The Baltimore Orioles earned a postseason berth this season for the first time since 1997, and manager Buck Showalter‘s steady hand in the dugout was a big reason for that.
According to CBS’ Jon Heyman, Showalter will be rewarded this winter for his efforts:
Orioles management intends to negotiate an extension for Manager of the Year favorite Buck Showalter, people familiar with the situation told CBSSports.com. Owner Peter Angelos has told people connected to the team of his intention to extend Showalter, whose contract expires after the 2013 season.
The report also mentions that, “Any negotiation may be delayed while Showalter and Angelos deal with minor outside concerns. Showalter recently had knee surgery and is rehabbing at home in the Dallas area.”
No matter when it happens, this is the right move for the Orioles franchise. Success like this year’s group hasn’t been felt in Baltimore for a long time, and Showalter‘s aggressive, home-run happy attitude played a major role in every win.
There’s a reason he’s a favorite for Manager of the Year. Not only did he take a team that hadn’t sniffed the postseason for 15 years into October, but he did it in the American League East. Vanquishing the toughest division in baseball isn’t easy, but the Orioles were in it from tape to tape with his guidance.
Next year’s Orioles team should expect to be in a solid position as well. The core of the team returns, and young studs like Manny Machado figure to be even better. If Dylan Bundy takes another giant step forward, that’s another positive for this organization.
Baltimore’s run this season was fun to watch for anyone who likes baseball. It had been a very long time since this team was relevant, and its rejuvenation was enlightening in the powerhouse-dominated AL East.
With Showalter at the helm in the near future, there’s no reason to think this franchise can’t maintain its success.
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