MLB Offseason: Manager Signings
With the 2023 baseball season in the books, we have come to the part of the season where change is inevitable and anything can happen. Very similar to a baseball game except we are talking about front office changes, manager moves and big signings from the game’s biggest stars. For now, we are going to take a dive into the signings and movements the Captains of these ships. The Managers.
Chicago Cubs:
Craig Counsell: Counsell was not expected to stay within his division. Rumor had it he was in deep talks with the Mets and that was where many thought he would end up. However, he shocked everyone by signing with the Chicago Cubs. He comes from the Milwaukee Brewers where he was their manager from 2015 through this past 2023 season. Prior to that, he was a player for various teams from 1995 to 2011. During his tenure at Milwaukee, he took the team to the postseason 5 out of his 9 seasons. The Cubs are looking for that kind of drive. Will he be able to help them find the identity they have been desperately lacking since their historic World Series win in 2016?
San Fransisco Giants:
Bob Melvin: Coming from the division rival San Diego Padres, Melvin comes to the bay with an impressive and extensive resume with managerial and coaching experience dating back to 2003. He started managing with the Mariners from 2003-2004 before moving to the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2005 to 2009. He was then the long time manager of the Oakland Athletics from 2011 to 2021 before moving down the coast to the San Diego Padres from 2022 and 2023. Melvin is inheriting a team that has made valiant attempts at post season runs under Gabe Kapler but came up short 3 of the last 4 years. Is Melvin the veteran presence this team needs to lead them against their powerhouse rivals to the south?
New York Mets:
Carlos Mendoza: Not a whole lot is known about Mr. Mendoza. He was a player in the minor leagues for 13 years before becoming a coach in the Yankees Minor League system in 2009. He was a manager for a couple years (2011 and 2012) before becoming a roving defense instructor in the organization after 2012. Mendoza was promoted to the Yankees staff in 2018 as their infield coach and then after the 2019 season was again promoted to Bench Coach. Replacing Josh Bard. Given the recent disappointments that have been plaguing the Yankees, was keeping this position internal the right move?
San Diego Padres:
Mike Shildt: Shildt was hired on to fill the vacancy left when Bob Melvin went North to take over the Giants. He has served as the manager for the St. Louis Cardinals from 2018 to 2021- winning Manager of the Year in 2019. During his time with the Cardinals, he took the team to the postseason 3 of the 4 seasons he was there. The Padres are another team in the NL West that are looking to make an honest effort at dethroning the Dodgers. With Shildt’s playoff experience, are we about to see a turn in the tide for the NL powerhouses?
Houston Astros:
Joe Espada: After one of the most impressive managerial careers and a World Series title, Dusty Baker called it a day. So the Astros needed to fill his very big shoes. Who better than the man whose been Dusty’s right hand since 2020? Espada brings both coaching and managerial experience having been a third base coach for the Marlins and the Yankees organizations before being hired by the Astros in 2017 as their bench coach. He has interviewed for managerial positions in the past (Texas Rangers 2018 and Chicago Cubs 2019). Can Espada keep the success train chugging along or is the beginning of the end for the Astros reign in AL West?
Los Angeles Angels:
Ron Washington: Oh man- when you need a veteran managerial presence to get a team moving in the right direction, Ron Washington is the guy you call. Washington managed the Texas Rangers from 2007 to 2014 where he took the team to the World Series in back to back years. Since 2014, he’s been a third base and infield coach for the Oakland A’s and Atlanta Braves- winning a World Series with the team in 2021. This is going to be a very interesting season coming up for the Angels with the possibility of their biggest names on the move- can Washington take this team from last place duds to first place studs?
Cleveland Guardians:
Stephen Vogt: With Terry Francona retiring at the end of the 2023 season, the Guardians were in need of not only a new manager, but someone who knows how to connect to the players. Who better than a recently retired catcher who has some albeit minimal Major League coaching experience? Vogt retired from the game in 2022 after spending 11 years with 7 different teams. In 2023, he served as the bullpen and quality control Coach for the Mariners. He will become the second youngest manager in the league behind Oli Marmol who runs the Cardinals.
Milwaukee Brewers:
Pat Murphy: With Craig Counsell’s departure to the cubs, Bench Coach Pat Murphy has been promoted to Manager. He comes with decades of coaching experience both at the collegiate and professional levels. Prior to his hiring with the Brewers in 2015, he was with the San Diego Padres from 2010 where he held various managerial positions within the organization and it’s affiliates. He even served as interim manager after the manager Bud Black was fired in 2015. The Brewers are a team that have struggled to take their regular season success into the postseason. Is Murphy going to be the one to get them over the hump and possibly a titale?
