MLB Manager Rumors 10-27
The MLB manager rumors hot stove continues to heat up. Four teams filled their openings this past week. Joe Maddon will now be leading the Los Angeles Angels. The Philadelphia Phillies tabbed Joe Girardi to skipper their team. Both Girardi and Maddon are very experienced managers. The San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs chose to go in another direction when they hired first-time managers. Jayce Tingler is heading to the Padres and David Ross stays in the Windy City where he once played. But several openings still remain. Here are the latest MLB manager rumors for 10-27.
Then There Were Four
Four teams are still looking to find their next manager. Those four teams are the New York Mets, the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Kansas City Royals. The rumors are really picking up for the Mets, Pirates, and Giants while not so much for the Royals.
The King of New York
If there was ever a team that is really trying to make everyone guess it’s the Mets. The original candidate list was eight strong. Girardi was hired by the division-rival Phillies and two of the original candidates reportedly did not have a second interview. The five finalists were said to be former Mets players Carlos Beltran and Tim Bogar, former Major League player Eduardo Perez, Luis Rojas who is part of the Mets organization and Minnesota Twins bench coach Derek Shelton.
This past week there was a rumored mystery bombshell candidate. It is now reported that the candidate is Pat Murphy. Murphy is currently the bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. In typical Mets fashion, they let their fanbase and the New York Media have fun with this only to fool them with Murphy. Murphy is hardly a bombshell candidate.
Murphy and the other five finalists already have had two interviews. A third round of interviews is expected but not confirmed. Met fans have long feared that General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen is not qualified to make this hire. Now with a third round of interviews apparently on the horizon it certainly seems that this may be the case.
Perez has reportedly moved to the front of the list.
Pat Murphy, Brewers bench coach, was the Mets’ mystery “bombshell” candidate. Like the others he’s had 2 interviews. Still in play: Bogar, Perez, Beltran, Rojas, Shelton, Murphy. @Ken_Rosenthal and @ByRobertMurray on it. There’s expected to be a 3rd round but not a certainty.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 27, 2019
Eduardo Perez has emerged as the clear front runner for #Mets managerial job
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 25, 2019
San Francisco Treat
The Giants have officially eliminated Ron Wotus from consideration to be their next manager. The second round of interviews has already begun. Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada already had his second interview. Several names are still reportedly in play.
Former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler is a favorite of Giants President Farhan Zaidi. Oakland Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay is a name that has a lot of steam behind it. Kotsay is considered someone who will get his chance to be a manager if not this year then next year. The Giants have also interviewed their bench coach this past season Hensley Meulens.
Royals quality control coach Pedro Grifol is still in the running. Grifol also is a candidate for the Royals managerial opening. Will Venable who was the Cubs first base coach last season and Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro both have also been interviewed.
It is not yet known which candidates besides Espada will be asked back for the second round of interviews.z
Steel City Skipper
It has been reported the Pirates had planned on interviewing at least 10 candidates for their open manager position. Nine of those candidates are known with four of them under consideration for other team openings. Derek Shelton, Matt Quatraro, Mark Kotsay, and Joe Espada are high on other teams lists.
Athletics bench coach Ryan Christenson, St. Louis Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp, Los Angeles Dodgers bench coach George Lombard, Arizona Diamondbacks director of player development Mike Bell and Pirates special assistant Jeff Banister round out the nine candidates.
The Pirates 2019 season ended so badly the team is going to be patient in finding a new manager. The search will continue into November
From the beginning I’ve been told the Pirates’ plan was to speak to at least 10 managerial candidates in person. They had a huge list of potential managers & are still paring it down.
— Nubyjas Wilborn (@nwilborn19) October 25, 2019
Royal Flush
With the sale of the team taking center stage, it has directly affected the search for a new manager. But it does appear the Royals will be staying house for their next manager.
Their bullpen coach Vance Wilson has interviewed for the open manager spot. Pedro Grifol also is under consideration. Former Cardinals manager and now Royals special advisor Mike Matheny is considered a favorite for the position.
It’s unknown whether Mike Matheny will be announced today as manager of the #Royals or after the Series.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 24, 2019
