Sports Rehab: Buck Showalter Discusses Derek Jeter's Retirement Announcement
Orioles Manager Buck Showalter joined Glenn Younes & Mark Zinno on Sports Rehab Wednesday night (Feb. 12) on Baltimore's 105-7 THE FAN to the retirement announcement of Derek Jeter. Showalter was manager of the Yankees when Jeter made his debut on May 29, 1995. 'I was there for his first game and it looks like I'll be there for his last game, hopefully, God willing. It didn't take some super talent scout to understand Derek Jeter was going to be a good player,' Showalter said.
Jeter announced earlier in the day that 2014 would be his final Major League season. Showalter recalled the day he met the future Hall of famer nearly 20 years ago, 'I remember the first time I met him at the end of the dugout. They brought him in after the draft and there was this skinny, 150-lb kid, gangly kid out of Michigan. Seeing how he interacted with his mom and dad and his sister, seeing he had a great upbringing - you knew he was going to be as good as he was capable of being. His substance was his style.'
Click here to find out what gift Buck will give Derek AND which Oriole reminds Buck the most about Jeter:
Buck Showalter joins Sports Rehab
Buck then talks Orioles baseball. Glenn talks about the possibility of J.J. Hardy signing an extension. Buck responds with hopefulness and that J.J. loves Baltimore and the way he's been treated here. He's a lot like Jeter in many facets of his game on and off the field.
Mark then turned the tables and asked about signing a pitcher. There has been talk about many of these veteran guys on the market but they're slowly disappearing. The one thats left is Ervin Santana. Mark feels like for what it's worth, the Orioles should go get another bat and hope to just beat everyone 7-5. Buck says he's ok with that. He also said that before Jim Johnson was moved to Oakland he was trying to figure out how to not have so many save situations. He then adds that he hopes we DON'T go get another pitcher. He reiterates that he likes our guys and what we already have.
The closer position is always an interesting topic and Buck still won't pigeon-hole anyone to the closer spot. He doesn't want make any announcement and then have to move back on it. He's going to let things pan out through spring training so we'll have to wait and see if Tommy Hunter ends up pitching in the 9th inning. Buck is not going to speculate who is in the starting rotation and who moved up and who fell back in the order. He hopes that the choices for starting pitching is a really tough decision.
The guys are all in Sarasota, they're excited and ready to perform. 35 people already showed up to camp to throw. Buck likes to think it's because they like to be there and they understand they have a chance to be good this year.
