Showalter Refuses to Pass the Buck

However, with the Yankees, he could only go so far because there's only one boss, George Steinbrenner.

In addition, Showalter was the same man with the same rules last year, when acclaimed for taking a second-year team to the playoffs.

Mike Morgan, a 22-year veteran of 12 big league teams, responded to the sudden controversy this week by saying the Arizona clubhouse and chemistry is the best he has ever seen and "Yeah, Buck has rules, but he's the manager. What's wrong with that?"

Probably nothing as long as Showalter doesn't continue to alienate Colangelo's kin and other members of the front office and as long as the clubhouse veterans don't use his petty rules as rationale for their disappointing play.

As for Colangelo, who once fired friend Red Kerr and named himself interim coach of the Phoenix Suns, he probably will never pilot the Diamondbacks. Then again, in crediting Showalter with a good job, he stopped short of saying he would fulfill the final two years of his contract.