Poll: Manager You Would Replace Charlie Manuel With
Posted by Don M, Mon, January 30, 2012 09:28 AM | Comments: 29
Analysis, News, Opinion, Poll, Posts
Who would be the best manager for the Phillies if Charlie left? (AP)
We will always be grateful for Charlie Manuel leading the Phillies to the 2008 World Series crown. “This is for Philadelphia! This is for our fans,” screamed Charlie after the Game 5-Part 2 clincher against the Tampa Bay Rays. Charlie will likely never have to pay for a beer again in the City of Brotherly Love, but we all know that he can’t manage this team forever.
Just for the heck of it we asked the fans on our Phillies Nation Facebook page which current MLB manager they would choose right now if they had to replace Charlie Manuel?
We took the ten most frequent responses (with some career achievements via Baseball Reference) and now we want your vote.
Which current MLB manager would you choose if you had to replace Charlie Manuel:
- Dusty Baker, Cincinnati Reds (3x M.O.Y. ’93, ’97 & ’00. .521% CWP in 18 years. 1 PEN).
- Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins (M.O.Y. ’10. .534% CWP in 10 years).
- Kirk Gibson, Arizona Diamondbacks (M.O.Y. ’11. .522% CWP in 2 years).
- Joe Girardi, New York Yankees (M.O.Y. ’06. .570% CWP in 5 years. 1 PEN. 1 WS).
- Ozzie Guillen, Miami Marlins (M.O.Y. ’05. .524% CWP in 8 years. 1 PEN. 1 WS).
- Jim Leyland, Detroit Tigers (3x M.O.Y. ’90, ’92, & ’06. .500% CWP in 20 years. 2 PEN. 1 WS).
- Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays (2x M.O.Y. ’08 & ’11. .510% CWP in 8 years. 1 PEN).
- Mike Scioscia, LA Angels (2x M.O.Y. ’02 & ’09. .548% CWP in 12 years. 1 PEN. 1 WS).
- Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants (M.O.Y. ’96. .497% CWP in 17 years. 2 PEN. 1 WS).
- Ron Washington, Texas Rangers (.527% CWP in 5 years. 2 PEN).
Just for comparison, CHARLIE MANUEL… (.561% CWP in 10 years. 2 PEN. 1 WS).
*M.O.Y. = Manger of the Year Award Winner
*CWP = Career Win Percentage as a manager
*PEN = number of Pennants won …
*WS= number of World Series Titles
The current manager of the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs (Phillies AAA affiliate), Ryne Sandberg, was mentioned a lot. And although he does not fit the criteria of “Current MLB Manager,” it’s safe to say that a lot of Phillies fans will be happy if Sandberg eventually takes over for Charlie Manuel. In 5 seasons as a Minor League Manager, Sandberg has a record of 364-341, good for a .516 winning percentage, and was named 2010 Manager of the Year in the Pacific Coast League, as the skipper of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.
Posts: 770 betasigmadeltashag
Almost went with Other but figured that was a cop out, I would like Sandburg, but in reality I think it would depend on the reason Charlie was leaving. If he were to retire after a WS ChampiChampionship, I think it would be Madden, he seems to me like a similar style to and atitiude as Charlie. But say it is in a few years and the team is playing below expectations and this forces Charlie out I would pick someone like Gibson, because he is like the opposite of Charlie. But I choose Madden, because he has shown he can get a lot out of young kids with limited potential to do the best. And in reality, by the time Charlie does leave it is likly that this Phillies team would be full of younger players expected to maintain the winning tradition this Phillies team has brought us to expect
Posted: 09:50 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 10 LuckyNucky
It’s not a cop-out if you would prefer somebody who’s not on the list…
yep.. Ryne Sandburg
Posted: 11:49 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 1051 Manny
I want Sandberg to take over… but in this poll I voted for Leyland.
Posted: 10:23 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Brian
Bring in Ryan Sandberg or give Mike Scioscia a reason to come home
Posted: 02:51 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 wbramh
Some good choices there, but I went with Leyland, too.
Perhaps because he reminds me the most of Charlie, but I’ve always likedLeyland’s personal managing style aside from his baseball mind.
Posted: 11:21 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 schmenkman
I hope they conduct a real search for Manuel’s replacement.
If he hasn’t already been taken by another team in the meantime, Sandberg may turn out to be the best available when that search is done, and get the job.
But I see no reason to assume he would be the best choice for the job and anoint him as the heir apparent. I don’t think the Phillies owe him anything (assuming there wasn’t a promise made when he came from the Cubs’ organization), and I am sure he will get his chance to manage somewhere eventually as other openings appear across MLB.
Posted: 10:43 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 BART SHART
Manuel will be managing the Phillies until he is 80
Posted: 10:54 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 3468 Lefty
Hey Bart, You may have been kidding, I’m not sure, but I think you’re right. That’s 12 more years. They’ll probably have to drag him out of the dugout!
Posted: 01:05 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 2524 Chuck A.
All of the choices, except for “other”, are currently managers of other teams so I don’t see a reason to choose any of them. In two years, when Charlie’s contract is up and he probably leaves, maybe one or more of those guys would be available. If the decision would have to be made TODAY I would probably pick Sandberg.
Posted: 11:06 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
This question obviously doesn’t sit well with Phillies fans …. we got so many “Nobody but Charlie!” answers on the Facebook page .
But this was another way to ask “Who is the best manager in baseball?” …. and obviously 95% of people would respond that Charlie Manuel is that guy …
if we asked “Besides Charlie Manuel, who is the best manager in baseball?” … im pretty sure at least 85% of people would still respond that Charlie Manuel is that guy..
I was torn between Maddon, Gardenhire, and Scioscia … guys that I feel get the most out of their teams, while seemingly pressing all the right buttons . I chose Scioscia
Posted: 11:19 AM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 3468 Lefty
I voted for Maddon, thinking the results would show me to be in the minority. I’m surprised he’s on top. ( at the time of this comment ) I would go a close second with Kirk Gibson.
Posted: 12:59 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 575 Brian Michael
I voted for hometown boy and Simpsons star Mike Scioscia.
But I don’t get the fascination with Ryne Sandberg. I loved him as a player, but are we that sure he’s an elite major league manager?
Posted: 01:04 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 3468 Lefty
Wow, Pat the Bat is retiring per MLBTR.
Posted: 01:08 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
Doesn’t seem really surprising, actually. The writing was on the wall after his last few seasons.
A tip of the cap to PtB: http://i.imgur.com/9WPBc.gif
Posted: 01:19 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
I’m not surprised to see Maddon leading the poll right now. He’s been able to get amazing results going head-to-head against the mighty Yankees & Red Sox….. I am surprised to see Gardenhire and Ron Washington with so few votes.
and as OTHER … I think people are leaving out the aspect of Current MLB Manager … and probably using it to mean Ryne Sandberg..
I think a good manager is a guy that gets the most out of his players, and the most out of his team …. In 2008, I think Charlie got all he could from his team, but in seasons since then I’m not so sure. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that other managers might have gotten a different result at the helm of the Phillies ship the past few seasons.
Worth noting – Maddon’s bench coach in Tampa, Dave Martinez, has been considered a manager-in-waiting lately too…. with the credit many of us give Jimmy Williams as the bench coach for the Phillies in 2008…. Martinez has been the bench coach alongside Maddon in Tampa Bay for all of their recent success too.
Posted: 02:09 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
Joe Maddon, and it’s not particularly close. Nearly everyone else on that list is a complete buffoon, buoyed by having a roster full of elite talent.
I’d guess it’ll be about another 10 years or so until most managers understand and make strategic decisions based on things like the run expectancy of situations ( http://www.tangotiger.net/re24.html ). The managerial landscape in Major League Baseball is abysmal and it’s really sad because you could program an algorithm to do a better job than half the guys out there. And that’s being generous.
That being said, the Rays do a great job of using advanced metrics in all facets of their organization, and it shows. A few other teams get it as well (Boston, probably Chicago now that Theo is there, etc,), but they’re safely in the minority.
Posted: 03:03 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
Some of these guys have a knack for going with their gut …. when Maddon pinch hit Dan Johnson, (who was hitting .119) …
or Tony LaRussa (who, like Joe Torre). tends to “overmanage” late in games to play to the numbers, going Lefty-Lefty whenever possible, etc …
some of that is on the coaches, some of that is on what the coaches have been given from their GM ……… It’s a lot easier to make a decision on which bench guy to use when you have more than just one LHP in the pen …. or when the Lefty-Pinch Hitters on your team can actually drive a ball, unlike Gload last year (though i believe he led the league in pinch hits last year?) …
Posted: 03:19 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Bruce
I took other. It has to be Sandberg when Charlie retires
Posted: 04:23 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 531 schmenkman
It seems like they would actually want to look around two years from now (or whenever the position is vacated), and see who the best available person is.
Posted: 04:33 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 2524 Chuck A.
I agree. I said “other” if a decision had to be made NOW – TODAY. And Sandberg would be a logical choice. But 2 years from now, if that’s when it is for Charlie to retire, they definitely need to do a full-blown search.
Posted: 05:25 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 531 schmenkman
I guess I’m saying that even if Manuel was hit by a bus tomorrow, I don’t know why Sandberg would be anything more than a “leading candidate”, along with lots of other minor league managers, as well as former major league managers serving as bench coaches, etc.
Posted: 05:50 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 28 landshark
I have to go with a homegrown player, someone who loves the Phillies like they love their kids, wife, and mother….Drum roll please….Michael Jack Schmidt
Posted: 05:21 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
People seem to have trouble with the comprehension of “current MLB manager”…. But hey, it’s all for fun anyway
Posted: 05:37 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 2524 Chuck A.
Don…..my bad…..I must admit that when I read the article I didn’t even notice that you specified “CURRENT MLB manager”. So, if I had to make a choice amongst those guys I’d have to say either Leyland or Scioscia. I like Ron Washington, too.
Posted: 06:28 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Don M: People may be having trouble with the “current MLB manager” thing because the choices include “Other.” I don’t know of any MLB manager named “Other,” so he should not be an option.
Posted: 09:20 AM on January 31, 2012
Posts: 531 schmenkman
I think that was meant to capture those who want Terry Collins, or Don Mattingley, etc.
Posted: 09:58 AM on January 31, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
Yea we didn’t want to list every single manager in baseball… but maybe we should have
Posted: 10:10 AM on January 31, 2012
Posts: 0 Don M
It’s just funny, it’s like asking someone which of Red, White, and Blue is their favorite color…. And everyone answering Green
Posted: 08:25 PM on January 30, 2012
Posts: 3468 Lefty
That’s it! Dallas Green
Posted: 10:35 PM on January 30, 2012