Orioles finally set to hire Buck Showalter as new manager

For the past few weeks Baltimore has been said to be on the verge of hiring Buck Showalter as manager and according to Tim Kurkjian of ESPN.com they’re finally ready to make things official. Kurkjian reports that Showalter’s first game at the helm will be next Tuesday against the Angels, which is the first game of a seven-game homestand at Camden Yards. Juan Samuel has served as interim manager since the Orioles fired Dave Trembley on June 4, going just 16-31 (.340) after Trembley went 187-283 (.398) in four seasons on the job. Samuel interviewed for the full-time job along with Showalter, Bobby Valentine, Rick Dempsey, and Eric Wedge. Showalter is 54 years old and hasn’t managed since being fired by Texas in 2006, but is a two-time Manager of the Year and has a .514 winning percentage in 11 seasons with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Rangers. Interestingly, New York and Arizona both won the World Series the year after letting him go. Baltimore hasn’t had a winning season since 1997, going through seven different managers during that time. UPDATE: Showalter’s contract reportedly runs through 2013.