The Dodgers have parted ways with manager Don Mattingly in what appears to be a mutually agreeable divorce. That leaves the organization searching for a new skipper, marking an important hire for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. We’ll keep tabs on the hiring process right here:
- The Dodgers will interview Darin Erstad for the position, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Erstad currently serves as the head coach at the University of Nebraska. While it would be unusual for a big league club to hire a skipper directly out of the college ranks, Erstad was a long-time major leaguer.
- Padres bench coach Dave Roberts, who was a finalist in the Mariners’ managerial search, will interview for the Dodgers, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. Roberts, of course, had a 10-year playing career as an outfielder and stole one of the most famous bases in recent history in the 2004 ALCS. He’s been coaching for the Padres since 2011, beginning as a first-base coach.
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that he’s spoken to a number of people in the past day who said they’d be stunned if anyone other than Kapler is named manager in Los Angeles.
Earlier Updates
- Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles tweets that he’s hearing Mets bench coach Bob Geren will be in the mix for the Dodgers’ opening. Geren, 54, managed the Athletics from 2007-11, so Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi is plenty familiar with him.
- Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler is a “serious frontrunner” for the job, tweets Buster Olney of ESPN.com, who acknowledges that the process is only just beginning. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported earlier this morning (via Twitter) that Kapler was considered a candidate. While he only has minimal managerial experience in the low minors, Kapler is a highly respected former player who has long been viewed as a budding managerial prospect.
- Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times lists some names to keep an eye on, with Kapler among them. Other strong possibilities to come under consideration by the Dodgers, per Shaikin, include former Rays and current Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez, former Padres skipper Bud Black, current Dodgers bench coach Tim Wallach, and recently-hired Dodgers third base coach Ron Roenicke.
AJ Ellis as a player/manager. He could call the shots and catch Kersh every 5th day, right?
No
While I love the idea of a player-manager happening again I just don’t think it’s feasible. Of the last few player-managers, most of them felt they had to concentrate too much on managing and not enough on playing or just felt like they weren’t part of the team any more. Of the last few even considered the idea was quashed fairly quickly. As much as people like to claim the manager doesn’t do anything I think we’ve all seen the difference between good managers and bad ones.
What is managing really, other than making starting lineups, knowing when to pull the SP and use the best reliever option for the situation and promoting clubhouse harmony? Many players get jobs for doing the last one, the other jobs don’t seem too difficult to ask, there’s always a bench coach and a pitching coach there too to help. Pairing a player manager who doesnt play every day like Ellis would actually be an interesting idea, however if anyone but Kapler gets this job they blew it.
I always figured he’d show up again as a manager, I just figured someone would have him manage in he minors again.
I could manage the Los Angeles Dodgers for a little longer then half a year ^~^
As a Dodgers fan living in San Diego and watching my boys in blue at petco park I must say I’m very impressed with bud black. Look how well bochey fared with the giants.
I too am a Dodgers fan living in San Diego, I too think we should pick up Bud Black, but the more articles I read the more I think Gabe Kapler is going to get the position.
I’m a bit concerned about Kapler having only minimal managerial experience. I wasn’t opposed to having Mattingly leave, but would prefer a more established, proven manager. Kapler could be no better at game management than Mattingly or Matt Williams.
OHN on Gabe Kapler. If he’s a “budding managerial prospect”, then let him manage in the minors. Hopefully this is just the media’s need to speculate, but if it’s true the Friedman Group has shown that they really haven’t learned from the many mistakes made in 2015. This would only compound the issue.
Agreed. Why isn’t Wallach the more obvious inside choice?
I think he’s looked as an extension of Mattingly/Torre
“then let him manage in the minors” – there have been literally dozens of managers with no minor league experience. That’s an irrelevant point.
Dozens, CJ? Really? I won’t ask you to name the 24-36 of them. There have been a few with great success, but also many that learned from a big league bench. While Gabe may be a smart guy, it’s also about commanding the respect of the superstar players and a lot of that has to do with the new managers big league career. Tall order.
And also the willingness and ability to serve as a buffer between the FO and the players. Anybody hired to manage who is perceived to be a tool of the FO will have a rough go at gaining the respect of his players.
If it’s Roenicke, then the fix was in when he was forced into the bench 3/4 of the way thru the season.
I feel as if Dave Martinez has been mentioned as a potential candidate for every managerial opening for the last 4 or 5 years. Also, this year Phil Nevin seems to be turning into the latest “Dave Martinez”. One of these guys might finally get a shot soon.
The Giants have gotta be lovin this. More turmoil and chaos in LA. That coupled with an “even” year. Planning the parade already in SF!!!
No on Gabe please. We need an experienced manager.
Experienced, no. Good, yes.
As a Dodger fan I am hoping for either Martinez or Kapler. Both seem ideal candidates for the analytical approach and both are extremely well regarded in their handling of young and international players/
Why isn’t Dusty Baker mentioned? Would love to see him coach the team. I personally think they don’t need another laid back coach. They’ve had two back to back now. They need some that will light a fire under them.
Baker is one of the worst managers in the league when it comes to Sabermetrics. I do not see Zaidi and Friedman bringing him in considering the whole analytical approach to building the team.
because he’s even worse at managing a pitching staff than Mattingly?
And isn’t good at really anything else either?
Oh please hire Dusty!
As a Giants fan that’s my dream!
Dusty is the guy for this veteran team. As a Reds fan, I can say we didn’t improve by firing him, but then, Brian Price could make any manager look like a genius by comparison.
Dusty Baker ruined the careers of Jason Schmidt, Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and dozens more. Say good night to Kershaw if Baker ever manages him, although he might get to 20 complete games in his first 22 games before he’ll need TJ.
The Dodgers do not need a manager, they need a psychiatrist
The Dodgers need Bill Plaschke to not have a job writing about the Dodgers anymore so the stupid anti-fun witch hunt against Puig will finally end.
Very nice list that Bill Shaikin lists. Would like to see Bud Black tho.
Wonder what Scott Rolen is doing these days? Could be an option…
Scott Rolen
C’mon….Gabe Kapler? He hasn’t managed anything. If he’s the answer, then the smart kids better start asking different questions…..
Get somebody in here that has some real MLB bench experience. Some very real experience. This team has some very real issues. Very dichotic clubhouse….MANY 15+ million a year guys, along with some important young players from varying backgrounds who need some guidance to grow…..
Has Kapler worked extensively with the development of young Latin players? Will Kapler have the respect of players vastly superior to his (fairly recent) talent level and pay grade? Has he ever managed a real live MLB bullpen? A “AA” one?
I’m hoping the smart kids figure it out, because this team still has a lot of important unanswered questions…..
Good take. Heard they’re working on a whole set of “metrics” for managerial candidates. Teams of geeks (no offense to those out there) writing complex computer models to figure out how many games above replacement guys without mgr experience would’ve done if they managed last year. It’s called Strat-O-Matic!!!
Good one. That made me laugh.
You left out “mom’s basement” somewhere in there, otherwise – lol great satire
If Kapler is hired he won’t be doing the managing. He’ll just be doing what the front office tells him. Black is probably my preference though none of them seem great
Secondly, the whole clubhouse thing is so over played. Nearly everyone who was a bad clubhouse guy was paid to play somewhere else last year and before someone jumps in with Puig he actually showed a fair bit of maturity this year. I don’t think the LA clubhouse is a problem at all
You’re right. The LA bullpen is a problem. Oops, front office again.
Been crap for years. Nothing new there
Dodgers coaches will come equipped with iPads and Apple watches to get the strategic in-game decisions from the front office.
Gotta be better than making boneheaded decisions.
Bring in Gabe he’s a winner and when Tommy came in he wasn’t a seasoned vet either…sometimes you have to go with your gut and I’m for it…Dodgers WS Champs 2016
Tommy and going with your gut. That image is going to stick with me for awhile.
He wasn’t seasoned, but he had been a coach on the team, plus the AAA manager before that and had already managed several of the players on the team – Garvey, Cey, Lopes, Russell and more. So the relationship and trust was there.
What about Cal Ripken Jr?
Everyone knows Gabe Kapler will get the job. The whole interview process is just a formality.
It is? Why?
Because of what he just said.
I’m for Gabe Kapler. I loved “Welcome Back Kotter.”
Hahaha! Yes!!
MLBTR needs to catch up with the LA media on this story for a lot of new commentary. For one the storyline that the decision was “mutual” is revealed for what it was from the start, a total sham. Ownership is being completely opaque about why this happened and even less clear about the plan going forward. We are left with the impression that Mattingly was thrown under a bus because somebody had to take the blame, and beyond that, there is no plan.
I’m holding out for Jack Clark. He has the brains, temperament, and popularity in LA to make it big
A hothead with basically no managerial experience? I can’t wait.
If they really want Kapler & if they consider him not ready, Friedman/Byrnes/Zaidi is going to hire an “old” manager (Roenicke, Black) for 2-3 yrs and have Kapler as bench coach ready and waiting
I think and I have heard a rumor and I don’t know how true it is that the Dodgers might be possibly be interested in trying to lure Bruce Bochy down to L.A as their manager. If that happened that would awesome. I wonder if Friedman and Zarahadi are considering that option. I thought Bochy was still currently under contract with the Giants though. If Bochy was interested the Dodgers might pay him whatever he wants to come down to LA. I was just wondering had heard about that rumor. Should be an interesting next few months this holiday season heading into the winter meetings in December.
In reporting not coming from tweets, Mattingly is said to want Honeycutt and Wallach to join him in Miami, so it seems the most experienced candidate is scratched off the list, and they will also lose arguably the top pitching coach in baseball. So now if someone can report on why Kapler is seen as such a great choice maybe we’d know something.
There you go again talking about things you don’t know about…
m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/156004244/dodgers-r…
latimes.com/sports/dodgers/la-sp-mattingly-marlins…
For those with broken fingers:
“Mattingly is believed to want to take Wallach with him to Miami, as well as pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.”
And the more recent link that I posted the Dodgers are in talks with bring Honeycutt back…
More recent by a few hours. Maybe both are true, did you ever think of that? Maybe the first story got the Dodgers off the dime, did you consider that? And yet still no mention of Wallach, so it looks like the most experienced internal candidate for managing would well be walking to Miami or someplace else where experience still matters.
Yeah Miami, a team that hasn’t had a winning season since 2009.
Yeah, Miami. Or someplace else not Los Angeles. It would be great if they could retain Honeycutt so at least the coaching staff would not be completely gutted, but Wallach is almost certain to go if he doesn’t get the big job. Former triple-A manager of the year, but always the bridesmaid in LA, and all the short-list talk is about people with little or no managing experience. No talk about retaining McGuire, Roenicke or Lopes, either.
A msg to Dodger front office, please don’t hire a Mgr without experience. We just ended a relationship with someone that struggles with bullpen, player development and strategic moves. We want to win now and don’t want to train another mgr on the job.
Have a feeling loyalty to the FO is going to be the top consideration.
As a Nebraska fan and a Giants fan… Erstad managing the Dodgers would create an interesting conundrum for me.
Scott Rolen should be considered
Living in Oakland during that time and watching Bob Geren “manage” the A’s was one of the worst experiences of my baseball-watching life. Unless he’s been going to management school or something, they cannot be serious about hiring him.
Why not just ask Orel to do it. Thought for sure he was heading toward a career as a manager.
They probably could not pay him enough to try coaching again. He already gets to be around baseball every day as a broadcaster.
Or Jim Edmonds?
Why isn’t Ron Gardenhire being considered?
Erstad? That sort of came out of nowhere. I’d love to see him as the Angels hitting coach. The guy had grit.
I’m surprised Roenicke’s name hasn’t come up more often.