Some front office and dugout items from around the game…
- Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey turned down a request to interview for the top baseball operations job with the Red Sox, La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. There wasn’t much public news about Boston’s search prior to the hiring of Chaim Bloom as the new CBO earlier this week, though there had been rumors that the Sox might have interest in Massachusetts native Falvey, and Neal indeed writes that Falvey was “high on their list of candidates.” Reports from earlier this month suggested that Falvey and the Twins could be close to a contract extension, in the wake of Minnesota’s 101-win season.
- Braves third base coach Ron Washington was the runner-up in the Padres’ managerial search and also won’t be taking on a bench coach job with San Diego, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports (subscription required). There had been speculation that Washington could provide a veteran counsel to first-time manager Jayce Tingler, though it appears that Washington will remain in his current job in Atlanta.
- Lin’s piece also details the risk GM A.J. Preller is taking in hiring another first-time skipper in what seems like a must-win year for the Padres. Going into such a pivotal season, however, Preller “preferred to take his chances with a candidate he clearly knows and has long held in high regard.” Lin also notes that Preller originally tried to hire Tingler away from the Rangers when Preller first became San Diego’s general manager back in 2014.
- The general consensus has been that the Royals would wait to hire their new manager until John Sherman officially took ownership of the franchise, though GM Dayton Moore tells Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star that this isn’t the case. “We have been given full autonomy to hire the next manager of the Kansas City Royals when we feel that we are ready and the process is complete. That could be today, tomorrow or sometime prior to the winter meetings,” Moore said, noting that Sherman has already been involved in the search process.” Since Moore described the front office as still being “in the middle of a very thorough process,” however, a new managerial hire doesn’t yet seem near. Royals special advisor and former Cardinals manager Mike Matheny has been widely seen as the favorite for the job, and to date, the only other publicly known candidates are also internal names, though the club has spoken to some external candidates.
joedirte4life
Ozzie Albies is like a son to Ron Washington and wont leave him unless he has manager job. But Washington does deserve another chance.
jhuck5
think Washington will take over for Snitker soon.
802Ghost
As a Braves fan, I’m not sure how I feel about that.. But, I’d be open to it. I do think he’s different enough from Snitker/Fredi/Bobby, that it’ll be good.
However, part of me would really like a complete different direction for the Braves. I think Snitker is too much like Bobby.
toastyroasty
Snicker is a good manager. Cox was a great manager. Fredie did nothing but suck
BravesCanada
Snitker refused to take Markakis out of the number 5 hole all year. There is not reason he should even start against lefties and Snit had him hitting 5th.
PhilsPhan
and a delicious candy bar
crazylarry
Great Mgrs win more than once in 15 straight years. If he was in football his name would be Marty Schottenheimer.
802Ghost
Great? I’m not sure I’d go great, given the failures of World Series’
Snit has his issues, especially in the pitching department.
802Ghost
Markakis is fine in the 5th hole. He puts good contact with the ball, moves ’em over when he needs to. He doesn’t strikeout. He’s a great #5 hitter.
black69
Agreed. Markakis was a fantastic 5 hole hitter. He hits singles consistently when needed.
grndslam
google.com/amp/s/amp.si.com/mlb/2010/03/17/washing…
bravesfan
Braves need to do everything they can to keep Washington. Pay him well enough to not want to manage another team. I like having so many coaches with management experience on our staff. It’s important
BravesFan80
So glad Wash is staying in Atlanta!
lowtalker1
Says who?
Bench coach is an upgrade over 3rd base coach. Someone offered him that position and he wanted it… well
bravesfan
Upgrade is all relative when you already have solid management experience like Washington. Pay is the bigger concern. Would a bench coach get paid more than a high profile 3rd base coach? Prob depends on the team/market. Idk
Alfred E Neuman
And you know about Washington’s personal priorities how, bravesfan? Has he told you this? I love how fans assume that they know what does and doesn’t matter to professionals with whom they are not personally acquainted.
bravesfan
Yea…. it’s not rocket science Alfred lol. Money will likely influence him more than job title when it comes to non manager status. Especially sense he already has successful Mgmt experience on his resume. Lol Braves coaches (even minor league coaches) are traditionally paid well. I can’t imagine him jumping ship all for a title change unless it’s to be the head ball coach. Now, if ur talking realllly personal stuff, like his relationships or ideal work location… I don’t know that. But assuming he was interviewing for other positions, it appears that personal relationships aren’t gonna play the biggest factor in his decisions. Likely money
wordonthestreet
Why would Washington take the bench coach job to work under a novice manager who beat him out
bravesfan
Right. Only case is if the money is significantly better
khaisch
Really cool that preller was able to hire is friend as the GM. This won’t end poorly. Here’s to 5 more years of mediocrity
bleacherbum
The San Diego Tingler’s
nypadre66
Mediocrity would be a huge improvement over the first 5 years of Preller’s tenure.
jakeryan760
How does a GM hire someone else for GM position?
lowtalker1
I still find it funny that you always link cocaine Ron up to a 20 kids with Pittsburgh
bleacherbum
Washington was the right choice in SD. Completely miss-handled the whole situation. It’s funny that there are actually good amount of Padres fans who are hypnotized by ownership to believe that this was a good hire.
I want to puke when I see the supportive this guy, people digging up YouTube video’s and crowning the guy because he is bi-lingual and loves analytics. Knock it off. I can name 5 candidates who posses the same intangibles, with a far better resume.
This season will end like the last 5 have. There is NO WAY, Jayce Tingler comes in and demands respect from the likes of Machado and Hosmer who will make close to half a billion dollars collectively in their deals with SD, they will quit on this guy as fast as they did with Green. Washington, Girardi and Showalter have all managed teams with big salaries and ego’s, in which they have done well with.
Judd_Skinner
Washington needs to be the next manager in Atlanta. I wish that it were in the 2020 season.
youngTank15
The Orioles should have hired him.
Deleted Userrrrr
Orioles’ new FO is pretty much as close to pure analytics as you can get. No way they would go for a guy like Wash as their manager.
padreforlife
Sure that bench coach job for Padres very appealing not the scratch they are offering and unstable regime most will pass
padreshave32yrstobestdodger1stwswin
The unstable regime is in Washington.
padreforlife
Really team that won pennant or White House
Royalsfan12
Sign this petition so Royals don’t hire Matheny.
chng.it/B7jKmGjc
dynamite drop in monty
Why did I park so far away
hinglemccringleberry
People say what they want about Washington and another guy in dusty baker. Baker is better than 95% of the managers today. I still remember what Washington did in Texas. Why these two aren’t managing, I’m not sure. There are some awful managers in the mlb today. Look no further than Cincinnati and David bell.
wordonthestreet
With Baker it is most likely his age. With Washington it is most likely his drug past
padreshave32yrstobestdodger1stwswin
Word on the street said it is most likely your lack of physical baseball skills and your unsatisfactory reactions in pressure ballfield situations. Either way, they can’t use you.
Deleted Userrrrr
Saw this on another site.
Assuming that the data are iid normal (which is not self evident), if a National League team wins 85 games in 2020, they will have an 8% chance of picking up the second wild card spot. 86 wins gives them a 14% chance. 87 wins gives them a 21% chance. 88 wins gives them a 31% chance. 89 wins gives them a 42% chance. 90 wins gives them a 54% chance. 91 wins gives them a 66% chance. 92 wins gives them a 76% chance. 93 wins gives them an 85% chance. 94 wins gives them a 91% chance. And 95 wins gives them a 95% chance.
The fewest games won by the 2nd national league wild card team since the 2 wild card system was instituted back in 2012 is 87 (the 2016 Mets and Giants and the 2017 Rockies). The most is 97 (the 2015 Cubs).
skip tracey
“it appears that Washington will remain in his current job in Atlanta”
If this holds true then I am very glad to have Ron Washington with the Braves again.
its_happening
Another disappointing season and Preller is gone anyway. He may as well go with the guy he likes a trusts rather than a manager with a track record of turning teams around quickly, like Buck Showalter.
On second thought, the latter idea sounded much better.
fletch
Should’ve hired Falvey and saved the Twins, guy doesn’t know pitching talent even it hit him in the face.
nelsonj6
When I see posts that start with “as a(n) (insert your team here) fan,” I immediately question that commenters intelligence.