CARLSBAD, Calif. — Buck Showalter measured his words. He was trying to find the balance between lauding Manny Machado’s talent while not ignoring that managing this star comes with challenges.
“There are a lot more pluses on him than minuses,” Showalter said during a 30-minute phone call. “When you are a manager, you don’t want to spend a lot of time on maintenance on players who can’t play. Manny is worth the time. You have to tell him what is expected. He is easy to talk to, and he usually is remorseful when he does something wrong.”
From 2012, when he debuted as a 20-year-old, until he was traded last July to the Dodgers, Machado had only played for one manager: Showalter. In the forum of a larger market in Los Angeles and, especially within the scrutiny of the postseason, Machado’s issues with hustle, over-the-line play and indifference to critiques about both became broadly recognized.
But the Orioles drafted him with the third pick in 2010 and nurtured him to stardom, so they were quite aware of all that comes with this package well before most of the baseball world.
Now, the industry is going to provide at least a financial review as Machado is in the free-agent market at age 26. There is much to love — outsized skills and confidence on both sides of the ball. But like his fellow Miami native idol, Alex Rodriguez, there are 24-and-1 concerns about his detachment from a team and rules. And like a different “That’s just Manny being Manny,” there is a Ramirez-ian sense that Machado just does not care much about what anyone else thinks when he jogs a double into a single when he thinks he’s hit a homer, or says hustle is “not my cup of tea” to explain it.
Showalter, dismissed as Baltimore’s manager after the season, managed all of Machado’s 866 games (playoffs included) as an Oriole. He praised the “unique talent on both sides of the ball.” He acknowledged, though, that there were plenty of times he would have to get alone with Machado to discuss all the issues that potential suitors are going through now as they decide whether to invest possibly $300 million-plus in this free agent.
“Manny loves baseball, but who knows what happens when someone gets this kind of [financial] commitment,” Showalter said. “Will it make him more driven or more lackadaisical with that kind of commitment? No one is smart enough to know that. What I know is that his talent plays.”
Showalter added: “There is no doubt he will listen if he respects you. Are there going to be times you have to define reality to him? Yes.”
Showalter said he thought good veteran clubhouse presence was helpful in steering Machado positively, and he cited shortstop J.J. Hardy as being a positive influence early on Machado. But Showalter said such veterans are harder to find and younger players are harder to reach — plus, he acknowledged that at this point, it may not matter with Machado.
“He doesn’t look for trouble,” Showalter said. “On a positive note, he does not back away when it comes. Sure, it is self-inflicted, but he is not going to shirk the responsibility that comes with the reactions. You have to be careful [if you are an opposing team] about waking him up [by, say, throwing at him]. … I really like the player. He makes you look smart. He likes the moment. In the good or bad moments, you are always getting a talented guy. Manny wants to stand out.”
And he did for Showalter as the Orioles’ best player (mostly at third base) during their mutual tenure. Through it all there was a fine line between wanting Machado not to stray to the unacceptable while not wanting “to put a thumb on his creativity. He played third base like no one I’ve seen. When he is engaged at third base, he does things no one has ever done. I know the guy in Colorado [Nolan Arenado] is great, but Manny is better. Sometimes at third base, he would get bored. Sometimes it comes too easy to him. Then suddenly he is throwing off the wrong foot or from a new angle and he can still do it.
“Look, this is a guy who knows wrong from right. He knew publicly I would support him and privately I would talk to him and tell him how I really felt. … It is part of the gig that comes with him.”
Showalter refused to divulge what happened in those private meetings or how frequent they were. He said those teams that are “doing their homework” know, however, that Machado’s issues did not simply emerge in Los Angeles.
“The talent is a no-brainer,” Showalter said. “Guys like him do not come around often. He likes to play. He doesn’t like to be inactive. He understands what he has to do to play every day [perhaps limit effort in some areas], and you have to give him some freedom. Will some of that change when [he gets a long-term deal] and he doesn’t have to [want to play every day to make money]?”
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