After they lost franchise-record 115 games in 2018 MLB season, Baltimore Orioles decided it was time for some changes and opted against offering extensions to manager Buck Showalter and general manager Dan Duquette. Both Showalter and Duquette have contracts that run until the end of October.
“We thank Dan and Buck for their many contributions over the past several years,” – Orioles said in a statement. “Under their leadership, prior to the 2018 season and for six consecutive years, the club delivered competitive teams playing meaningful baseball into September, achieved three postseason appearances and came within four games of a World Series appearance, and won more games than any other American League club during a period spanning five of those six enjoyable seasons.“
Thank you, Buck. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/3SQPWH4gHC
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) October 4, 2018
Thank you, Dan. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/s6rX3rPllx
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) October 4, 2018
Buck Showalter joined the Baltimore Orioles midway through 2010, taking a team with league’s worst record and managing 34 wins in 57 remaining games. The team hired Dan Duquette in 2011, who built a team that Showalter led to 81 wins or more in five straight seasons. During that time Orioles played in the postseason three times, reaching American League Championship Series in 2014.
Despite this early success, Showalter failed to inspire his team to success in the past two years. In 2017 Orioles finished last in the AL East, while this year they became only the fifth team to have 115 or more losses in a single season since 1900.
However, the problems that Baltimore Orioles have won’t disappear with Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette being gone. The team traded away most of their key players and prospects in the past couple of years, and the new manager and GM will first have to go through a long and probably painful rebuilding process beforeOrioles can compete once again.
