Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman examined three of the winter's open managerial posts (the Cubs, Mariners, and the potentially open Dodgers job) and passed along some info on who might be in the dugouts for those clubs come Opening Day 2011…
- Chicago. Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg "has been seen by everyone as the most logical choice." Heyman cites Joe Girardi as the second-most likely option to manage the Cubs in 2011, though he expects Girardi to remain in New York. Interim manager Mike Quade is "something of a longshot" and Heyman mentions Bobby Valentine's name due to Valentine's track record of working with young talent. Heyman's fourth-most likely Cubs manager is Tony La Russa, and while that hiring might equally horrify both Cubs and Cardinals fans, Heyman only opines that La Russa would "be an interesting choice," not one that's a distinct possibility.
- Los Angeles. "According to some in the know," Tim Wallach will be the next L.A. manager. Wallach is a former Dodgers hitting coach and has managed their Triple-A squad for the past two seasons. Los Angeles would save some money by hiring Wallach, though Heyman writes that the franchise has (and will) cut enough payroll to make signing a big-name manager feasible if the team wants to go that route. The intended Joe Torre/Don Mattingly succession may be no more given how that plan was the one favored by Jamie McCourt, not current sole owner Frank McCourt. Heyman ranks Mattingly third on his list of likely Dodger managers behind both Wallach and Dusty Baker, as "there are unsubstantiated whispers" that L.A. will make a play for Baker if he doesn't re-sign with Cincinnati. Of course, this could all be moot if Torre decides to return for another season, though Heyman feels Torre is probably done in Los Angeles.
- Seattle. Valentine appears again on the list of Mariners candidates, sandwiched between Heyman top choice Ted Simmons and No. 3 choice Willie Randolph. Simmons, the San Diego bench coach, has never been a manager, though he has a lengthy front office resume. Both Simmons and Randolph have worked with Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik before, and Randolph is also helped by the fact that Zduriencik told Heyman that "big league managerial experience will weigh heavily" in his decision. That said, Zduriencik also noted that he's just starting to explore a list of around 20 candidates.
As a Dodger fan, I really hope it’s Wallach. And being cheaper would be a bonus reason, but he deserves the chance. Players love him, he would give young guys more of a shot than many veteran managers will, he’s done well in AAA and deserves a shot himself. Baker was a favorite player but scares me as a manager (wouldn’t want him anywhere near Clayton Kershaw’s arm), and Mattingly hasn’t shown he knows what he’s doing as a backup manager (yet, maybe with more experience he’ll be good). Wallach seems best choice.
No love from Heyman for Toronto?
Wallach>Mattingly, no doubt. Dusty Baker is news to me, if I remember correctly, their parting was far from amicable in his playing days (drug accusations?). May be complicated to part with Mattingly, as he’s getting screwed a second time, but Wallach makes much more sense (just as another AAA manager they did manage to let get away, Mr. Scioscia).
Mattingly probably should spend some time managing a minor league team, like Wallach has. I can see Baker in LA; I think it would be foolish for the Reds to let him go though.
Isn’t Heyman forgetting Toronto?
what else is new.
How about Wallach manages the Dodgers and if Mattingly wants to manage he can manage the Isotopes.
I think Mattingly accepts that along with side of herpes and a pay cut. He’ll probably get a gig in the NYY organization.
or he’ll just end up bench coaching if Torre finds a job (most likely the Mets if he doesn’t retire)
Neverrmind what I said about NYY org; I actually think he takes a minor league gig in “another organization”.
I completely disagree with Heyman with regard to the Cubs. I’m willing to bet that the Cubs don’t wind up with any of those guys, unless he bows to fan sentiment and hires Sandberg. My guess is the Cubs wind up with somebody like Quade or Listach or Wedge…someone who’s got a sharp baseball mind, is willing to work with young talent, and is willing to play for the long term benefit of the club rather than make a name for himself in the short term.
Sandberg has been working with our young talent, successfully, for a few years.
I don’t know about successfully. He was under .500 until a strong second half this year with Iowa. I don’t think he has the right personality either. In my opinion, it would be a huge mistake.
Seattle fan here.. I would be ecstatic for Bob Brenly to come here. Former player, good managerial experience and success.
Brenly is too far removed from managing….I think Willie Randolph or Valentine are better choices
NO TO DUSTY BAKER!
I’m on Wallachs side.
If the rumors that Scioscia is on the hot seat have any wheels, what do you guys think about him taking the keys to what was rightfully his a decade ago a decade too late?
Mike Scioscia’s job security is parallel to that of a Supreme Court justice.
Seattle should stop and look at it’s current interim manager. He gets my vote.
Well, I might have agreed with you at first, but after just a few short weeks in the manager’s position in Seattle, Brown has shown me that he is not someone to be considered for the long term.
Why, you ask?
In what is now a lost season, one of the few bright spots is the ability for the team to see what they have going forward into 2011 and beyond. It’s safe to say that 3B Jose Lopez is all but gone at the end of 2010, and that he shouldn’t be playing as much with young guys like Matt Tuiasosopo and Michael Saunders needing extended looks.
So on one night last week, Brown decides to start Lopez at 3B despite him being one of the worst MLB regulars, and puts Matt Tuiasosopo in LF instead of Michael Saunders. Tuiasosopo is awful in LF(but passable at 3B), and Saunders, who had been injured, was fine to play that night in LF, so he should have gone with Tui at 3B and Saunders in LF, but no….that would’ve made sense.
I’m not sure that I have a favorite to manage the M’s in 2011, but I know that I sure as hell don’t want Dusty Baker or Bobby Valentine. Neither is the right type of manager for the M’s, who will be getting younger in 2011 and 2012. Ted Simmons is one name that intrigues me, though. It would be his first job as an MLB manager, which means he’s less likely to get the job since the M’s will be coming off of Wakamatsu and Brown, and the front office will likely want someone more “proven” to take over.
I don’t disagree with any of the points you make, specifically I would like to see more of Saunders. But consider it from Brown’s point of view, he’s also new and trying to make a name for himself like Tui, Saunders and Moore. He’s trying to win so he can be considered for the position full time. I can’t fault a guy for that at all.
That’s why I think they would have been better off keeping Wak for the rest of the year. We were in a good position to keep losing and get a better draft pick. I highly doubt though that he would have used any of the new guys with much regularity, other than maybe Saunders.
Don Baylor is available….please take him
Trading someone’s son nabbs them the managers job in LA I guess.
Yah but they still have Matt Wallach, having a good year in AA for them.
Wedge doesn’t excite me. iirc he wasn’t always well regarded in Cleveland for his game management, rather he was well liked and communicated well with the players. Seems like the Cubs have been down that road before. Stupid lineups, questionable bullpen management, a shill for the players. Dusty was fired for those reasons and more. Maybe I’m wrong about Wedge, anyone have specific information about his ability to manage a game?
Dusty to the Dodgers, that seems about right. That’s the type of decision that they seem to make, go for the style rather than substance. As if the McCourts themselves aren’t setting the franchise back enough by themselves, adding Dusty to the mix would certainly speed their descent. Yeah, Dusty has the Reds in first place…. unless he’s learned A LOT during the last offseason it’s more likely that the Reds have Dusty in first place.
Torre is probably done in LA, can’t see him wanting to go through that nightmare much longer. He would put up with it if it were New York likely but not LA. Dusty would jump at the chance to get out of Cincy and head back west. Girardi isn’t likely to be let go by the Yankees, I’m sure they value stability in that position and he has won for them already, can’t see them letting him go only to have to replace him with who, Torre? Not likely. The Cubs are going to have to look elsewhere. Probably a Listach or Quade if they don’t bow to uninformed fan pressure and hire Sandberg. Nothing against Ryno, I love the guy, but I’m not convinced he would be a good manager. Maybe so, I’d love it if he was, but I think I’d rather the Cubs hire someone else and let Sandberg get his feet wet in the majors somewhere else and then come home when he’s ready.
I think the most interesting story line will in fact be the next manager in toronto, no one has really been linked exclusively, and while AA has done a great job so far in drafting and trades, picking a new manager has to be his biggest and most important decision..
Not to mention if a new manager comes in, and brings in a new pitching and hitting coach, could set back some of the kids since butterfield, murphy and walton have all done great jobs. . Cito’s pick your pitch and swing away, lack of fundamental ball, bunts, hits and run etc had been criticized by many fans, but we could see some serious backlash if a new manager comes in with an entirely different approach.
I agree with what1233456, If dusty doesn’t resign with the reds he could go to LA, how funny would it be if he went back to the cubs? š kidding but i don’t know how well this would go over with everybody else but if dusty leaves i would honestly like to see if Donnie Baseball would be interested in managing the reds,He’s good i was hoping he got the job in NY but Girardi has been good. Maybe this idea is to far out there but i was just thinking out loud