Buck Showalter has a long way to go in his quest to right the Baltimore Orioles’ ship, but he is taking a page from the Rex Ryan playbook to motivate his team.
According to the Bergen Record, Showalter had some interesting thoughts about the Red Sox and Yankees in April issue of Men’s Journal.
Showalter was critical of Boston GM Theo Epstein and his signing of Carl Crawford.
“I’d like to see how smart Theo Epstein is with the Tampa Bay payroll,” Showalter told the magazine. “You got Carl Crawford cause you paid more than anyone else, and that’s what makes you smarter? That’s why I like whipping their butt. It’s great, knowing those guys with the $205 million payroll are saying, ‘How the hell are they beating us?'”
Showalter led the O’s to a 3-3 record against the Red Sox in 2010 after taking over as the Orioles’ skipper in the middle of the season.
This past offseason, the O’s added some much-needed offense in the form of veterans Derrek Lee and Vladimir Guerrero, and the Red Sox countered with the additions of Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.
The new-look clubs first clash on April 26, and fans will certainly remember Showalter’s “butt-whipping” statements.
But the former American League Manager of the Year didn’t stop there. He also took some shots at the Yankees, specifically captain Derek Jeter.
“The first time we went to Yankee Stadium, I screamed at Derek Jeter from the dugout,” Showalter said in Men’s Journal. “Well, he’s always jumping back from balls just off the plate. I know how many calls that team gets — and yes, he [ticks] me off.”
While Showalter may be a new face to the current AL East, he is no stranger to controversy or baseball. The colorful former ESPN analyst has made a career out of stirring the pot and is doing his best to spark the Orioles.
