FanPost

Our Next Ideal Managerial Hire?

It is no surprise to most who were watching this season, or following the managerial saga from last off-season, but Ron Roenicke is out, as are the bench coach and bullpen coach. It is a bit surprising that the rest of the coaching staff was retained, but more on that later. The reality is, although Roenicke was handed a pretty tough set of cards, he was not particularly inspiring throughout the season and it seemed the whole time that he was just a bench warmer for the next coach.

Now, we all know there has been TONS of speculation about who the next coach will be. Of course, the main name being throw around is Alex Cora. For so many different reasons, and as Matt mentions in today's article, the retaining of the majority of the coaching staff continues to point to the possibility. Interestingly enough, I really don't have a strong opinion on that possibility, unlike just about every other Red Sox fan in existence. Those against it are very strongly against it, due to the cheating allegations. Those for it are very strongly for it, thanks to his relationships with our players and his success guiding the team to their amazing 2018 season. For me, I could go either way. I personally think it is time for the team to start a new chapter, with Bloom ushering in a new style of game for them. However, I have also been an ardent defender of Cora in terms of his ability to coach, as I think he is one of the better coaches in the game, so it certainly wouldn't be a disappointing hire for me either.

However, Cora is not my ideal hire, and my article is meant to focus on said ideal hire. So, I am going to outline a few other guys who I personally have high up on our target list, and an explanation for each guy. I want to be clear, none of us truly know how any of these coaches might do. So it's more about projection for what we THINK we know about them. In practice, it could look very different. Anyway, here is my top 5 choices for next manager of the Boston Red Sox.

1. Matt Quatraro

I have been beating the drum to the Matt Quatraro bandwagon since the moment Cora was let go last off-season. For those who don't know, Quatraro is the bench coach of the Tampa Bay Rays, the same Rays who are currently battling for a chance to represent the AL in the World Series. Obviously, the Tampa connection is huge here, as Bloom presumably knows a great deal about Quatraro. But besides that, why do I like him? Well, it's two fold. First, based on all reports and information I know about him, he is great with his players. Every time we have had success as an organization, it was with a manager who was known for being a player oriented coach. So that fit is there. Also, the big draw for me anyway is his knowledge of advances analytics, pitching development, and modern strategies such as employing an opener, that has been lacking thus far in the Sox organization. If Quatraro can bring with him some of the Tampa Bay knowledge, I believe the Red Sox would absolutely be better for it.

2. Sam Fuld

Fuld is on the younger end, but I don't believe that is a bad thing. He is from the area, and also has connections to Bloom from playing in Tampa Bay. The reason I have him so high is because he is a huge proponent of analytics. Again, I realize analytics is a buzz word in the community right now, and seems to send some people's head spinning at the thought of them, but reality is that some of the most successful teams in recent years have been the teams that have dove fully into the use of modern analytics. The Red Sox were doing that a little under Cora, but we have a long way to go in that department. I think Fuld could bring a new energy the team lacks. Also, given he is less experienced, it would make sense they could keep most of the former coaching staff around, to ease Fuld's transition to coach.

3. Luis Urueta

Urueta gives me a lot of Cora vibes. He was a manager of the Colombian World Baseball Classic team (similar to Cora with Puerto Rico). He has strong connections to Latin American players. He is currently a bench coach, a role he has only had a couple years, under a coach that is well regarded (Lovullo). He is working with a team that has been empracing analytics (sense a theme?) in Arizona. I feel, if we want someone as similar to Cora as possible that is not Cora, Urueta is your guy. Personally, I would be very happy with this hire, and would have been happy last off-season if this had been the move we made when we interviewed him. He isn't my top choice, but he's a very solid one.

4. Jason Varitek

If we want to stay internally, I would argue this is the best choice. McMillon could be as well, but for now let's stick to Varitek. Varitek is someone who has long been rumored to be a potential coaching candidate, and it had not been fully clear if he would want the role, until he recently made it clear he does. However, this season, he spent the year in the dugout for the Red Sox in a much more involved role. Varitek knows the players, and generally has earned tons of respect as a player and as a person. He has a clear understanding of the game and brings a leadership quality that could really help this team. And, it would make sense to let him learn for a year under a coach like Roenicke before him taking the reigns himself, and since he knows most of the rest of the coaching staff, the transition is easy. It would certainly garner favor with Sox contingent of Sox fans as well, which let's face it, this team does tend to think about when they spin things.

5. Carlos Pena

Okay, this is my wild, crazy, totally out there suggestion but here me out. There are several connections here that make sense. Pena is from the area, attended Northeastern University, and played for both the Sox and for Tampa Bay, so Bloom should know him well. Pena also is an analytics guy, and has worked to help represent that on MLB Network. He also is a connection to both younger players and to the latin american players, which again is a plus. I think he has a good balance of player connection as well as decent tough love quality that it appeared Cora possessed which would resonate for guys like Bogaerts and Devers. I am not fully sure he is ready for the gig, but if we wanted to do something similar to what the Yankees did with Boone, I think I would look past Perez and go for Pena.

So, there you have it. there are other possibilities (Hensley Muelens for example) but these are my top 5 list. I would be very happy with anyone on this list, especially the top 3. But in the end, only Bloom and co. know what they are actually looking for, and in the end, I am sure they will go with what they feel is right, and I trust the process.