There hasn’t been a lot of concrete information about the Marlins’ managerial search, but one formal candidate has now been identified, as Isaac Azout of Fish On First (X link) reports that Tigers bench coach George Lombard will interview about the position this week.
It is the second time in as many days that Lombard has been linked to a managerial opening, as the White Sox also reportedly have interest in speaking with the 49-year-old. Since the Tigers’ surprising playoff run only just ended last Saturday, it makes sense that Lombard is only now becoming available for interviews.
Lombard has some distant past ties to the Miami organization, as he played in the Marlins’ farm system back in 2008 but didn’t see any time with the club at the MLB level. His playing career ran from 1994-2009, and included 144 Major League games with four different teams from 1998-2006. Lombard played in 13 games with the Rays in 2006, though this predated the time that Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix spent in the Tampa front office.
Lombard’s only managerial experience came in the form of two seasons (2011-12) in rookie ball, running the Red Sox Gulf Coast League affiliate. Lombard spent six seasons overall working for Boston as a manager, coach, and coordinator in the minors, then briefly worked in a minor league coordinator role for the Braves in 2015 before the big leagues came calling.
After just a couple of months with Atlanta, Lombard was hired as the Dodgers’ first base coach, a role he held from 2016-20. The first two of Lombard’s seasons in Los Angeles overlaps with Gabe Kapler’s stint as the Dodgers’ director of player development, which creates an interesting link to the Marlins since Kapler is now Miami’s assistant general manager.
Lombard won a World Series ring with L.A. in 2020 and was then hired by the Tigers as their bench coach during the 2020-21 offseason. The responsibilities of a bench coach vary from team to team, but the Detroit News’ Chris McCosky writes that Lombard’s chief duties include offensive game-planning, as well as coaching baserunning and outfield play.
The bench coach hire came after the Tigers also interviewed Lombard for their own managerial vacancy at the time, which was filled by A.J. Hinch. Lombard had previously been on the Pirates’ radar in their managerial search a year prior (before Derek Shelton was hired), and the Red Sox also reportedly had some interest in speaking with Lombard before Alex Cora was re-hired as manager in November 2020.
If hired as the Marlins’ next skipper, Lombard will be tasked with helping turn around a team in the midst of an extensive rebuild both on and off the field. The Marlins made a wide range of firings after the season, letting go of not just Skip Schumaker’s coaching staff but also the team’s conditioning and training crew and the clubhouse attendant staff. Presumably the new manager would have a lot of leeway in hand-picking people to fill these roles, with Bendix and Kapler obviously also having plenty of input.
Speaking of Kapler, Azout also notes that the Marlins have some interest in speaking with Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken about the managerial role. Nakken has been working with San Francisco for over a decade, and her five-year stint on the coaching staff began after Kapler was hired as the Giants’ manager prior to the 2020 season. Her role on the staff bears some similarity to Lombard’s skillset, as Nakken’s duties also included outfield instruction and baserunning.
Nakken became the first woman known to ever receive a proper interview for a Major League managerial position when she spoke to the Giants about their vacancy last October. Obviously history would be made if the Marlins or any other team hired her to run their dugout, though Miami is particularly noteworthy since the organization was also the first to hire a woman (Kim Ng) as general manager. The 34-year-old Nakken would also become the youngest current big league manager.
Apart from Lombard and Nakken, Guardians bench coach Craig Albernaz and former Marlins bench coach Luis Urueta have also been mentioned as candidates under consideration as Miami’s next manager. Former Marlins pitcher Anibal Sanchez has also reached out to the club about the position, but it isn’t known if the Marlins reciprocated that interest.
rememberthecoop
It sounds like perhaps Lombard doesn’t interview well. Either that or he’s unlucky. Or both.
letitbelowenstein
I used to feel that way about DeMarlo Hale.
rememberthecoop
Wonder what they have in comon…
TerryTurnbuckle
The fish may be in disarray but they still have more championships than the choke job Padres
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Terry
The Padres did not choke. Two heavyweight teams played and only one of them could win.
Miami and San Diego are both nice places to live. Maybe San Diego if you are married with kids and Miami if you are single.
fred-3
The Marlins next manager, I mean, sucker
TerryTurnbuckle
Yeah cause being paid to live in Miami and manage baseball would be a dumb life choice. What is wrong with you Fred? Wake up
James Midway
Has anyone considered Rod Barajas?
Badfinger
No.
bigdaddyyardstick
Soooo it doesn’t matter who manages the marlins or the white Sox.. they don’t spend any $$ and they aren’t good so Jesus Christ himself could be the manager .. they aren’t wining a thing .. they don’t prioritize it.. who wants to play there .. no one goes to marlins games and the white Sox stadium is in a demilitarized zone .. it’s a shame because Chicago is a great sports city and the white Sox are a legendary franchise but they are a joke now.. marlins have always been a joke they’ve just stepped in it a few times.. if the white Sox are sold I’d look into moving them
To a better neighborhood and spend some money.. the marlins I’d move all together no one goes to Miami to watch baseball they go to party and hit the beach .. move the marlins to Tennessee or Oklahoma or Iowa or some heartland place where baseball is a thing and change the name imo
geotheo
Kind of ironic that the Marlins and Rockies entered the league at the same time. The Marlins seem to be in rebuilding mode every 2-3 years. New owners, GM’s managers. Fire sale of players. While the Rockies have been an island of stability. Yet it hasn’t worked out for either team. Perhaps the Marlins should show a little patience and not change philosophies every 2-3 years. And Colorado should act with a little more urgency and make the necessary changes. Not since Connie Mack has a manager kept his job after so many losing seasons. And Mack owned the team
TerryTurnbuckle
lol. Marlins have two World Series rings and Rockies have zero fella. Know your stuff.