Candidates Emerge for Diamondbacks’ Managerial Position
Look for Terry Steinbach
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s name to be a candidate for the D’backs’ managing job. Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Let the speculation begin. It only seemed like a few minutes after Dave Stewart was hired as General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks that the ax fell on Kirk Gibson. Immediately, a flurry of names began to emerge as possible candidates to become the seventh manager in D’backs’ history. Courtesy of Steve Gilbert at mlb.com, we present a list of possible men via tweet including some names that have ties to both Stewart and Tony LaRussa.
First, potential in-house Arizona candidates:
3 internal mgr candidates mentioned by #Dbacks Dave Stewart: Phil Nevin, Andy Green and Turner Ward.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) September 26, 2014
Phil Nevin managed the Triple A Reno Aces this season and nearly led the team to the Pacific Coast League Championship. They lost a heartbreaking five game series to the Omaha Storm Chasers. He is also a candidate to become the manager of the Houston Astros. Andy Green has earned back-to-back Southern League Manager of the Year honors at the helm of the Double A Mobile BayBears. They also lost their championship series in five games; in this case the BayBears were defeated by the Jacksonville Suns. Turner Ward is currently the D’backs’ hitting coach. He was the manager at Mobile prior to Green and led the team to back-to-back Southern League titles in 2011 and 2012.
Now for the LaRussa guys:
Other candidates to keep in mind for #DBacks mgr job: Jose Oquendo, Joe McEwing and Mike Aldrete given history with La Russa.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) September 26, 2014
Another name that you should keep an eye on when it comes to #Dbacks mgr search is #MNTwins coach Terry Steinbach.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) September 27, 2014
Jose Oquendo has been the Cardinals’ third base coach since 2000. He interviewed for the manager’s job in 2011 after LaRussa retired. Mike Aldrete was the D’backs’ hitting coach in 2005 and 2006 and has been in the St. Louis organization since 2008; he is currently the bench coach. Joe McEwing was a LaRussa favorite when he played for the Cardinals in 1998 and 1999, earning the nickname, “Super Joe”. He is now the White Sox third base coach and has previously managed in the Minors, earning the South Atlantic League Manager of the Year Award in 2009. Terry Steinbach was the catcher, Stewart the pitching ace and LaRussa the manager on the Oakland teams that won the 1989 World Series and three consecutive pennants. Steinbach serves as the Twins’ bench coach and catching instructor.
In no particular order, I believe the top three candidates are Oquendo, Steinbach and McEwing. All LaRussa guys, all guys he feels comfortable with leading the D’backs. Stay tuned as the drama unfolds.