The Flying Dutchman sails on.

 

One of the favorite shiver stories of old, Dutch New York was that of the "Flying Dutchman," a ghost ship whose master was cursed—for some crime or another—to sail about the world forever, appearing now and then to desperate mariners.

I like to think of poor old Buck Showalter as the Flying Dutchman, cursed to wander the baseball world forever for one, "criminally" bad decision.

Back in 1995, in the wild ALDS against Seattle, Buck—the 1994 AL manager of the year—left David Cone out on the mound to throw 147 pitches against the Mariners and their monster lineup. By the 8th inning, Connie was clearly gassed, surrendering a homer to Junior Griffey, then giving up a single to Jay Burner, and two walks to load the bases.

Still, with two out, Showalter left him in to pitch to Doug Strange, a journeyman infielder. It didn't have to be that way. Mariano Rivera, who first emerged in that series, throwing 5 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, was primed and ready to go in the pen.

Buck stuck with Cone, the veteran. A good decision in most circumstances; not a good one when your ace pitcher has already thrown over 140 pitches and is no more than ordinary (something Bobby Valentine would learn 5 years later). Conie walked in the tying run. Mo then entered the game and blew away Mike Blowers. But it was too late. Seattle won in 11, and Buck was fired soon thereafter.

Showalter with former Yankees assistant GM G. Costanza

Hey, maybe it didn't matter so much. I don't know if those 1995 Yanks could have got past Cleveland or Atlanta, and failure to do so could have been a firing offense to Mad King George in any case.

But somewhere, in one of the alternate universes that our cinematic industry assures us exist, there is a Buck Showalter who made the bold move, and brought in The Great one. A Buck who went on managing the Yankees to triumph after triumph over the next 20 years, getting all the glory he deserved.

In this time-space continuum, of course, Buck Showalter moved on to help build the embryonic Arizona Diamondbacks, and become their first manager. He led the Snakes to 100 wins and a division title in 1999, just their second year of existence—but Arizona was upset in the NLDS by the Mets, when Randy Johnson got shelled (He always did in the playoffs, except when he was pitching against us.)

It was always something, it seemed.

Buck was fired after the 2000 season, just missing his chance to wreak vengeance on the Yanks in 2001. He was picked up by Texas in 2003, and turned the Rangers around in short order, improving their record by 18 games in 2004, and winning AL manager of the year again.

But it didn't last. By the end of 2006 he was 50, and out of a job again.

This time, the gap between managerial positions was longer—maybe a tribute to his often dour personality. In any case, he wasn't hired again until the Orioles inked him, for 2010.

Once again, he made a difference in a hurry. In 2012, his Birds came within a beak's breadth of beating a depleted, Mariano-less Yankees team in the ALDS. But C.C. Sabathia manned up for Game 5, throwing a complete-game, 3-1 victory, getting two outs with the bases loaded in the 8th.

By 2014, Buck was manager of the year again, the O's were AL East champs, and this time he made it all the way to the ALCS at last—only to get skunked in 4 straight, excruciatingly close games by the Royals.

In 2016, Baltimore was back in the playoffs. But this

time there was an even more inexplicable, managerial decision, the Orioles losing the one-game, wild card play-in game, 5-2 to Toronto in 11 innings. Buck let Ubaldo Jimenez—a starter with a 5.44 ERA—give up the winning runs, while his ace closer, Zack(h) Britton sat in the bullpen.

By 2018, the Orioles were losing 115 games, and Buck was 62. It seemed like the end—but when it seems like the end, there's always the Mets. In 2022, there were 101 wins, a fourth manager-of-the-year award...and then another playoff flop, another collapse this season.

Now 67, it seems likely we won't see Buck again until his Cooperstown induction, but who knows? Maybe he'll have a Dusty Baker turn of luck. Maybe the Curse of the Flying Dutchman will finally be lifted, and Buck Showalter will finally be able to overcome the fatal mistake he made one crazy night in Seattle.

Those of us who are old enough remember him as a solid-hitting, outfielder-first baseman in the minors—he hit as high as .362 in low A; a lifetime, .294 hitter in nearly 800 games—who lacked both power and speed and had too many people ahead of him at both positions in the Yankees' systems. 

He quit playing at 27, the smart decision—but then, Buck was always smart—and led his teams to four straight seasons in the minors. Just 36 when he took over the Yankees, Buck was surely going to the top.

Well, smart doesn't always overcome luck, and the smallest bad moves can trip you up, even in a lifetime of smarts. Here's hoping Buck Showalter gets one more chance, and that he finally goes all the way.