SSK Fungo Bats presents: Find Us a Manager (Group E)

[Edgy MD]

It's mid-day, you take a bathroom break, wash your hands afterwards (because you're not a barbarian), and in the mirror, you're just a little bit surprised to find out that you're still Sandy Alderson. Your minor surprise turns a few moments later to stress when you realize you still have a mandate to find a manager. And not just any manager, but one with big league experience.

"Who," you ask yourself, "has been around the baseball world, and knows a lot of folks? National League folks. American League folks. The Caribbean, Japan, and the mysteries of the independent minors."

You snap your fingers. "OZZIE!" Mets special catching instructor Ozzie Virgil, Sr. has been a part of a lot of organizations. He's Dominican-born, Bronx-educated, a fellow marine, and older than the rain. He knows everybody."

It takes a while to find his number in your rolodex, but he picks right up. "SANDY!" he yells.

This is a little offputting, to find out Ozzie is using a phone that identifies the caller. "Sometimes, old guys can adapt to new devices," you note.

"Ozzie, I've got a job for you."

"Listen," he answers, "d'Arnaud is trying, but he'll never be Johnny Bench. If our pitchers didn't ignore every baserunner on earth he might have a fighting chance."

"It's not about that, Oz," you say. "I need some managers."

"Davy Lopes, Mike Scoscia, Bo Porter ..." he starts sputtering.

"I got those guys, and let's face it, Scoscia is never going to be available. I need a list of 17 guys that have big league experience, but are currently available."

"Guys that you don't already have?" he reminds you.

"Yeah, I'll fax over the list of guys we've already considered. You give me 17 others."

"FAX!" he snorts. "Sandy, we're living in the future. You need to get yourself a Nokia."

"Just get me some guys, Oz. And try not to fill the lists with stiffs."

"Sure thing, Boss. And we''ll have Nido framing pitchers like Picasso by springtime."

So you hang up, and an hour later, Jay Horwitz comes into your office to show you a text he got from Ozzie. Seventeen guys on his phone. You bite your lip and go to work. Which four guys get a call?

	Mgr	Age	Team(s)	Yrs	From	To	W	L	W-L%	Ties	G > .500	G	W Post	L Post	W-L% Post	Best Fin	Wrst Fin	Av Rk	Plyof App	WS won	Penn Won	ASG	Mets Connection
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/3/37b017b6_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Chip Hale	53	ARI	2	2015	2016	148	176	.457	0	-28	324	0	0		3	4	3.5	0	0	0	0	Mets third base coach, 2009-2010; interviewed to be manager in 2010-2011 offseason.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/e/ee76d10c_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Ron Gardenhire	60	MIN	13	2002	2014	1068	1039	.507	0	29	2107	6	21	.222	1	5	2.5	6	0	0	0	Mets minor leaguer, 1979-1986, Mets player, 1981-1985.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/5/598ac800_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Dale Sveum	54	MIL, CHC	3	2008	2013	134	202	.399	0	-68	336	1	3	.250	2	5	4.9	1	0	0	0	Cousin of John Olerud
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/f/f029df06_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Brandon Hyde	44	FLA	1	2011	2011	0	1	.000	0	-1	1	0	0		5	5	5.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/9/946b8db1_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Cito Gaston	74	TOR	12	1989	2010	894	837	.516	0	57	1731	18	16	.529	1	5	2.9	4	2	2	2
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/7/705fecb9_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Cecil Cooper	68	HOU	3	2007	2009	171	170	.501	0	1	341	0	0		3	4	3.5	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/c/c3ac5482_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Frank Robinson	82	CLE, SFG, BAL, MON, WAS	16	1975	2006	1065	1176	.475	0	-111	2241	0	0		2	7	4.4	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/3/34aac5ec_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Jimy Williams	74	TOR, BOS, HOU	12	1986	2004	910	790	.535	1	120	1701	5	9	.357	1	5	2.6	2	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/0/0f65fbd5_davis.jpg[/fimg]	John Mizerock	57	KCR	1	2002	2002	5	8	.385	0	-3	13	0	0		4	4	4.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/a/aa2d572f_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Gene Lamont	71	CHW, PIT	8	1992	2000	553	562	.496	1	-9	1116	2	4	.333	1	6	3.1	1	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/7/788e81d0_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Kevin Kennedy	63	TEX, BOS	4	1993	1996	309	273	.531	0	36	582	0	3	.000	1	3	1.8	1	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/2/27c289d1_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Toby Harrah	69	TEX	1	1992	1992	32	44	.421	0	-12	76	0	0		4	4	4.0	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/e/e1436f5e_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Nick Leyva	64	PHA	3	1989	1991	148	189	.439	1	-41	338	0	0		3	6	4.9	0	0	0	0	Managed three games for Kingsport, 2008.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/4/4389cb58_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Lee Elia	80	CHC, PHA	4	1982	1988	238	300	.442	1	-62	539	0	0		4	6	5.1	0	0	0	0
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/d/d5b67f3b_davis.jpg[/fimg]	Chuck Cottier	82	SEA	3	1984	1986	98	119	.452	0	-21	217	0	0		5	7	6.0	0	0	0	0	Mets third-base coach, 1979-1981.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/3/347bd77e_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Dave Garcia	97	CAL, CLE	6	1977	1982	307	311	.497	0	-4	618	0	0		2	7	5.7	0	0	0	0	Played minor league ball for the New York Giants.
[fimg=90]https://d3k2oh6evki4b7.cloudfront.net/req/201709071/images/headshots/e/e2afb910_manager.jpg[/fimg]	Bobby Winkles	88	CAL, OAK	4	1973	1978	170	213	.444	1	-43	384	0	0		4	7	5.4	0	0	0	0

[HahnSolo]

Did Chuck Cottier ever coach with the Mets? I feel like that was a name Murph used to announce with zeal.

No way is Nick Leyva only 64? Really?

[Benjamin Grimm]

John Mizerock reminds me of the episode when Johnny Mize went bowling with Fred and Barney.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

They need to bring in the 97-year-old

[Edgy MD]

Garcia sort of turned the Indians around at a time when the American League East was loaded.

Yes, Ozzie blew it on Chuck Cottier. He was part of Joe Torre's staff, 1979-1981.

[Frayed Knot]

Lee Elia, if only to hear him rant against our fans.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Lee Elia, if only to hear him rant against our fans.

I remember when announcer Curt Gowdy used to pronounce his name eli. (no "ya" at the end) And he did it for years.
Later

[Benjamin Grimm]

I always pronounced it "Jay-or-reese."

[Lefty Specialist]

Gardy. Nobody else.

[Edgy MD]

Really? Chip Hale seemed to be teed up there.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I voted for Chip.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: They need to bring in the 97-year-old

YYYYYUP

That guy, Hardy, and Hale. And Elia.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Rode the Hale/Gardenhire coattails...