Here’s the latest on a few managerial openings…
- The Padres are “expected” to hire a manager with prior Major League experience, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets. San Diego’s previous manager, Andy Green, wasn’t a managerial rookie when San Diego hired him prior to the 2016 season, as he came with four years of minor league managing experience (plus additional time as the D-backs’ big league third base coach). However, the Padres were Green’s first managerial assignment at the MLB level, and it seems that this time around, general manager A.J. Preller will pursue a more veteran voice. Morosi suggests Buck Showalter, given his previous connection with Preller from their days with the Rangers, although their tenures only overlapped by about two years. Morosi points out that Showalter is also quite familiar with Manny Machado, but that seems unlikely to be a major factor in the team’s search.
- Even though they’re coming off their second straight 100-loss season, the Royals may be content to stay in-house to find retired manager Ned Yost’s replacement. Their “very short list” of candidates includes special advisor Mike Matheny and quality control/catching coach Pedro Grifol, according to Pedro Gomez of ESPN. Matheny comes with vast experience as a manager at the sport’s highest level, having led the Cardinals from 2012-18. The Redbirds went a more-than-respectable 591-474 with four playoff berths in that span, but they missed the postseason in each of Matheny’s final three campaigns. While St. Louis put up nice overall results under Matheny, he was a frequent target of criticism throughout his tenure with the franchise. Grifol, who managed in the Seattle farm system from 2003-05 and again in 2012, has been a coach in the KC organization for seven years.
- One of Kansas City’s former players and coaches, Jason Kendall, told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he’s eyeing the Pirates’ managerial post. “There’s something that I owe to the city of Pittsburgh,” Kendall said. “I truly believe that. That’s why I would be interested in sitting down and talking about it.” Kendall’s best known for his excellent run as the Pirates’ catcher from 1996-2004, and the $60MM extension he signed with the Bucs in 2000 is still a franchise record to this day. The 45-year-old Kendall has never managed, though he did work as a special assignment coach in KC from 2012-18. Kendall believes that experience (in which he was part of a World Series winner in 2015) and his long playing career have prepared him for a managerial position. That said, there’s no indication the Pirates are interested in discussing the job with him.
Funny stuff from Kendall.
Right? Thanks Jason. We aren’t interested.
I couldn’t disagree more. Kendall would be an excellent choice.
Pirates roster/system is in bad,bad shape, and a tactical coach is not the answer. (had one named Clint Hurdle and it wasn’t the right fit for a young roster)
Jason Kendall is the man, and his personality could get the team to really buy-in to a system powered by mentality, teamwork and momentum.
(as opposed to overthinking strategy)
Face it, Buccos are in hail mary mode, so a personality like Kendall might just be the best chance to counter an enevetable rebuild
So Jason Kendall feels he “owes” it to the city of pittsburgh to take a million dollars a year to manage the team?
Tell Kendall that we consider his debt paid in full.
Good one!
Morosi is reaching with this story which isn’t a surprise.
Showalter is a poor candidate for a managing job in 2019 and “he once had Machado on his team” is not a qualification.
The interview questions for the Royals job were leaked – “where would you bat Alicides Escobar?”. Matheny is the only one to answer unequivocally leadoff. Congrats to the new manager!
Sad but true.
Ah…. that good old esky magic….Only valid in the playoffs & in the months of December & January in the state of Vermont. Matheny would be a terrible choice & I hope Dayton Moore doesn’t make it! I would much rather have Pedro Grifol or Raul Ibanez.
you got to remember Esky DID get that inside the park homerun in game one of the World Series in 2015……I think that’s the only time Esky magic DID work……
Esky?
The Padres are doomed with Preller in charge. He’ll hire the wrong person…..
Lol yea leave it to Preller to screw it up again
You are foolish if you think the decision is only Preller’s. Ron Fowler and the rest of the group will have their hands in it. It’s more likely they tell Preller who to hire.
I think it’ll be more of a…
what are your final 3.
A
B
C
Then he will have to explain to them why
A B or C will work for them.
Pros and Cons and then go from there.
Not only is prellers job on the line by it appears that if they don’t make the playoffs next year… Fowler May step down and an entire shake up will be made.
One of my first jobs in media was covering the Pirates for a local tv station….. Jason Kendall and Brian Giles were the most divisive guys in the clubhouse…. no way would he be the right guy to lead one
Absolutely correct. Kendall became such a negative force that the Pirates shipped to Oakland for a couple of warm bodies. He “owed” Pittsburgh and its team some positive leadership while he was the highest paid Pirate in the early days of PNCPark. I’d be surprised if he even got a courtesy interview.
I dunno, him and Gary Sheffield got along great.
The Pirates might to some fake interviews for show, but they’re just going to hire someone from within who can be their next puppet “yes man”.. Jeff Bannister or Tom Prince.
Ding Ding Ding !
Matheny’s wins as a manager are credible.
2012 – 88 wins
2013 – 97
2014 – 90
2015 – 100
2016 – 86
2017 – 83
Yes but last year he was fired when they were barely above 500!
They won the NL Central with the new manager, not with Matheny obviously.
I heard that matheny has terrible chemistry in the clubhouse. With new guys coming up within the next couple years I would not want to expose them to that.
Dusty Baker says hello to Mike Matheny. Regular season wins with good teams. An 11 year old could post 90 win seasons with good players. Dusty Baker’s last 4 years as a manager: 97 wins, 90, 95, 97. In his career, he had a 103 win season and NINE SEASONS of 90+ wins. What did he make? ONE WS appearance? But Matheny did win a Little League 14U title in Chesterfield, Mo. Or did he lose that too? I can’t recall. He probably can’t either, unfortunately.
NO Metheny!!!!
You bring up a good point. Was Matheny on meth? We’ll never know. Let’s open the phone lines. Caller, you’re on the air.
My biggest takeaway was a $60 million dollar contract extension that was signed 19 years ago is still a Pirates record. How are you even able to make the handful of playoff trips they did make with a minute budget like that?
Glad I’m not the only one who that jumped out at…
Oakland and Tampa make it happen.
Tampa would be like I’ll give you a 20 years, 61 mil dollar contract.
Oakland has spent some money. How much was the fee for cespedes ?
I just looked it up. I stand corrected 4 years and 32 million
36 million *
Would be interesting to see Ron Washington in San Diego. Not sure if it would work , but he had a good year or two with Texas when they were young.Maybe give A.J Ellis a chance ? He had no managerial experience but have to think that all that time shadowing managers he could mold and grow with a team.
If he can stay off the booger sugar
Morosi is one of the worst offenders when it comes to reaching, but if there’s any truth at all to the “expectations” out of San Diego, he’s basically saying they’re going to hire Bruce Bochy. That wouldn’t really come as a surprise after he basically walked back his retirement and has ties to the Padres.
I doubt there’s any other real candidate out there. I can’t see Maddon having any interest in dealing with Machado and his antics, and I feel like for him it’s either the Mets or go back to Anaheim and finish where he started.