sweep of the Angels was completed by the end of the month.[25] The 2010 Orioles won 34 of 57 games played under Showalter, second only to the Phillies during the same stretch.[1] Showalter became the first manager in MLB history to take over a team in August and coach them to more wins for the remainder of a season, than the team previously had before hiring him.

He managed the 1,000th victory of his major-league career in a 71 triumph at Yankee Stadium on May 1, 2012.[26] Showalter finished the 2012 season with a .574 winning percentage, winning 93 games, and ending a streak of losing seasons for the Orioles at 14.

Under Showalter, the Orioles reached the postseason for the first time since 1997, defeating the Texas Rangers in a one-game playoff on October 5, 2012. The Orioles were later defeated by the New York Yankees in the 2012 American League Division Series, 3 games to 2. Showalter was named the AL Manager of the Year by The Sporting News.[27] He was re-signed through 2018 with the Orioles.[28]

After finishing out of play-off contention in the 2013 season, Showalter led the 2014 Orioles to the AL East title—the franchise's first in 17 years. The Orioles subsequently swept the Detroit Tigers (3-0) in the ALDS for Showalter's first major league ALDS title, before being swept themselves (4-0) by the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS.

On November 11, 2014, Showalter won his third AL Manager of the Year award, his first since 2004.[29]

The Orioles finished the 2015 season with an 81–81 record, giving them their fourth consecutive non-losing season. And in 2016, the Orioles finished tied for second in the American League East with an 89–73 record. They made the postseason for the third time in five years, but lost 5–2 in 11 innings to the Toronto Blue Jays during the AL Wild Card game.

On October 3, 2018, days after the Orioles finished with a franchise-worst 115 losses, Showalter's and General Manager Dan Duquette's contracts ran out and they were not extended.

Managerial record

As of 2018 season[30]
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GamesWonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
NYY1992 1627686.4694th in AL East
NYY1993 1628874.5432nd in AL East
NYY1994 1137043.6191st in AL East
NYY1995 1457965.5492nd in AL East (resigned)23.400Lost in ALDS
NYY Total582313268.53923.400
ARI1998 1626597.4015th in NL West
ARI1999 16210062.6171st in NL West13.250Lost in NLDS
ARI2000 1628577.5253rd in NL West (fired)
ARI Total486250236.51413.250
TEX2003 1627191.4384th in AL West
TEX2004 1628973.5493rd in AL West
TEX2005 1627983.4883rd in AL West
TEX2006 1628082.4943rd in AL West (fired)
TEX Total648319329.49200-
BAL2010 573423.5965th in AL East (hired in July)
BAL2011 1626993.4265th in AL East
BAL2012 1629369.5742nd in AL East33.500Lost in ALDS
BAL2013 1628577.5253rd in AL East
BAL2014 1629666.5931st in AL East34.429Lost in ALCS
BAL2015 1628181.5003rd in AL East
BAL2016 1628973.5492nd in AL East01.000Lost in AL Wild Card Game
BAL2017 1627587.4635th in AL East
BAL2018 16247115.2905th in AL East
BAL Total1353669684.49468.429
Total306915511517.506914.391

Personal life

Showalter lives in Dallas, Texas during the off-season.

See also

References

  1. Solotaroff, Paul (April 2011). "Is This Man Too Smart for Baseball?". Men's Journal. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012.
  2. "New York Yankees Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  3. "Arizona Diamondbacks Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  4. Wheeler, Kate (July 29, 2010). "Getting to know Buck Showalter". Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.
  5. "Former Century Resident, Current ESPN Analyst Buck Showalter To Speak". NorthEscambia.com. March 4, 2010.
  6. Milligan Stampede (student newspaper) 1940–49. The interview by David Driver is mistaken on this point.
  7. "Twelve Legends to be inducted into CCBL Hall of Fame". capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  8. http://www.hailstate.com/fls/16800/pdf/bb/bb_08mg_records.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=16800 Mississippi State University Baseball Team and Individual Records
  9. "NYPL announces 2017 Hall of Fame inductees". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
  10. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Minor_League_Manager_of_the_Year
  11. Appel, Marty (2014). Pinstripe Empire. New York City: Bloomsbury USA. ISBN 9781608194926.
  12. Johnson, Richard A.; Stout, Glenn; Johnson, Dick (2002). Yankees Century: 100 Years of New York Yankees Baseball. Houghton Mifflin. p. 389. ISBN 0-618-08527-0.
  13. Amore, Dom (May 15, 2005). "Imagine: Buck's Yankees, but Not Jeter's". The Hartford Courant. p. E8.
  14. Curry, Jack (August 7, 1994). "BASEBALL; Flashback to '81: Another Lead, Another Strike". The New York Times. p. A1.
  15. O'Connell, Jack (September 9, 1994). "Behind Two Strikes? Yankees' Shot at First Series Since '81 in Jeopardy". Hartford Courant. p. C1. 'The strike cost me my job,' said Gene Michael, the Yankees' current general manager who was fired as their manager Sept. 6, 1981 and replaced by Bob Lemon. 'There's no doubt in my mind we would have won the division outright if it had not been for the strike. Once they split the season and designated us winners of the first half, we did not play the same.'
  16. Gross, Jane (September 7, 1981). "Steinbrenner Dismisses Michael, Names Lemon as Yank Manager". The New York Times. p. A1.
  17. "Buck Showalter". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
  18. "Puckett receives Clemente award". USA Today. October 24, 1996. p. 5C.
  19. "Tribe hire Showalter as senior adviser". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 1, 2006. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  20. "Orioles name Buck Showalter Manager". Baltimore Orioles. MLB.com. July 29, 2010.
  21. Zrebiec, Jeff (August 6, 2010). "To Showalter, No. 26 is more than a number". The Baltimore Sun.
  22. Connolly, Dan (August 2, 2010). "Orioles introduce Buck Showalter as manager". The Baltimore Sun.
  23. Karpovich, Todd (August 3, 2010). "Buck's era of accountability begins with win". MLB.com.
  24. Ghiroli, Brittany (August 5, 2010). "Great Cesar's ghost: O's walk off for sweep". MLB.com.
  25. Drellich, Evan (August 29, 2010). "Guthrie shuts down Halos to seal sweep". MLB.com.
  26. Ghiroli, Brittany (May 1, 2012). "O's click behind Matusz in Buck's 1,000th win". MLB.com.
  27. Bahr, Chris (October 24, 2012). "Sporting News MLB awards: Buck Showalter, Davey Johnson voted top managers". SportingNews.com.
  28. "Orioles' Buck Showalter, Dan Duquette sign extensions". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  29. ESPN.com News Services (November 11, 2014). "Buck Showalter is AL's top manager". ESPN.com. ESPN. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  30. https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/showabu99.shtml

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Bill Livesey
Oneonta Yankees Manager
1985–1986
Succeeded by
Gary Allenson
Preceded by
Bucky Dent
Fort Lauderdale Yankees Manager
1987–1988
Succeeded by
Clete Boyer
Preceded by
Stump Merrill
Albany-Colonie Yankees Manager
1989
Succeeded by
Rick Down
Preceded by
Joe Sparks
New York Yankees Third Base Coach
1990–1991
Succeeded by
Clete Boyer
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