Will O's fans continue to feel the love for Showalter?

It is kind of ironic in one sense that the last memory for many Orioles fans from the 2016 season will be that Zach Britton did not pitch in the wild card game in Toronto. Manager Buck Showalter is getting a heap of criticism for that when, for most of the season and for most of his tenure as Orioles manager, his use of bullpen pitchers was considered one of his biggest strengths.

Showalter has often said he is proud that most of his bullpen pitchers have stayed healthy and were not overused. He also seemed to know the right time to use a pitcher and the right spot. He also knows when a bullpen pitcher had not pitched in a few days and needed work to stay sharp. Bullpen pitchers have told me that Showalter is open to their feedback as to when they need to pitch an inning if they have not pitched in days or when they may need a rest.

Many times, we've seen Showalter use the just right pitcher at just the right time. But he let the 2016 season end with a pitcher that could win the Cy Young Award not getting in the game. That was a mistake in my opinion. Once that game got to the last of the ninth, the Orioles were a pitch away from going home. Britton might have extended that game an inning or two. Yes, the Orioles were not hitting much and had just four hits, but if their power guys had gotten a few more swings maybe one gets a pitch to hit over the wall and they win that game.

So will not using Britton hurt Showalter with Orioles fans?

My guess is that there is a group of fans often critical of Showalter and any move he makes that doesn't work - or moves he doesn't make they feel he should. This group will remain critical and will never let him forget the wild card game. Kind of like some fans never let former scouting director Joe Jordan forget drafting Matt Hobgood and overlooking the many solid picks he made.

There are a group of fans that love Showalter. They see him as the biggest reason the Orioles resumed winning in 2012 and they will always back him. With that group, Showalter will still be loved.

The rest of the fans are probably mostly favorable toward Showalter, and they are reasonable and realize he's been big for the franchise. The Orioles don't lead the American in wins since 2012 without him and the tone he has set for the franchise. In some respects, he's the true face of the franchise and many fans are just fine with that.

Managers, as far as I know, don't have approval ratings like a politician, but if they did, Showalter's rating would take a hit right now. How much? Who can say, for sure?

Will this hurt him with Orioles fans long-term? Perhaps. But as important as the fans are, they don't decide Showalter's contract terms and they can't hire and fire. They can express an opinion and it pretty much ends there. There is no indication whatsoever that Showalter is anything but completely supported by O's management. His contract runs through 2018 and he can probably stick around in the Orioles dugout as long as he wants.

With 51 more wins, Showalter will tie Earl Weaver, a Hall of Famer, for 24th on the all-time managerial wins list. Barring something unforeseen, he is going to pass the great Earl of Baltimore. He ranks second on the Orioles managerial wins list with 547 behind Weaver at 1,480.

Showalter could probably use a World Series win on his resume to have a real chance to join Weaver in Cooperstown and I'm pretty sure all O's fans are all for that.

Those fans calling for Showalter to get fired after the wild card game were whistling in the wind and my guess is almost no one pays attention to that group. Overreaction by a segment of fans has become expected after sporting events. The bigger the game, the bigger the overreaction.

But criticism of Showalter not using Britton was no overreaction. It was a legit criticism. So what does it mean for Buck moving forward? Has the man that is probably the second-most popular Orioles manager ever fallen out of favor with some fans? If he has, what will it mean moving forward for Buck and the Birds?