It's finally official:
Showalter started his managerial career with the New York Yankees after spending a couple years on the coaching, bringing them back to the playoffs in 1995, but he was fired after losing to the Mariners in the ALDS. He landed with the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks two years before the team actually played a game. He was fired after the 2000, and the team won the World Series the following year.
He landed another job with the Texas Rangers in 2002, and won his second Manager of the Year Award in 2004. He was fired after this season.
One of the first questions asked of Showalter was what was on everyone's mind:
"It's always nice to have someone around to bounce things off of, someone who has walked in the same shoes. I know how it might be perceived, but believe me that's not the case at all."
That being said, Showalter has to be seen as at the very least a motivating figure to Eric Wedge. Buck's closest analogue as a manager may be Tom Coughlin, an NFL coach who is a strict disciplinarian and a micro-manager. Showalter has also allegedly had a hand in ousting Grady Fuson, who was thought to be Texas' GM-in-waiting back in 2004.
Did Showalter take this job as a way to get back into managing? I hope not, and also hope that Shapiro is smart enough to not be unduly influenced by Showalter if a decision has to be made regarding Eric Wedge.