Baltimore Orioles: Buck Showalter rumored in Phillies manager hunt

Even with the disappointing 2017 season, the Baltimore Orioles could always say that they have one of the most revered managers in the game today.

But, the venerable Baltimore Orioles manager, Buck Showalter, has been rumored to be a candidate for the managerial job in Philadelphia.

The Phillies moved their 2017 manager, Pete Mackanin, to a position in the front office. The Phillies had the third worst record in baseball this season with 66 wins and 96 losses. Their last winning season was in 2011 when their record was 102-60. In 2012, they had a .500 record. Since then, it’s been a sad state of affairs for the team that went to the World Series in 2008 and 2009.

For the right manager, the Phillies could be an exciting project. Taking a team from worst to first is something that many men in leadership positions strive to accomplish. It would be easy to see why a manager like Buck Showalter would be interested in this opportunity.

And, according to reports from several sources, including Nick Cafardo with The Boston Globe:

"“Many believe that the Phillies had someone in mind when they booted Pete Mackanin to the front office in a surprising move. There was speculation that the Phillies wanted Buck Showalter, but Showalter has another year left on his contract with Baltimore and Orioles owner Peter Angelos doesn’t let anyone out of their contract.”"

Showalter has managed four teams in his lengthy career. He started with the New York Yankees, where he worked for four seasons. Then, he went south to the Arizona Diamondbacks for three seasons. He then moved to the Texas Rangers for four seasons. He has been in Baltimore since 2010 replacing Juan Samuel, who replaced Dave Trembly. If Showalter’s managerial history is a sign, he could be due to make a change in the near future.

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The problem for Showalter is the Orioles owner, Peter Angelos. Showalter’s contract runs through the end of the 2018 season. Historically, Angelos does not like to let employees out of their contracts. But according to Steve Adams with MLBTraderumors.com,

"“While Orioles owner Peter Angelos isn’t likely to dismiss Buck Showalter, the tension between him and GM Dan Duquette continues to loom large in the organization.”"

In today’s baseball world, contracts are bought and sold on a regular basis – even those that belong to managers. If Showalter wants out, it would be best for the Orioles to let him out. Who would want to have a team managed by a man whose heart and mind is elsewhere?

Next: Zach Britton's 2017 season review

It will certainly be interesting to watch the open managerial position start to fill. Orioles fans will need to keep an eye on the Skipper to see what he decides to do.