The Phillies’ managerial search appears to be down to three candidates, who combine for 53 years of experience at running a Major League team. Gabe Kapler was a first-time manager who took an analytics-heavy approach to his role as the Phils’ skipper, though after two disappointing years, Kapler was fired to make way for a more seasoned hand in the dugout. This isn’t to say that Dusty Baker, Joe Girardi, or Buck Showalter aren’t open to modern ideas, yet it’s clear that the Phillies are looking for, in the words of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Breen, a mix of “analytics and tradition.”
While it could be argued how “new school” or “old school” the three candidates are, one thing is for certain — Baker, Girardi, and Showalter all have outstanding track records.
Baker: 1863-1636 record over 22 seasons managing the Giants (1993-2002), Cubs (2003-06), Reds (2008-13), and Nationals (2016-17); 14 winning seasons; eight postseason appearances, seven division titles, one league pennant
Girardi: 988-794 record over 11 seasons managing the Marlins (2006) and Yankees (2008-17); 10 winning seasons; six postseason appearances, three division titles, one World Series championship
Showalter: 1551-1517 record over 20 seasons managing the Yankees (1992-95), Diamondbacks (1998-2000), Rangers (2003-06), Orioles (2010-18); 10 winning seasons; five postseason appearances, two division titles
Between managing contenders, also-rans, rebuilding teams, and (in Girardi’s case) World Series champions, the three skippers have basically seen it all in their careers, which should help in dealing with a Phillies team that has a lot of talent, but was also hamstrung by injuries and a lack of production in some key areas over the last two seasons.
As much as the Phillies were expected to contend this year, they haven’t yet gotten into that tier of the sport’s top teams — which is nothing unusual for Baker and Showalter, who have each molded losing teams into playoff contenders on multiple occasions. Girardi didn’t exactly have the same rebuilding experience when he took over the consistently-winning Yankees following Joe Torre’s departure, though he withstood a decade in the Bronx pressure cooker, and kept the Yankees above .500 from 2013-16 during what counts, by New York’s standards, as a rebuilding period (only one postseason appearance in those four years).
If you ran the Phillies, which of these three managers would you hire to get your team over the top? (Poll link for app users.)
Buck. Plus I want Joe to stay on MLB Tonight.
I wonder if Cashman gets shown the door for another postseason implosion?
Relevance?
I really doubt he will. There’s not a lot he could have done differently. It’s not his fault that one of the best relievers in baseball that he acquired is suddenly the weak link in a fantastic bullpen. Starting pitching? Yes, Cole and Verlander were attainable but when they were acquired they weren’t a sure thing either (age or inconsistency). The ‘big’ gun available this season, Greinke, has sucked in the postseason. Cashmen assembled possibly the best lineup in baseball, which was still good despite a million injuries. Now most have them forgotten how to hit, especially in the clutch.
I’m not a yankee fan at all but I do like most of Cashman’s moves. Stanton is a mistake, he’s always hurt, but all other acquisitions made the past couple of years made sense at the time and have mostly worked out.
Cashman does get part of the blame for the roster construction in the playoffs. If Stanton can’t play, get him off the roster (yes world series… I know). Encarnacion can’t hit good pitching. Neither can Sanchez. There’s no one on the bench who can spell a struggling guy, especially an infielder. Having for example Mike Ford on the roster would allow you to get Urshela a breather by moving DJ. Why carry 6 guys who can start and not use them in a long role (losaiga, happ, sabathia.)?
He would have another job in 20 minutes. Cash is a beast and I’m a mets fan.
Honestly I think all three would be successful in Philly. Personally I want to see Girardi on either the Mets or Cubs and then Buck on the Phils
Joe for the Cubs.
#saynotojoe
I voted for Showalter because I think that Girardi is going to the Cubs.
Picked Dusty, as far as who I Think will be hired.
My Pick would be Girardi. Based on age. Yankees cache. And he seems like more of a longer term piece.
But three years is a long time to manager in MLB. Who says Dusty or Buck can’t manage for at least three years if they win.
Bryce liked playing for Dusty for a year.
When Bryce is on a team, ownership and management must keep him happy. Which keeps Scott Boras happy. So those become their #1 priorities.
Phillies ownership must get with the program.
Agreed.
I definitely was thinking this, When Dusty’s name came up. Keep Bryce Happy…
That was before he left and signed big time in Philadelphia.
What was Harper’s opinion on Gabe?
In D.C., every report indicated that the Nat’s Manager was like a second dad to Bryce–first Williams, then Baker, then Martinez. With that much chemistry with so many different people, it makes me question the validity of the claim.
I still honestly think Dusty is the best choice for Philly (As a Nats fan, I’d prefer they rehire Gabe). Dusty has a great ability to get a team to the post season but turns into a different manager in the post season. I’m thinking the new reliever rules set to go into effect next year though will keep Dusty from getting in Dusty’s way.
Yes, Harper’s history is that his manager must wet nurse him while the other players are supposed to follow the rules.
As for next years relief pitcher rules….
LOL
With all the foul balls being hit and starters capped at 90-115 pitches per game, there aren’t enough decent relief pitchers now for 30 teams to get through 162 games. The trick managing will be to bring in the LOOGY (and RH specialist) with 2 out in the inning. But if the batter gets on base, then the manager is stuck with that guy for another batter or two (I predict that in critical games, an awful lot of those guys will get injured and have to leave the game after the one batter).
Rest assured that if you saw a lot of HR’s and scoring this year, wait until 2020. Even if they deaden the ball some to get it back closer to normal, there are going to be some very poor pitchers facing batters next year – even more then belong in AAA and AA now. And starters will have to be held in games longer….messing them up as they put even more strain on their shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm, and fingers trying to get more spin and “miss bats” (expect the TJ injuries to go into overdrive).
Keep in mind that the average ML start in 2019 was 5-1/3’rd inning.
Oh….this is going to be funny. The analytic front offices headed up by people with law and business graduate degrees from Ivy League colleges have succeeded during the last 20-30 years in slowly taking the heart, soul and integrity out of baseball – what used to be the “sport of the common man”. Resulting in endless foul ball’s and games becoming K, W, HR, and now….HBP. Comeuppance is about to start. Trainers will become the new managers with instructions sent to them via IPad from the ballpark ‘War Room’.
I’ve always thought Dusty was a good manager. He’s definitely a little old school and rides his pitchers a hard but guys seem to enjoy playing for him. His playoff record is what it is, managers usually get too much of the credit/blame in October.
He shouldn’t have pulled Ortiz.
If the Mets cheap out and go with an Eduardo Perez because they don’t want to pay Girardi $3m+ a year, I hope Joe goes to the Phils and beats the Mets out of a playoff spot every year.
I’m hoping that Perez gets the Mets job just so he’s off of the Leadoff Spot on Sirius in the morning.
Guy is terrible. Even worse than his partner (Steve “Bobby Bonilla still gets a check” Phillips).
We are all on the edges of our seats regarding who manages the Phillies, Padres and Giants .
Enquiring minds want to know!
Showalter would be the obvious choice, given that he has a previous working relationship with the President of Baseball Operations, Andy MacPhail from Baltimore. They understand each other. Girardi would definitely conflict with him from the start, since it is an entirely different approach from New York.
brad ausmus!
Really can’t get too excited about the next Phils manager, unless he’s gonna bring along a few friends who can rotate every 5 days of pitching 3.00 ERA ball for 175 innings. Gabe took a lot of heat for the mediocre Phillies’ performance; I’m not sure how a new manager is going to all-of-a-sudden be expected to win with this pitching staff. These guys make, what, 3 decisions per game? Over the course of 162, were Gabe’s decisions any worse than ones made by Girardi, Baker, and Buck over the course of the same season? No, they were not. I’m not defending Kapler as such, and I think a change to a guy with more experience is probably for the best, but unless the Phils find a way to get more talent it won’t matter who is at the helm.
Yes, Gabe made consistently bad in game moves..
Why haven’t they just hired you yet? You always know the exact moves that should have been made after the fact. You’re like Captain Hindsight.
It doesn’t take a Captain Hindsight to “NOT” pitch the Freddie Freeman with first base open and 2 men on base with two outs…
Except that Gabe Kapler did pitch to him in a 1 run game..all Freeman did was line a single to score two runs…game over
Captain That!
Lol at everyone that wants to cling to that ONE decision when bashing Gabe. Let me ask you this, are Max Scherzer, Jacob DeGrom and (insert ace here) walking Freddie Freeman in that spot?
Gabe couldn’t win. Fans complain when he pulls a pitcher but then crucify him for trusting his ace to get the out. It’s so irrational.
I voted for Chaz Bono. It’s the only person I could think of that has made similar lifestyle decisions as Bryce Harper. Chaz could help guide Bryce through this difficult transition in his life.
Make sure Mommy packs enough snacks in your lunchbox today.
ride the short bus much?
Dusty Wathan
If they go the route of hiring another first time MLB manager, he’s my pick. Should’ve been him over Gabe to begin with.
My only concern would be how he interacts with the club after being a coach. It could be a transition that doesn’t resonate with the players. Then again, it could absolutely resonate.
Not in the locker room so no idea.
I know what I wouldn’t do…. pay $330 mil for some overrated bum and proceed to miss the playoffs with that contract haha
I know. Your style is to do really well in the regular season and blow it in the first round.
@bravesfan
14 Straight Division Titles, 1 World Series title in that span. That’s a .071 Avg.
Come on man, that’s Sean Rodriguez level. terrible.
“I know what I wouldn’t do…. pay $330 mil for some overrated bum and proceed to miss the playoffs with that contract haha”
Yeah because I’d much rather root for a team whose front office only offers long term contracts to players as long as they can completely rip the player off (Albies/Acuna). Harper had an excellent season this year. Between that and merch/ticket sales his contract pays for itself.
you were 5 mil off, but its no issue, we all already know the Marlins stink
Let’s hope they DON’T hire Dusty………
The Phillies have a ton of young players
We ALL know that Dusty prefers to put the veterans in the lineup.
If they choose Dusty……the Kids Will Suffer.
“Choose BUCK!!!”
the kids are the ones that suck if we’re honest.
I thought at the time, Baker was a great hire by the Nationals, but I thought he didn’t do much over there..
My choice would be Joe, but wouldn’t mind Buck..
If they don’t find some starters, it won’t matter much.
Phillies needs::
a snoot full of starters
a 3rd baseman (if they can’t get Rendon), then let Alec Bohm start his career..he’s hit everywhere.
a real closer not named Hector-Scare-Us
I like it.
How about this:
Sign Moose for 2 years to play 3B to stop-gap for Bohm and he can spell 2B and 1B for Kingery and Hoskins. If Bohm is ready, Moose becomes trade bait. Additionally, if they move Kingery to SS and Segura to 2B, they can now trade Hernandez to try and acquire some pitching and possibly Segura as well IF Bohm is the real deal.
Pitching – Bring back Hamels on a 2 year deal to finish his career. Also, sign one of Wheeler or Odirizzi and try to come up with package to get Colome from the White Sox.
Either way, this offseason needs to be pitching, pitching, and more pitching.
I’m guessing it’ll be Showalter because I believe Girardi would prefer to be in Chicago. Mets might also go hard for Girardi because he has dealt with the NY media who crucify managers and coaches on a regular basis.
But like an earlier posted noted, unless Klentak seriously upgrades the starting pitching, the manager is a moot point unless his name is Houdini.
Given his track record for signing/trading for pitchers, both starters and relievers, I have zero confidence in Klentak’s ability to evaluate them. Hopefully, after 2020, Klentak’s fifth on the job, he and his computer geeks will be sent packing.
Just this morning, MLB Radio was talking to the Cubs beat writer and he stated that there is a strong belief that the job is going to go to David Ross because the Cubs want accountability (and for some reason) they do not believe that will come strong enough from Girardi.
I think the Phillies already got him, they’re just hammering out the details and Middleton’s adding that extra million to the check.
Who would I hire? Girardi
Who will they hire? Buck
I think they were focused on Buck from the beginning and I think Girardi would prefer the Mets job even if he is the Phillies top choice.
If I were Klentak and Middleton, I would choose Buck. Detail oriented yet not quite as intense as Girardi, who in his final season always looked as if he was ready to blow out the veins in his neck.
These franchises really need to start giving these manager’s longer then a 2-year leash. With the way things are are in today’s game they may get to hire all three of these guys over the next three years.
Apparently management wanted to keep Kapler. Thing about management, they work for ownership, and there are two kinds of owners. Owners that think they know enough about the game to make a good personnel decision, and the owners that know they don’t know enough and need to defer.
funny this fits neither. Middleton is no fool – i dont know where that assumption comes from. he kept Klentak and dumped Kapler because Kapler clearly needed to be removed, and unlike Klentak he was not extended prior to the season. from a combined buissness/PR/actual team production standpoint, it was probably the best choice he could have made. Middleton will also know if he isnt qualified to get a guy who is a good manager beyond just their PR effect – he’s not making this decision on his own.
Phillies job is not a great one due to the fact Klentack’s job is on the line. No one prefers a job where the one hiring you may be gone in a year.
Same could be said for the Mets job.
That’s where I think it works in Girardi’s favor. He’s not a Klentak type of guy and hiring Mr Middleton hiring Joe would drive home to Klentak that things need to change.
Besides, what incoming GM wouldn’t want Girardi in the dugout. Additionally, Thomson was Girardi (and Torre’s) bench coach in NY. Who wouldn’t want that WS winning tandem leading the dugout!?!
Furthermore, due to his experience handling the NY media, Joe can do PR. The fans will love him which will sell a bit more tickets than the other two candidates. Girardi himself is worth he extra 1-2 million per year if that’s what it takes.
Doesn’t matter who the manager is, we need pitchers big time
I think it will be either Dusty Baker or Buck Showalter.