Buck Showalter and the Orioles

As we go into the last three games of the season the Yankees and Orioles are tied for first place in the American League East. It is, even for the most optimistic baseball fans, something no one could have predicted. The Orioles have had some great seasons. Adam Jones led the team for much of the year. Chris Davis who has been on fire this last week has proved that Texas maybe gave up on him little too early with a thirty homerun season and Jim Johnson, who?, Jim Johnson today earned his fiftieth save. The O's have been managed by Buck Showalter in what might be the best example of how much a manager can affect the success of his team. Think about this, the Orioles have one pitcher, just one pitcher, that has started more than twenty games this season. I, in my experience, have never seen a team built like this and have this success. The Orioles have won some unlikely number of extra inning games in a row. This is a team that is fearless. Contrast that to the Yankees. First anyone who says that the Yankees have choked is wrong. Yes the Yankees had a big lead in July, and no one expected this race to get this close, but the Yankees have had their own injury troubles. Even though Mariano Rivera has been ably replaced by Rafael Soriano the bullpen was significantly shortened by his loss. The Yankees are old. Derek Jeter has been immense but injuries and a significant drop-off in performance when playing by Mark Teixera and Alex Rodriguez have slowed the team. Curtis Granderson has also shown that you can hit forty homeruns and still be one of the most overrated players around and CC Sabathia who by pitching through injury without complaint has shown just what, pardon the pun, a great deal of guts he has. No, this team has not choked, I think that it is clear that Joe Girardi is not the best manager in baseball, I think it is possible that he cannot affect a group of professionals to the extent that Buck Showalter can affect his team of cast offs, rookies and misfits, but he will in the end absorb much of the blame should the Yankees falter. With the exception of my friends who are Yankee fans, and perhaps even they will admit after season end a grudging admiration, one cannot but be excited and happy for the resurgence of success in Baltimore. Baltimore, a town that when we were growing up was a baseball powerhouse. Earl Weaver, Ken Singleton, Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, and all that pitching, the Orioles were baseball royalty and a welcome sight is seeing them succeed. Go O's, finish the dream.