Despite facing challenges with rainstorms and occasional hiccups on the field, the Orioles have displayed some late-game brilliance early in the 2024 season.
As excited as fans are to see what the Orioles will do next, this week has revealed some deficiencies. If there is anyone who knows the right time to evaluate a player’s performance to spot the difference between a temporary slump and a more profound issue, it is MLB Network analyst and former Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter.
“That’s why we love to have those players that have a track record. If they’re healthy and they are in a quality state of mind mentally, you know sooner or later you’re going to revert to your track record,” Showalter said on Glenn Clark Radio April 3. “But also, there are some times you just don’t get it going. There is no more exposure of strengths and weaknesses than a Major League Baseball season. You’re going to seek your level sooner or later, but it is painful going through some periods.”
Showalter, the manager with the second most wins in team history after Earl Weaver, won 669 regular-season games from 2010-2018 and was instrumental in helping develop young players at the major league level.
Supporting experienced players on the team and keeping an eye on the influx of promising young talent requires a careful balance. Showalter knows that with standouts like Jackson Holliday and other prospects performing well for Norfolk, the veterans are forced to secure their spots.
“Isn’t competition a great thing? And especially when it’s competing from within,” Showalter said. “The thing that everyone is looking for is young, controllable, not high salary, quality major league players. The biggest jump in sports is from the minor leagues to the big leagues, so things that are happening in Double-A and Triple-A don’t always equate initially. So you have to be careful about saying, ‘OK, he’s not going to be able to do this or he’s going to definitely be this.'”
Though the expectation was that Holliday would make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster, Showalter agrees his limited experience playing at the highest levels of competition was the deciding factor and knows firsthand what it takes to put a roster together.
“Well, there’s an old expression my mother used to tell me, ‘Just because something is delayed, doesn’t mean it is being denied,'” Showalter said. “There are a lot of things that go into those decisions and roster construction. We think there is some finality about the first week of April or the month of April. Everybody is going through it. Sooner or later he’s going to get his opportunity.”
When it comes to the pitching outlook, Showalter believes that the Orioles’ bullpen depth is stronger with the addition of Craig Kimbrel despite the closer’s rocky start. Kimbrel blew his first save opportunity of the season on April 1, but he struck out two in the outing.
Showalter also believes that a figure of new ace Corbin Burnes’ stature can greatly impact the entire team in a positive way.
“I think even from a manager’s standpoint, knowing you can approach a game before and after he pitches a little differently knowing that chances are you’re going to get some depth out of his starts, No. 1,” Showalter said. “That’s just the pure baseball part of it, but I think there’s a certain rock there. … He knows what it takes. I don’t know him that well, but knowing the weight your words carry and not using them callously is the mark of a really good leader.”
Showalter reflected on the recent loss of a legendary figure in baseball, Larry Lucchino. He held the position of president of the Orioles from 1988-1993 and is credited as influential in the club’s vision for Camden Yards. He is widely regarded as one of the most exceptional executives in baseball history. Showalter has fond memories.
“I felt like I was in a lot of places with Larry because I always seemed to bump into him. He had great vision and great attention to detail. What a great legacy he left,” Showalter said. “… He cared so much about the venue and the presentation to the fans. He loved baseball. He had a great tenure in Baltimore if you look at his legacy with Camden Yards and the things that he’s impacted, just a very impactful life. The one thing everyone talks about was his passion for the places he worked and the game itself. We’re going to miss him.”
Another death that impacted Showalter is the recent passing of longtime Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who owned the team from 1993-2024 and worked with Showalter for nine seasons. Showalter shared a special relationship with Angelos and knew just how much the Orioles meant to him.
“I got some great advice from Mike Flanagan. He said, ‘Buck, do yourself a favor, I didn’t do it enough. Go over and sit down with Peter each homestand,’ and we just about did,” Showalter said. “We’d sit down and he’d get his gripes out there, sometimes loudly, and we’d have lunch together. That’s how we kept a coaching staff intact. There were certain things that you kind of wore. But he was passionate about the Orioles. He loved the city. Everything was about the fans.”
For more from Showalter, listen to the full interview here:
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