GM - Managerial Changes/ Speculation

[metirish]

Word is Tito Francona will be out in Boston as early as today, would not be "fired" just his options not picked up. I suppose a dignified way of parting comapny.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/manager-terry-francona-expected-to-part-ways-with-red-sox-092911

Mike Quade expected to be gone too, he just got there didn't he?

I saw Acta got his 2013 option picked up, he was signed through 2012 but they like him , as they should.


Valentine to Boston talk starts now.

Edited September 30, 2011 by Guest

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Go for it, Bobby.

I couldn't imagine Francona surviving this kinda finish

[Frayed Knot]

Theo said yesterday (among a ton of other things about no one to blame but ourselves yadda yadda) that this collapse should in no way reflect on Francona.
Not that we should take post-season statements like that at full value EVER, but I do wonder how much say Theo has in this.

[Edgy MD]

I knew I'd find this article before searching for it.

Cubs likely to reconcile with Ryne Sandberg By gordon wittenmyer gwittenmyer@suntimes.com September 27, 2011 1:02AM SAN DIEGO � Sources within the team expect the Cubs and estranged icon Ryne Sandberg to reconcile before next season, possibly with him as the Cubs� next manager. But as of Monday, the Philadelphia Phillies hadn�t been asked permission by any team to talk to Sandberg, who led their Class AAA Lehigh Valley affiliate to its first winning record and the International League playoffs in his first year back with his original organization, according to the Phillies� website. Sandberg, a favorite of the Ricketts ownership, is open to a return to the Cubs because general manager Jim Hendry � who hired Mike Quade over Sandberg last fall � was fired, according to a source close to Sandberg. Whatever the Cubs� timeline on having a new GM in place, they might need to act quickly on Sandberg, who is finishing the season on the Phillies� big-league staff. Some loose speculation even had him linked recently to the White Sox before Ozzie Guillen�s exit. �I thought he was fantastic,�� Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told mlb.com. �He should get an opportunity to be in the big leagues as a coach or manager. I�m certain he has the ability to do that. For his sake, I hope people come calling for him. For our sake, I hope they don�t because we�d love to have him in our organization.��

[metirish]

Sandberg is their Backman sounds like.

[Edgy MD]

Well, as a Hall of Famer with more to lose than to add by returning to the dugout in a new role, but still wanting to do it in the uniform and city where he had his glory, I'd certainly give him more props than that. More analogous to Gary Carter or Alan Trammell, I think.

You're a Cubs legend. Unimpeachable. Why put that on the line and risk becoming another in a long line of ignominious failures as Cubs manager? I admire the heck out of that. It's the post-career professional equivalent of staying in the game and taking your swings with the batting average title seemingly out of reach.

[bmfc1]

Too bad the Mets can't afford Francona. Maybe he'll sit out a year and the team's finances will improve by then.

[DocTee]

I wish the ChiSox would get Sandberg. Just because.

[Frayed Knot]

Sox now confirm that Francona is out as Boston mgr after 7 seasons.
Helluva run while it lasted.

[G-Fafif]

8 seasons -- let us not forget 2004 (as if we could).

[metirish]

Cubs ask permission to speak to Epstein

By Peter Abraham, Globe Staff Globe colleague Dan Shaughnessy has learned from a team source that the Chicago Cubs have asked the Red Sox for permission to speak with Theo Epstein regarding a position in their organization. According to Shaughnessy, there were meetings at Fenway Park this afternoon regarding the team's response to the request. Because Epstein is under contract, the Red Sox would have the right to refuse such a request. They could grant it with the condition that some sort of compensation be made in exchange for hiring Epstein. Or Epstein could decline the interest. Epstein is two months away from the ninth anniversary of his hiring as general manager of the Sox. Only seven other active general managers have been with the same team longer. He turns 38 in December and could be seeking a new challenge within baseball. Or he could be trying to leverage the interest from the Cubs into a new contract and/or more power with the Red Sox. If Epstein were to leave the Red Sox, senior vice president and assistant general manager Ben Cherington would be a logical replacement. Cherington has been with the Red Sox since 1999 and was one of the team officials who replaced Epstein during his three-month departure in 2005. Cherington was a participant in the meeting on Friday that led to Terry Francona�s departure, a sign of his stature within the organization. More to come on this in the Globe tomorrow and on Boston.com later on today.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2011/10/cubs_ask_permis.html?p1=News_links

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

A guy from Boston told me today that Francona would end up with the White Sox most likely.

[Frayed Knot]

We had fun tracking the changes last season even though there doesn't look to be nearly as much turnover this winter.

TEAM	2011 Mgr	STATUS	2012 Mgr
RED SOX	Terry Francona - since 2004	Option not picked up	???
YANX	Joe Girardi - since 2008	Signed thru 2013	Same
ORIOLES	Buck Showalter - since 2010	Signed thru 2013	Same
RAYS	Joe Maddon - Since 2006	Signed thru 2012	Same
BLUE JAYS	John Farrell - Hired Oct �10	Signed thru 2013	Same
TIGERS	Jim Leyland - Since 2006	Signed thru 2012	Same
WHITE SOX	Ozzie Guillen - since 2004	Contract terminated via mutual consent	???
TWINS	Ron Gardenhire - Since 2002	Signed thru 2013	Same
ROYALS	Ned Yost - Since May �10	Signed thru 2012	Same
INDIANS	Manny Acta - Since 2010	Signed thru 2012 + 2013 option	Same
RANGERS	Ron Washington - Since 2007	SSigned thru 2012	Same
MARINERS	Eric Wedge - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
A�s	Bob Melvin - hired June �11	Signed thru 2014	Same
ANGELS	Mike Scioscia - since 2000	Signed thru 2018	Same
METS	Terry Collins - first season	Option picked up thru 2013	Same
BRAVES	Fredi Gonzalez - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
MARLINS	Jack McKeon - since 6/20/11	Not re-hired for 2012	Ozzie Guillen - signed thru 2015
NATIONALS	Davey Johnson - took over 6/26/11	Signed w/org but not as manager	???
PHILLIES	Charlie Manual - since 2005	Signed thru 2013	Same
CUBS	Mike Quadde - first season	Signed thru 2012 + �13 option	Same??
BREWERS	Ron Roenicke - first season	Signed thru 2012 + �13 option	Same
PIRATES	Clint Hurdle - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
CARDINALS	Tony LaRussa - since 1996	2012 Mutual Option	???
REDS	Disty Baker - since 2008	Signed thru 2012	Same
ASTROS	Brad Mills - since 2010	Signed thru 2012 w/option for �13	Same
DODGERS	Don Mattingly - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
DIAMONDBACKS	Kirk Gibson - hired Aug �10	Signed thru 2013 + �13 option	Same
GIANTS	Bruce Bochy - since 2007	Signed thru 2012	Same
PADRES	Bud Black - since 2007	Signed thru 2013 + options for �14 & �15	Same
ROCKIES	Jim Tracy - since May �09	Signed thru 2013	Same

[Theoldmole]

Four managers with Metly connections.

[metirish]

Robin Ventura hired as White Sox manager, could be an inspired .

[HahnSolo]

They like their ex-players coming back into the dugout there, apparently.

Ozzie, now Robin.

[Edgy MD]

TheOldMole wrote: Four managers with Metly connections.

Now five. Do I hear six?

I look forward to him getting a face-pounding from Nolan Ryan on the Sox first trip to Texas.

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Robin Ventura hired as White Sox manager

BAM !!!!!
That one certainly came out of nowhere.

[metirish]

Frayed Knot wrote: metirish wrote: Robin Ventura hired as White Sox manager BAM !!!!! That one certainly came out of nowhere.

that was my thought too, any managerial experience?, a bold move for sure.

[bmfc1]

An ESPN Chicago said that he was told that the White Sox had hired Robin Ventura and he replied "for what?"

[Edgy MD]

metirish wrote: metirish wrote: Robin Ventura hired as White Sox manager BAM !!!!! That one certainly came out of nowhere. that was my thought too, any managerial experience?, a bold move for sure.

Special assistant to the director of player development. Not a traditional track based on current practices, but certainly within the tradtion of hiring guys who've graced the uniform.

The shocker is how fast it happened. Did they even bring in minority candidates for interviews as per MLB policy? I read buzz about Sandy Alomar and Dave Martinez, but if they were interviewed, the Sox certainly didn't spend any time feigning serious deliberatons over them.

[G-Fafif]

TheOldMole wrote: Four managers with Metly connections.

Plus two -- Kirk Gibson and Mike Scioscia -- who are Met-infamous for their actions in the same game.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Robin Ventura!

That's great! I had no idea he'd have been a candidate for dogcatcher much less manager.

[Frayed Knot]

Apparently Reinsdorf hired RV in mid-season to be a sort of all-around org guy with the idea of him nosing around to see whether he'd be interested in getting back into baseball - but that's it as far as his post-career baseball life goes aside from doing some TV work in both the college & Little League WS.
Reinsdorf does have a history of hiring first-time guys in both the ChiSox & Bulls (Ozzie, for instance, also Phil Jackson and several others) although usually the hires did have some experience as assistants or in lower-leagues (college, minors, CBL, etc.).

I hadn't even heard anything about who they were interviewing. I suppose they had to interview some minority candidates as per the rules and stuff but, even so, you know somebody(s) is going to see this as another door opened immediately for the favored white boy.

TEAM	2011 Mgr	STATUS	2012 Mgr
RED SOX	Terry Francona - since 2004	Option not picked up	???
YANX	Joe Girardi - since 2008	Signed thru 2013	Same
ORIOLES	Buck Showalter - since 2010	Signed thru 2013	Same
RAYS	Joe Maddon - Since 2006	Signed thru 2012	Same
BLUE JAYS	John Farrell - Hired Oct �10	Signed thru 2013	Same
TIGERS	Jim Leyland - Since 2006	Signed thru 2012	Same
WHITE SOX	Ozzie Guillen - since 2004	Contract terminated via mutual consent	=#BF0000]Robin Ventura - "multi-year deal"
TWINS	Ron Gardenhire - Since 2002	Signed thru 2013	Same
ROYALS	Ned Yost - Since May �10	Signed thru 2012	Same
INDIANS	Manny Acta - Since 2010	Signed thru 2012 + 2013 option	Same
RANGERS	Ron Washington - Since 2007	SSigned thru 2012	Same
MARINERS	Eric Wedge - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
A�s	Bob Melvin - hired June �11	Signed thru 2014	Same
ANGELS	Mike Scioscia - since 2000	Signed thru 2018	Same
METS	Terry Collins - first season	Option picked up thru 2013	Same
BRAVES	Fredi Gonzalez - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
MARLINS	Jack McKeon - since 6/20/11	Not re-hired for 2012	=#BF0000]Ozzie Guillen - signed thru 2015
NATIONALS	Davey Johnson - took over 6/26/11	Signed w/org but not as manager	???
PHILLIES	Charlie Manual - since 2005	Signed thru 2013	Same
CUBS	Mike Quadde - first season	Signed thru 2012 + �13 option	Same??
BREWERS	Ron Roenicke - first season	Signed thru 2012 + �13 option	Same
PIRATES	Clint Hurdle - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
CARDINALS	Tony LaRussa - since 1996	2012 Mutual Option	???
REDS	Disty Baker - since 2008	Signed thru 2012	Same
ASTROS	Brad Mills - since 2010	Signed thru 2012 w/option for �13	Same
DODGERS	Don Mattingly - first season	Signed thru 2013	Same
DIAMONDBACKS	Kirk Gibson - hired Aug �10	Signed thru 2013 + �13 option	Same
GIANTS	Bruce Bochy - since 2007	Signed thru 2012	Same
PADRES	Bud Black - since 2007	Signed thru 2013 + options for �14 & �15	Same
ROCKIES	Jim Tracy - since May �09	Signed thru 2013	Same

Edited October 6, 2011 by Guest

[smg58]

Best of luck to Robin, but that's a tough entry-level position.

[Frayed Knot]

I guess we have to add Cashman to the GM part of this speculation thread.

He's not signed beyond this year and you have to wonder how he feels about returning, especially after the pre-season debacle where he publicly stated that Raphael Soriano wasn't worth the money plus the draft pick it would take to get him only to have his superiors go over his head and do just that weeks later. Last time he re-upped, back when George was still around, he reportedly got assurances about "full autonomy" but that agreement apparently doesn't extend to George's kids or to the Trost/Levine contingent. He was willing to let ARod walk as well before the Steiny boys over-ruled him with creative salary & marketing gimmicks.

Bet the Cubbies are ready to hand plenty of cash to their new GM as well as grant him a long leash to spread cash among new players.

[Edgy MD]

Like that "agreement" meant something when George was alive.

[Edgy MD]

A small dream dies as Joe McEwing joins Robin Ventura in Chicago instead of Terry Collins in Queens.

[Ceetar]

Edgy DC wrote: A small dream dies as Joe McEwing joins Robin Ventura in Chicago instead of Terry Collins in Queens.

it's just a shame the White Sox don't come to Citi this year.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Screw a McEwing reunion-- we were thisclose to a player-manager!

The White Sox's stunning hiring of Robin Ventura to replace Ozzie Guillen as manager Thursday came as a result of board chairman Jerry Reinsdorf instructing his general manager, Kenny Williams, "to think outside the box on this one - no retreads." ... A week or so later, Williams came to Reinsdorf with two lists, one with what the chairman termed "a lot of the usual suspects" and the other with Ventura - a White Sox third base icon from 1989-98 before he spent the next five years in New York with the Mets and Yankees - along with Paul Konerko, their present-day first base icon.

Someone writing down what Ken Williams said at a press conference today wrote: "That report is not false."