masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgBuck Showalter won his 900th game as manager, a feat that didn’t leave a lump in his throat.

More like a shrug in his shoulders.

“My daughter called me a couple nights ago and left me a message, so she made me aware of it and I’d forgotten it a little bit,” he said. “It means I’ve had some good players and someone’s given me an opportunity to do this a long time. That’s about the extent of it. I’ve had a lot of losses, too. You got them?”

Yes, 846.

“I remember just about every…Buck Showalter won his 900th game as manager, a feat that didn’t leave a lump in his throat.

More like a shrug in his shoulders.

“My daughter called me a couple nights ago and left me a message, so she made me aware of it and I’d forgotten it a little bit,” he said. “It means I’ve had some good players and someone’s given me an opportunity to do this a long time. That’s about the extent of it. I’ve had a lot of losses, too. You got them?”

Yes, 846.

“I remember just about every one of those,” he said. “Just reminds you how lucky you are to do this, to have a chance to do it. Had a lot of good players.”

Rays manager Joe Maddon was more impressed than Showalter.

“I’ve got 500 more to go,” he said. “Buck’s done it for a long time. He’s very good at what he does. He’s going to be around for many more years. He’s a very young man.”

Here’s hoping that this team doesn’t age him.

Julio Lugo was the only starter without a hit. Lugo and Cesar Izturis were the only starters without two hits.

“It’s nice to pass the baton,” Showalter said, referring to the lineup, not the bullpen. “You want to feel like the weight of the world’s not on one guy. Everybody feels like it allows you to be a lot more selective when you have a mentality like that. And that’s what Tampa does a lot.”

Matt Wieters had a big two-run double in the third and also singled and walked.

“Matty’s been centering and squaring up a lot of balls here lately and it’s nice to see him getting…it’s not so much that people get stronger this time of year. They just don’t get as weak as other people. Nobody gets stronger this time of the year,” Showalter said.