The Orioles decided to part ways with manager Buck Showalter following one of the worst seasons for any team in MLB history, but the three-time AL Manager of the Year wants to make it clear he has nothing but love for the organization and the city of Baltimore.
In a heartfelt letter he wrote via BaltimoreBaseball.com, Showalter reflected on his eight-plus years with the Orioles and tried to put into words how much calling Baltimore home has meant to him. He did a very good job of that.
“You know you’re talking about something that’s very important to people and you’ve got to take very seriously,” Showalter said of baseball in Baltimore. “I think the fans felt like I and we were as serious about the Orioles as they were. It’s not just someplace you’re passing through.”
Showalter described the things he is going to miss most about managing the O’s, one of which is the feeling of knowing his team sent fans home with something to be happy about on days the Orioles played well.
“Those are things you’re going to miss. You’re going to miss a good weather day game when we played well, we played crisp, get into the car and drive at about 5 mph down Pratt Street looking at all the people in black and orange and realizing that you may have been a part of making a good memory for somebody and their family,” he wrote.
As someone who has more than 1,500 wins as an MLB manager, Showalter surely didn’t want his tenure in Baltimore to end the way it did. You need look no further than the ruthless remark of one scout to know how bad the Orioles were in 2018, but Showalter stood no chance with a stripped-down roster and franchise that was committed to rebuilding. His letter came across as incredibly sincere, and it’s worth reading for fans in Baltimore.
