The Guardians are looking for a new manager, with Terry Francona recently stepping aside. Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Stephen Vogt is “emerging as a serious candidate” for the job. Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com adds that Vogt will be interviewed for the gig.
Vogt, 39 next week, played in the big leagues from 2012 to 2022, primarily as a catcher. He announced just over a year ago that he was retiring as a player and speculation almost immediately turned to his destiny as a future manager, as Vogt himself voiced such aspirations back in 2020. Bob Melvin, who managed Vogt in Oakland for many years, said that Vogt “definitely has a future in managing” at the time of Vogt’s retirement.
In January of 2023, just a few months after retiring as a player, Vogt quickly landed his first coaching gig. The Mariners hired him to be quality control coach and bullpen coach, but he’s now getting interest for managerial gigs after just one season as a coach and barely a year removed from his playing career.
It was reported last week that Vogt was going to interview with the Giants for their managerial vacancy. But reporting from yesterday seems to suggest that Melvin, who spoke so highly of Vogt, has now become the favorite for that gig. Though that decision is not final, it seems Vogt might get a shot at a managing gig even if he’s blocked by Melvin in San Francisco, with today’s news suggesting he’s got a legitimate shot at the job in Cleveland.
The rumors around the managing job for the Guardians suggest they may be looking to pivot to a first-time manager this time around. Francona had plenty of experience before getting the job, having previously managed with the Phillies and Red Sox, and was the skipper in Cleveland for 11 seasons. But their publicly-known candidates to replace him would all be first-timers. That includes external candidates like Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough, Rangers associate manager Will Venable, Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza and Giants bullpen/catching coach Craig Albernaz, as well as internal candidates such as minor league field coordinator John McDonald, hitting coach Chris Valaika, and player development director Rob Cerfolio.
I would think him a good candidate.
Him smart.
With him and us, I’s goin places
Him do good maybe.
It’s “hims smart” no him use proper Grammer jeez
Interesting candidate.
He should replace Servais in Seattle.
Vogt are you, nuts?
The best team that has a manager opening as of right now. Pure fact .
Why?? How do you figure servais has done a bad job where he needs to be replaced?
Agree that servais needs to go. Don’t know if Vogt is the guy given the Mariners 4-5year window. Can’t waste that window gambling on a rookie manager.
I’m with you on all counts
There is no reason to replace Servais. Ridiculous comment.
Who ever gets hired in Cleveland must work cheap for the fool Dolan the owner.. He’s destroyed a great franchise.
He’s destroyed a great franchise.
============================
LOL! A team that made the playoffs 3x in their first 94 years of existence is a great franchise? And they have been one of the best teams in BB over the past 11 years.
Yep. Bill ND must from northeast ohio. Those fans are embarrassing to rest of guardians fans every where.
You should have just said Wow like ur big brother Tom, Joe….
@JoeBrady
If not for those first 9 decades of mostly ineptitude we never would have gotten the classic movie “Major League”, so for that they are a great franchise
Only had 9 winning seasons out-of 11. Will see when David blister group takes over how much they spend. That group owns 35 percent of team. When they take over they won’t debit spend.
Only someone completely ignorant of how the vast majority of wealthy people operate would actually believe that “David blister” (sic) is anxious to come to Cleveland and “debit spend” (sic). Rich people certainly don’t get rich by deficit spending; they get wealthy by purchasing assets which increase in equity value while operating the underlying business within existing revenues. So humorous to hear the average fan think that some white knight is going to arrive on the scene and spend big bucks to make fans happy. Good grief.
I have a good feeling about him as a manager. Don’t know why, but I do. Hopefully Cleveland gets him.
Catchers always seem to make decent managers. Except for Ausmus who decided he should try and reinvent the wheel with some of his mind boggling decision making.
I’m in agreement on Vogt though. He’s been around so he’s seen his share of different ways pitching staffs are managed, as well as having to regularly adjust to coexisting with different staffs and personalities with how often he moved. And him being a veteran who played recently and is relatively young, I’d assume he would have players respect and also could relate to them well. And with where CLE currently stands I think it’s a good fit. Now if he were to go to say SEA or SD, I’d say that would be a poor fit do to them being teams expected to contend immediately.
As a Guards fan I would like this move. Just a smart baseball guy and catchers are on field coaches anyway. Also, young enough to identify with the young squad.
Vogt is a good guy, would be a good manager with his communication skills, especially since it’s one of the best qualities Terry Francona had as a manager. This is all based on players interactions with him and his interviews. I’m no insider, before anyone starts questioning…
I agree. Of the group mentioned in the article I think he’s the best of that bunch. No disrespect to Venable who already stated he’s staying in TEX.
Okay…lets stop with every MLB catcher is a great catch as an major league manager…..this guy has never managed and while he may have the experience to manage some day….it certainly is a great stretch to expect he’s managerial material right now……
Yeah, let’s stop, SMH.
> Okay…lets stop
We ain’t stoppin
I aint heard no bell
Yo Adrian..tell mickey
THREE MORE ROUNDS, MICKEY!!!
People in Milwaukee were telling me he might be the guy to take over for Counsell if he decides not to manage the Brewers anymore.
Perfect fit in Milwaukee, not sure why the brewers are just sitting back and waiting on Counsell to give them the middle finger. Brewers will never match Mets $$ nor should they. Brewers letting good candidates look elsewhere for 3 weeks now.
Still trying to figure out what the MLB has against Phil Brickma. Guy was incredible in Chicago. Knows all the ins and outs of the game and really helped turn around a struggling staff in Chicago. Developed one of the greatest young arms this league has ever seen. Not mention he hits absolute moon shoots. Any one have any insider info on why he’s never in consideration for MLB manager jobs? I’m astonished he’s still never been given an opportunity at this point.
It’s probably because of his association with the villainous “Wet Bandits” along with the Christmas Eve burgling and assault on a 10 year old boy that is on his record.
You are what’s wrong with society.
This comment ended up in the wrong spot. Frickin app.
He’ll be 39. Allowing him to potentially break Connie Mack’s win record.
lol
If he averaged 100 wins per year for 37 years he’d still have to manage a 38th season for the remaining 32 wins at age 76.
Assuming he is more like a .486 win % manager like Mack was, he would have to manage for 54 years, retiring at 93.
He’s got my Vogt.
Wondering if any of you poster’s actually know or have talked baseball philosophy with him. Sure are a lot of baseball experts posting about this Vogt rumor. Must be his proven track record as a winning major league manager and his World Series rings won as a manager.
A Vogt of confidence for Steven.
It’s interesting that all of Francona’s coaching staff has declined to interview for the job (out of respect to Tito?, i don’t know). The Guardians situation is one where continuity would be a good thing, unlike the Giants situation (the other team to show interest in Vogt) which would be better dismissing the entire coaching staff (all 35 of them) and starting from scratch
I dont think anyone is declining an interview out of respect to Tito. I would suspect that most guys on major league coaching staffs don’t have the desire and/or the skillet to manage. Those that do, probably aren’t waiting around for their manager to retire to get an interview.
It is crazy to think that a guy who is only 1 year removed from his playing career is a serious candidate for a job as a major league manager. That’s pretty inpressive.
Whereas your comment is pretty expressive..
I made a typo? That’s unpossible. 😀
Man I want Vogt to stay with the Mariners. He’s a local boy from my hometown. Seattle needs to make him the highest paid bullpen & quality coach in the league!
When he joined team I figured he would take over manager at some point in future.
For the right club I think Vogt will be a great Manager. Now.