2020 Phillies Manager Rumors and Speculation

[BostonRoss]

I don't want Showalter or Scioscia. One World Series appearance in 39 combined seasons of managing.

Joe Girardi and Ron Washington intrigue me though Washington is 67 years old. Wathan is kind of a blank slate to me--I don't give a lot of credit to minor league managing experience (it failed spectacularly the last time we tried it).

[flyers19rw]

Age is the least of Washington’s troubles. I can’t see him getting any consideration with his history of drug problems and past sexual assault accusations.

[bkeich]

This is going to be an odd problem.

The team has stated they want an experienced manager. Our recent streak of "first time" managers going all the way back to Ryan Sandberg show that it is time to do something different.

The team also obviously wants a manager who is an expert with modern statistical analysis of the game. They have spent a great deal of money and have given the impression of being an advanced statistical team (although one would argue they dont seem t be using that information very well).

That is a difficult... impossible (?) combination. Oddly enough the only guy that now meets that criteria is ... Gabe Kapler. I dont think any of the possible candidates except for Maddon really meets the criteria, which is exactly why WE COULDNT WAIT AS LONG AS WE DID. Now Maddon is apparently deep into discussions with the Angels, maybe we can still get him, maybe not, but waiting like this put us in a big, big hole.

Any other experienced, modern managers out there?

[nycphils]

Girardi is probably the best fit - plenty of experience with the Yankees analytics bent but respected enough and experienced enough that he may be given a little bit of leeway.

[bkeich]

ut respected enough and experienced enough that he may be given a little bit of leeway.

I fear that may be issue. With MacPhail and Klentak on thin ice (last chance) with this hiring, it is very possible that there will be NO leeway. If correct, my fear is that experienced manager will realize this.

I dont know that these guys are actually on thin ice, but it is reasonable to guess the way Middleton made this decision himself that he is not completely happy with them either. We will see.

[Squire]

Curt Schilling throws his hat into the ring!

[bigegypt0417]

he can hire Lenny Dykstra and Mike Schmidt...it would be a real hoot!

[julio]

Curt always did lead with his ego.

[teabag259]

Girardi please.

[zambonir]

Hah, yes, just hire Lenny as manager and Curt as pitching coach and you're done. Pete as batting coach, unofficially.

The often unreliable Bob Nightengale is to blame for that one.

Bob Nightengale on Twitter

[zambonir]

I think the opposite, if someone like Girardi or Showalter comes in they will see that they have have more power than their boss, and would likely also survive their boss (a new GM is not going to be allowed to fire the high-paid, brand-name manager after one season, and it's MIddleton's show anyway, and he's not going anywhere).

I don't like it, in the big picture, but it won't necessarily stop anyone from taking the gig.

I don't think Washington was ever actually accused of sexual assault, though he had an affair, and if it was in a professional context that could have been sexual harassment. But this is probably correct, especially in 2019 once the teams and media are reminded of all that stuff he probably is better off staying a coach.

How old is too old, really? Joe Maddon is 65 so why not a 67 year-old? Scioscia and Showalter are also in their 60s (I really can't see it being Scioscia). Baker is 70.

I'm just not super-impressed with Girardi either, he's only been to one World Series too. I don't think that's his fault though, any more than it's a knock on the other guys.

Interesting (if meaningless) - actually sounds like Kapler, except with a hard-ass personality. Which is what the Phillies probably want.

MLB rumors: Ex-Yankee explains why Mets should have reservations about Joe...

A ‘smartest guy in the room’ manager is miserable for players and coaches. You feel like you’re always being talked down to.

[bigegypt0417]

Phillies will interview Dusty Baker next week.

Ugh

[fish]

Phillies will interview Dusty Baker next week.

Ugh

Hiring him would ruin baseball for me the next 2 years until he’s fired.

[zambonir]

Man, I love Dusty as a person. And he's been around too long to let a team use him as minority interview PR. But I doubt he's seriously one of the Top 3 candidates. It's just that those guys are all up for other jobs (Maddon most of all, Girardi a bunch, Showalter a bit less so).

And he does generally win. I'd be a fan if he got the job. But given how sensitive Middleton seems to be to fan sentiment, I don't see it. If you guys (presumably for pure baseball reasons) are already unhappy, imagine that combined with Philly's deep-seated casual racism and his inevitable dust-ups with Eskin and Cataldi.

[saycheese]

This is where I am at. An experienced manager might not want to come here if he thinks we are void of talent (like alot of folks make us out to be). However, if he thinks there is talent here and knows the owner is going to continue to spend, then they would still come even if they think Klentak and Failure are lame ducks. The reason why is they may think they are the missing piece and can win with this bunch. The fact that three of the bigger names in Showalter, Girardi and Baker are taking the interviews mean they are less concerned about potential lame duck status. I still believe in the end Dusty Wathan is going to be the next manager but the fact that they have three coming is a plus. I honestly like Girardi the best but would be fine with Showalter and Baker as they both have won many games. I mean Baker has 97,90,95,97 wins the last four years in Washington.

[zambonir]

Dusty was only in DC for two years - but he won 90, 91 and 97 three of his last four years in Cincinnati too.

If it is Wathan or some other less bold-faced name that means Klentak still has the most power. The name managers, not so much. But that's nothing new either - Charlie had more power than Amaro (until he started losing). They would also probably get deals that are longer than Klentak and MacPhail's current deals (though they could still be fired of course).

While I personally would give Wathan a shot, or go looking for the next AJ Hinch, the nature of this team's roster, payroll and short-term goals definitely call for a quick-fix turnaround artist, and that's Showalter or Baker. Girardi and Maddon are both qualified to plug right into a veteran team as well of course.

[flyers19rw]

From what we know, Middleton will pay whatever it takes to get the manager that he wants. That’s not going to be the issue with the new guy. What will matter is the power that the newbie will have in the organization. For that reason, a strong personality might be able to reach past MacPhail and Klentak, if need be, to access Middleton to get what he wants. At this point, Middleton doesn’t seem to be overly enthralled with the decision making by MacPhail and Klentak. If he was, he wouldn’t have reached out to all of the people that he did in order to get their reads on the club after mid season.

[andyb]

When Dusty took the Nats job he was severely underpaid. He simply wanted to manage. Probably made it easier to fire him unfortunately.

[zambonir]

It will be real interesting to see what the Phillies pay their manager. For all of Middleton's bluster you don't necessarily expect the Phillies (and certainly not MacPhail and Klentak) to buck the trend of declining manager salaries (even though it's nothing to a high-$ team, or any team really considering Maikel Franco makes more than most managers).

Gabe made a mere six figures. Maddon made $6 million. Dave Roberts isn't making much either. One assumes Moreno will give Maddon whatever he wants but that doesn't mean the Mets or Phillies will follow suit with Girardi etc.

[bigegypt0417]

Phillies will be interviewing Baker, Girardi and Showalter with week...it seems like they are hiring a name this time around and not a young up and comer.

maybe that's a good thing.