After dismissing Gabe Kapler with three games left in the regular season, the Giants made clear they’ll be one of the several clubs in the market for a new manager.
The Guardians, Angels and Mets also have vacancies. Situations have ranged from “hot seat” to awkward in Houston, San Diego and the Bronx. Craig Counsell’s contract is up in Milwaukee.
For the Giants, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi will lead a search team while likely entering the last year of his contract. Zaidi dismissed his lame duck status as a factor that could complicate things.
“Being the manager of the San Francisco Giants is, I think, one of the most attractive jobs in baseball and professional sports,” Zaidi said. “I don’t really see that as an issue. I think people know that they would be stepping into a great situation here with a great franchise, a great ownership group, a lot of really good young players that we’ve seen for the first time this year.”
Exactly how attractive a job being Giants manager is a debate for another day. What’s clear, though, is the Giants need a new voice in the manager’s office — someone, in Zaidi’s words, who will bring a different leadership dynamic than Kapler’s hands-off style.
The list of candidates below is less hearsay than half-baked scuttlebutt, groupthink and speculation. The Giants’ interest — and their interest in the job — in them is wholly unknown.
But here’s an unscientific short list of possible managers the Giants could consider. (Ed. note: Buster Posey ain’t walking through that door).
Bob Melvin
The 61-year-old skipper has had a rough year in San Diego. His relationship with Padres president AJ Preller is fraught, to the point where one described it as a “civil war.” He has one year remaining on his deal, but this season and that fissure may lead to him booting up LinkedIn.
Pros: He’s a three-time Manager of the Year with ties both to the Bay Area and the Giants organization. He worked with Zaidi in Oakland and
Cons: The team he managed this year had the third-highest payroll and one of the most talented roster, didn’t suffer a cataclysmic amount of significant injuries or underperformances, and finished at .500. How might he fare with the Giants’ roster?
Ron Wotus
Wotus has been in the Giants organization for the past 36 years. He had opportunities to leave for managing jobs, but remained with the franchise.
He has managed at every minor league level in addition to serving as the Giants’ third-base coach and bench coach under Kapler, Dusty Baker and Felipe Alou. There aren’t many people still working in baseball that possess the swath of knowledge he does.
Pros: He has all sorts of experience, across various levels of the game, and through multiple front office regimes. He knows what it takes to win at the championship level and is universally admired within the clubhouse. He’s loyal, sharp and a proven leader that would certainly provide the new dynamic SF is seeking.
Cons: Would Zaidi give him the necessary latitude to make his own imprint on the team (as the president of baseball operations stated)? Would he just be a one-year stopgap? At this stage of his life and career, would he be even interested in the job?
Dusty Baker
A World Series champion and surefire future Hall of Famer, Baker has drawn some criticism from Houston higher-ups based on how he’s treated the lineup — namely his usage of catcher Yainer Díaz and outfielder Chas McCormick. It would be surprising if the Astros moved on from Baker, particularly if they make an October run, but it’s not impossible.
Pros: A different leadership dynamic, you say? When teams fire a manager, they often seek out his inverse. Baker, in all the best ways, is Kapler’s character foil. A cool, gregarious communicator with a lifetime of baseball stories to share, he would be a tremendous influence on the Giants’ clubhouse — especially on the young players SF needs to break out.
Cons: Baker, 74, is already the oldest active manager. If the Giants want a long-term answer, he probably isn’t the guy.
Stephen Vogt
Vogt, the former Giants catcher, spent his first year in “retirement” as the Mariners’ bullpen and quality control coach. It might be a question of when, not if, he manages.
Pros: Deep Bay Area ties (I believe in Stephen Vogt), a great understanding of what today’s players go through, and excellent interpersonal skills. There’s a long track record of former catchers having success as managers, even soon after they retire.
Cons: Would Zaidi, in a lame duck year, take a chance on a first-year manager? Would a rookie skipper want to begin his managing career in a potentially unstable situation?
Donnie Ecker
The Giants’ best offensive season ever happened while Ecker was their hitting coach, and now he has worked with Bruce Bochy, too. As bench coach and offensive coordinator, the Rangers ranked third in both home runs and OPS. Just 37, he’ll likely be in the hiring cycle mix for years to come.
Pros: Ecker knows the Giants organization and has already worked with several players in the clubhouse. He has an additive blend of analytics and playing background that helps him communicate with hitters, plus some player development experience.
Cons: Are the Giants prepared to give a first-time manager a shot? Does Ecker have enough experience on the pitching side, where SF’s coaching staff could become relatively thin?
Will Venable
Venable is currently the Rangers’ associate manager, so his link to San Francisco’s golden era is acute. After retiring, Venable has worked with Theo Epstein, Alex Cora and Bruce Bochy. How’s that for a who’s who of 21st Century MLB?
Pros: Venable played for eight years and has coached at the big-league level essentially since then, so he has a valuable blend of experience. He played basketball and baseball at Princeton, where he wrote his thesis on the comparisons between baseball in America and Japan. By all accounts, he seems ready to manage a big-league team.
Cons: Since he has been so sought-after for so long, it’s quite possible Venable is Bochy’s heir apparent in Texas. And right now, the Rangers job looks a lot more appealing than the Giants.
Joe Espada
Since being a finalist for the Giants job last time it was open, all Espada has done is win a World Series ring. The Astros bench coach has been an infield coordinator, third base coach and hitting coach at various levels of pro ball.
Pros: Espada checks all the boxes and has interviewed for several manager jobs in the past. If he decides to leave Houston, he’ll probably have several suitors.
Cons: Like Venable in Texas, Espada could be Baker’s eventual replacement in Houston.
Kai Correa
Since Correa served as interim manager, he should at least get an interview with the Giants. The defensive skill guru never played professionally, instead dedicating his life to coaching and instruction. The Hawaii native joined the Giants in 2020 and has earned universally rave reviews.
Pros: In his three days as active manager, Correa proved to be a compelling and charismatic speaker with the media. He has leveraged his unique background to earn big leaguers’ respect, and has developed expertise in other areas of the game — in addition to the infield — as Kapler’s bench coach.
Cons: Hiring Correa, who got his biggest MLB break from Kapler himself, would be a tough sell. Would swapping Correa in for Kapler really move the needle much? How different is his style from Kapler’s? Correa has never been a manager (or head coach) at any level.
Mark Hallberg
Multiple Giants, when informally queried about who on the current staff could make a good manager, named Hallberg first. The current third base coach’s journey has taken him from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to the finest minor league cities in the land, to Dubai and eventually San Francisco. When he was an infielder, Hallberg rarely struck out. His attention to detail and competitive spirit carried over to his coaching career.
Pros: Unique background and perspective, impressive resume (especially when pitted against the other internal candidates), communication skills, familiarity with Giants and connection to owner Buster Posey.
Cons: As with the other internal candidates, questions of whether the Giants can stomach a first-time manager — particularly one from Kapler’s former staff.
Craig Albernaz
San Francisco’s catching and bullpen coach has connections all throughout the league. He played in the Rays and Tigers organizations before managing at various minor league levels, eventually winning Midwest League Manager of the Year.
Under Albernaz, Giants catchers Blake Sabol, Joey Bart and Patrick Bailey have substantially improved defensively. Unlike many in his role, Albernaz spent games in the dugout, where his opinion could be heard more often.
Pros: Light and charming personality, interpersonal skills, wide range of experience, track record of getting the most out of players.
Cons: (See Hallberg)
Other names to watch: Buck Showalter, Andrew Bailey, Phil Nevin, Clayton McCullough, Mark DeRosa, George Lombard, Rodney Linares