BALTIMORE ORIOLES

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Showalter, Duquette fired after 47-115 season

BALTIMORE

The Orioles will continue their rebuilding project without manager Buck Showalter and executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette, who were fired Wednesday after the team finished with the worst record in the major leagues.

With Duquette procuring the talent and Showalter making it work on the field, Baltimore snapped a run of 14 straight losing seasons and made the playoffs in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

But the Orioles finished 75-87 in 2017 and this year staggered through a 47-115 season, the worst since the team moved to Baltimore in 1954.

The club issued a statement Wednesday night that read, in part: “We thank Dan and Buck for their many contributions over the past several years. Under their leadership, prior to the 2018 season and for six consecutive years, the club delivered competitive teams playing meaningful baseball into September. ... Everyone in Birdland and across our organization will cherish these memories, and we all join in thanking Dan and Buck for their contributions.”

Showalter and Duquette have contracts that expire at the end of October.

A three-time AL Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on the Orioles’ career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver.

CHICAGO CUBS

Epstein: Maddon will return for fifth season

CHICAGo

The Cubs expect to make changes after an early playoff exit. Just not in the manager’s office.

Joe Maddon will return as skipper for a fifth season, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Wednesday.

“He’s the manager of this team and I’m very happy about that,” Epstein said.

Maddon has one year left on his contract. Though there are no ongoing discussions about an extension, Epstein insisted they have a “terrific” working relationship.

“We don’t agree all the time about baseball issues, and that’s the way it should be,” Epstein said.

Maddon has a 387-261-1 record with playoff appearances in each of his four seasons in Chicago. The Cubs have more wins during that span than any other team, with three trips to the NLCS and a World Series championship in 2016 that ended a drought dating to 1908.

Chicago finished 95-68 this season, blowing a five-game lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central before losing a tiebreaker to the Brewers for the division title at Wrigley Field. Chicago was eliminated by Colorado with a 2-1, 13-inning defeat in the NL wild-card game at home Tuesday.

Russell slapped with 40-game suspension

CHICAGO

Cubs infielder Addison Russell accepted a 40-game suspension Wednesday for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy after a series of allegations made by his ex-wife.

Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the ban and said MLB had completed its investigation into the accusations made by Melisa Reidy. Russell had denied the allegations, which Reidy detailed in a blog post in September.

Russell’s unpaid suspension includes the 11 regular-season games he missed after being placed on administrative leave Sept. 21. Russell will be eligible to return on May 3 against St. Louis, barring any postponements, and he will not appeal the suspension. He will also participate in an evaluation and treatment program.

Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he’s not sure what the odds are of Russell playing another game for the Cubs.

“Domestic violence is everyone’s problem,” he said. “Because of that, we all have an obligation to be part of the solution as well. The discipline in a case like this is part of the solution going forward and so we support Major League Baseball’s decision and we think it’s appropriate. But prevention is also a big part of the solution and maybe a more important solution.”

Associated Press