Former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler will receive a second interview with the Giants, per SiriusXM’s Craig Mish (Twitter link). He’s one of two candidates now reported to have received a second-round interview in San Francisco’s managerial search, joining Houston bench coach Joe Espada in that regard. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets that the second round of interviews will likely be narrowed to a total of three or four candidates, thus putting Kapler and Espada on a short list.
Kapler, 44, was let go by the Phillies two-thirds of the way through his three-year contract. He’s surely quite familiar with Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, given that Zaidi’s time as general manager of the Dodgers overlapped with Kapler’s time as the director of player development with the Dodgers. Kapler has also managed in the Red Sox’ minor league ranks and spent parts of a dozen seasons as an outfielder in the Major Leagues.
The Giants have reportedly interviewed a pair of internal candidates — bench coach Hensley Meulens and third base coach Ron Wotus — in addition to Royals quality control coach Pedro Grifol, Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay, Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro and Cubs first base coach Will Venable. Whether the ultimate choice is Kapler, Espada or one of the other known candidates, the 2020 Giants skipper will have some enormous shoes to fill. Franchise icon Bruce Bochy walked away this winter after 13 seasons, 1052 wins and three World Series titles as the manager of the Giants, though Bochy recently suggested that he could be amenable to one more run as a manager after taking a year off next season.
Updates on the Giants’ search and the other ongoing (and recently completed) managerial searches throughout the league can be followed here.
The Giants and Kapler are perfect for one another.
Does Gabe Kapler have 3 rings in the last decade
I prefer Espada, but if Farhan really sees something in Kapler, I wouldn’t doubt him. Not all managers are successful on their first gigs, and it’s not like the Giants are in the same situation as Philly is, where you can envision a similar outcome.
This would be the one decision I’d doubt Farhan on. Kapler has shown no evidence he will be a good MLB manager.
But they are obviously delaying their search for Espada, so he has to be leading candidate.
Hope you’re right. Espada seems like a great choice. Kapler? #NotInThisLifetime
Well Espada is still in the post season. You have not thought that that is the delay?
Kapler is obviously the best choice among the current candidates. Espada, while a qualified candidate is way more risky. Gabe has 2 yrs managerial experience + minor league managing experience while Espada has only coached winter ball. Kapler was director of player development in Los Angeles. He set the tone for LADs hugely successful youth movement. Espada has front office experience too but at more of an insignificant level as an advisor . Kapler played in the bigs for a long time. He was a grinder and has a World Series ring from 2004 in Boston. Espada never played in the bigs. That’s hugely important from a clubhouse respect point of view. Big league players have a hard time digesting information from guys who never played at that level.
Giants fans hatred towards Kapler is nonsensical. They’re silly and clearly uninformed. They’d be lucky to land Kapler
I hope Espada gets the job. Kapler probably deserves a second chance though.
Oh no!
Does anyone know why Bob Brenley never gets considered for any managerial jobs? I’m just curious.
He is 65, hasn’t managed in a very long time and has proven to be a fossil with his commentary.
Don;t hold back. tell us how you really feel. LOL!!!
That “fossil” knows more about baseball than 99.999% of people on the planet.
im assuming A-Rod makes up the last of that margin to make it a full 100%?
Swing and miss.
Good lord, NO.
PLEASE hire this guy. The Giants will be a wreck for a few years and that is always a good thing!
Really, They had their fun in the sun as a dynasty. And their fans were annoying about it in the way Astros fans are and will continue to be if they win this Series. Time for other teams.
Oh boohoo Lol, the Giants fans were annoying? It seems like so would be the Yankees fans along with any other team that isn’t your team right? Smh!
Hopefully he’s just a backup option to Espada. Or a backup option to Kotsay, who is a backup option to Espada. Or even a backup option to Bam Bam, who is a backup option to Kotsay, who is a backup option to Espada.
Kapler has show no evidence he’s a good MLB manager. Maybe Farhan likes him for a front office job?
Bambam would be worse than Kapler. Wotus was a better option than bambam. Espada one, Grifol two, Kotsay three, i guess Kapler four. Bambam should get cut loose.
I would hire Bam Bam because I thought that his mother Betty was pretty perky.
Hire Gabe for a yr before bringing back Bochy
HAHAHA.
LOL.
LMAO.
LMFAO.
Bochy was a mediocre regular season manager, even before the game changed dramatically in 2016.
The game didn’t change. Just some people’s perception of it changed. The game is pretty much the same as it has always been.
???
That’s my favorite line from Blue Chips
8 postseason appearances between 1996 and 2016 with a couple of close calls. That’s not mediocrity. Google Toronto Blue Jays if you want mediocrity in the 21st century.
You’re a joke bro! Bochy a mediocre manager? Sounds like you’re a hater! Back that statement up with stats! Smh
Why isn’t Clint Hurdle being mentioned for any managerial opening?
Hurdles wife barely wants him, let alone a MLB franchise with any hopes of success.
Thats a pretty low rent comment. Hurdle got a deserved firing, but unlike you, you loser, he made something of himself. Unlike you, he has done great things other than serve himself, like raise money for Prader Willi syndrome, which by the way, his child has. Now go back to loser video games and loser life and dont comment again.
Oh, and somehow the Pirates put up 98 wins under his watch and somehow the Rockies went to a world series. What have you done???
well that hit a nerve. I must be hitting a little too close to home for you?
I think that’s actually Clint Hurdle
Lmao
Pirates fan here and it was time for Clint to go and it is interesting that no one evidently has any interest in him.
It would perhaps not be a long shot though for the Royals job if Matheny is not picked.
Clepto is probably just frustrated with all of the dumba$$es That post on this site.
Ummm … why ?
Gabe Kapler is a good manager. The perception of him is off base. This would be a good move for any club.
And you basing the opinion that he is a good manager on what exactly? The fact that he likes sabermetrics? Because it surely can’t be the results of the last two seasons in Philly,
Kapler is not to blame for Harper, Hoskins, Segura, Efflin, Nola, etc. underperforming. He is also not responsible for the injury that presumably was the cause of Arrieta’s poor showing. Those all played, IMHO, the deciding roles in eliminating this team from a rightful presence in the postseason, which should have been a lock. I believe the gm, ownership and Kapler did everything they could to make happen. The players and, in Arrieta’s case, unfortunate injury dashed their hopes. I am not a Kapler lover. I just can’t fault him for this year’s outcome. Not in the least. I think the team’s senior management/ownership shot a scapegoat.
are you really blaming Harper, Segura, and Eflin for this? they all had at least acceptable years given what was to be expected. no, Kapler could have done better with that roster, regadless of how each player underpreformed. there was enough production for that team to do much better then they did, even if they never really looked like a playoff team. even then, lacking talent or not, Kapler constantly made the wrong mistake and probably would have lost the team more games if the opposing teams didnt reciprocate on many occasions.
In what world did Harper underperform? I’d take those numbers every year.
The idiot fringe of the Sf giants fans love to talk crap about Harper. You’re right, anyone would live his numbers. They talk about Belt as if he was Ted Williams and dude still has never hit 20hr and over 82 rbis
The roughly 300 games I watched him manage. The guy had bad teams. That’s what it boils down to. Talent wins. The guy managed a team with a run differential of -20 to a .500 record. He deserves way more credit than he gets for his ability to manage a bullpen. He did a very good job of getting the most out of a bunch of pitchers that don’t even belong on a 40-man roster.
This is correct. He is by far The Giants strongest candidate and given the fact that the Giants managerial job isn’t greet doesn’t have much to offer. They should grab Kapler.
I think the only reason he’s even considering Frisco is because of his relationship w Zaidi
Strongest manager is a bit of hyperbole. He’d be good if chosen, but Espada seems to make more sense now.
Sarcasm? I wouldn’t wish him on my worst enemy…the Giants even…
i dont doubt Kapler can be an average manager – he’s done it twice now with both good and bad rosters – but id be skeptical at this time that he can be above average. he needs to manage in the minors a year or two before he tries another MLB gig.
What are you talking about? Gabe managed minor league in Boston
Gross. Do not want him in SF. He’s the absolute worst choice for the Giants.
Gross? Do you still listen to Brittny Spears or order the kids happy meal at McDonalds ?
Greg or Kevin? They would both be better choices than Krapler….
Kapler got off on the wrong foot and was not a good fit in Philadelphia.
That being said no one could have won with that pitching staff and all of the injuries to the relievers.
He needs to clean up his act in certain ways.
(1)he is always too positive and he needs to call things as they are instead of what he hopes that they are
(2)uses analytics way too much in not being able to properly communicate it to players and get their buy in
(3)he needs to be able to come down on players who deserve it
(4)he needs to communicate better when he does come down on players
I think that if he has learned from his mistakes he will fit in much better on the west coast and away from Philadelphia where outsiders are automatically met with skepticism.
in other words…..he needs to do everything a good MLB manager does instead of what he does….We should have convinced Krapler that it was “opposite day” for the last few months of the season….
Yo Giants fans…I don’t know why I care if your team makes a mistake that will keep you from winning but….you seriously gotta do something about this now before it’s too late. Call the teams office and tell them no way, picket the stadium and for gods sake lock up your supplies of coconut oil…….Media outside of Philly gives way too much credit to Krapler. He’s nothing more than an oiled up cheerleader and is very responsible for the lack of progress the Phils made under his torturous reign….don’t let the injuries fool you. Gab Krapler is just as he appears, one of those bs’ing motivational types that has no grasp of reality and only succeeds at annoying you to the point you just want him to go away….
I wonder, Kapler couldn’t figure out how to be above .500 with Realmuto, Nola, Segura, Hoskins, Harper, etc., what’s he going to do with any other lineup?