Buck Showalter has weathered plenty of disappointing news over the last month, but that is not stopping him from showing respect for his peers. Despite losing out on the Los Angeles Angels manager position to Ron Washington, Showalter sent the latter a thoughtful text.
“It’s about time,” he said, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. “You’ve waited a long time and shouldn’t have had to wait that long.”
It has been nearly a decade since Washington last managed, as he resigned from his duties with the Texas Rangers to repair his marriage after admitting to having an extramarital affair. A report about a sexual assault allegation surfaced shortly after, but there are no other details beyond that currently known to the public.
It should be noted that Washington was not faded out of baseball and soon returned to the Oakland Athletics in a coaching capacity. He then served a seven-season stint with the Atlanta Braves as their third-base coach, winning a World Series ring in 2021. Like Showalter, players speak fondly of the Angels' new clubhouse leader.
“Wash is the real deal and beloved by his players and players across the league,” free agent Kevin Pillar said, per The Athletic. “He is a pro, a leader and fun to be around.”
L.A. is banking on Ron Washington's past accolades to shine through in 2024. The franchise cannot afford to stagnate any longer.
Buck Showalter is facing his own uncertain times after being dismissed by the New York Mets after the end of the regular season. His successful 2022 campaign was apparently not enough to spare him after a woefully disappointing 2023, though many believe the deciding factor was new president of baseball operations David Stearns' desire to pick his own skipper.
The four-time Manager of the Year boasts a strong resume that should land him another interview in the future if he so chooses to further pursue MLB employment. Regardless of what is next, Showalter is remaining gracious through everything.