Some Managerial Candidates Surface
by Jon Shields ~ November 3rd, 2008
There is a chance Zduriencik will interview managerial candidates this week, but he said he’s more likely to make those calls after the GM meetings are over.
One of his prime candidates, former Oakland skipper Ken Macha, was taken out of the equation when he signed on as the Milwaukee Brewers’ new manager. However, former Brewers manager Ned Yost is available and thought to be high on Zduriencik’s list.
Jim Riggleman, who finished the 2008 season as the Mariners manager, is on the list. The group also includes former managers Willie Randolph (Mets), Lloyd McClendon (Pirates), Bob Brenly (Diamondbacks) and Art Howe (A’s and Mets); Triple-A Louisville manager Rick Sweet, a former Seattle catcher; former Mariners infielder Joey Cora; and Yost’s friend, former big league catcher Ted Simmons.
I’ve also heard Alan Trammell’s name come up.
Not the most encouraging list in the world. The former managers all have spotty track records at best and you never know what you’ll be getting out of a first time manager. We may dive deeper into this later on, but for now we’ll leave it at this.
Thoughts?
11 Responses to Some Managerial Candidates Surface
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1 November 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Please not Riggleman…
2 November 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 pm
The more books I read on baseball statistical analysis, and game strategy, the more and more I’m convinced that managers have a very small affect on the outcome of a game…
That being said, there is an affect, and I would want an experienced mananger.
3 November 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I want a capable lineup-assembler.
4 November 3rd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
It seems to me that the lineup is a crucial skill for the manager to have. How many times during the past few years that McLaren, Hardgrove, and Riggleman sent whats-his-name out as DH or a first baseman who had no part of the future instead of playing a younger player or sending Ibanez out to LF or …I could go on and on. I just hope for my sanity the manager has some skill in this area. I am no baseball expert but I know enough to see blatant mistakes.
Also, Jon I appreciate your frequent posts. This is the most enjoyable part of the baseball season for me especially since we have new GM and he seems so far that he knows what he is doing. We shall see.
5 November 3rd, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I’m right there with ya, chris. I lot of me loves the offseason even more than when the games are being played.
As far as experience goes, I would gladly take no experience over bad experience. Trammell managed the worst team in MLB history in 2003 and had a .383 winning percentage in three seasons with the Tigers, McCLendon has also managed a 100 loss team and has a winning percentage of .430. Sure, they didn’t have the most to work with, but they have to be held accountable for at least some fraction of their teams’ struggles.
Howe has had some success, but his best years record-wise were in Oakland when he was merely Billy Beane’s puppet. Not to mention that he’s softer than McLaren.
Randolph and Brenly have had success. Brenly won a World Series in his first year managing before sliding off a cliff and Randolph simply doesn’t have a good reputation.
None of those guys sound like stellar options to me, and I’m interested in learning more about Sweet and Simmons.
6 November 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Geoff Baker on Seattle Times Blog seems to think that Bobby Valentine is a viable option as he wants to return to US. Apparently he would not be soft and would not take s**t from anyone, any player. Of course he does have a reputation for his unpredictable behavior and wildness.
Does anyone know about his lineup or his strategy skills?
7 November 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Yes, Valentine has expressed interest in the job, though it isn’t yet known if the interest is mutual.
Valentine is known as a good tactical manager and as a decent motivator as well, from what I can remember anyway (someone correct me if I’m wrong).
8 November 4th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Add Brad Mills the Red Sox bench coach to the list of candidates.
9 November 4th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Not a good list.
Ken Macha and Randolph and too strict with their players often causing clubhouse problems. Riggleman was a bad manager in my eyes, Ned Yost isn’t that great of a manager either, though he would be a good clubhouse and player fit. Joey Cora really?
Eh, list could be much better.
10 November 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Larry LaRue suggests that Nintendo could demand that Bobby V gets the job, or at least strong consideration. Considering the Kenji contract, it wouldn’t surprise me, but I wouldn’t count on it either.
11 November 5th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
I would take Valentien over any of those other candidates.