During the time that Peter Seidler was the controlling partner for the San Diego Padres, the word stability became a consistent theme in his public interviews. Seidler wanted to build an organization based on excellence and winning and he felt stability was an important path to success.
With the announcement on Monday that manager Mike Shildt was retiring from the Padres, the organization once again faces a time of instability. They have done a good job of minimizing the fallout of the lawsuit over
ownership control and returned the focus to the product on the field. It helps that the product on the field has won 90 games or more the past two seasons. The lawsuit has gone into the background, an issue for lawyers and the courts to decide.
Now the whole organization has a more pressing problem to deal with. Not only are they missing an on-field manager, but the head of their baseball operations, A.J. Preller, is entering the last year of his contract.
Extend Preller
Does it make sense to hire a manager when the general manager is facing his last season with the organization? Anyone interviewing for the job would be reasonable if he was worried about his security with the head of baseball operations possibly changing the year after his job began.
The most reasonable and stabilizing option would be to settle the future of the general manager first. Extending Preller would be a logical first step in the process. Baseball is a business, and businesses do not like controversy or unanswered issues. If the Padres intended on firing Preller, they would have done it by now. Most firings take place right after a team has ended its season. The only teams not involved in these blood baths are the teams involved in the playoffs.
It seems obvious that Preller is keeping his job. If that is the case, then he needs his contract settled so that whoever gets the manager position has a stable base to work from. He will know who the front office is comprised of and won’t be worried about his future being dependent on a change in baseball operations.
For those hoping that Preller goes, the evidence is not on your side. He made his zoom appearance on Tuesday morning for the postseason presser. Although he didn’t detail any contract discussions, he expressed his love for San Diego and the organization and his desire to stay. Considering the team has been to the playoffs four out of the last six years and is coming off back-to-back 90 wins seasons, there is little support for firing based on lack of success. World Championships are not easy to come by and the team is best served by maintaining continuity in order to achieve the goal.
The willingness that Preller has shown to deal prospects in order to obtain major league talent is the biggest criticism most have to support dismissing him. It is true that financial sustainability is best served with a mix of homegrown players and free agents. It is also true that handing out multi-year and big money contracts will hamstring a mid-to-low market team like the Padres. That being said, Preller has shown a remarkable ability to build and sustain a winning roster without hanging on to most of his prospects. Until that approach fails, it seems we, as fans, should enjoy what we have.
Prompt action is needed
The search for a manager needs to happen as quickly as possible. There are eight teams that have vacancies. The Padres are the only team of the group with a winning record and a history of recent success. This job should be highly desired by anyone who wants a winning situation. Rebuilding is a painful and tedious job that the person hired for this position will not have to endure. That can’t be said for many of the other available managerial positions.
Managerial options
Of the teams searching for managers only the Texas Rangers have filled their position and they did that quickly. After Bruce Bochy and the team agreed that he would not be returning, Skip Schumaker was soon announced as his replacement.
Of the many candidates that have been mentioned for the available positions, several are good candidates for the Padres. Preller stated in his Tuesday morning presser that a list of candidates is being formed immediately. The organization has both internal and external options. Here are a few of the most likely considerations.
Internal
Ruben Niebla – The Padres pitching coach has expressed a desire to manage and would seem an obvious candidate. He knows the organization, the players and already has a relationship with Preller. He seems to be respected by everyone around him and the Padres pitchers have all raved about his communication skills. His biggest drawback is a lack of managerial experience. Can a rookie manager be successful with this team?
Scott Servais – The former manager of the Seattle Mariners is a special assistant in the organization and has nine years managerial experience with Seattle. He is also familiar with the workings of the team and has a relationship with Preller.
Brian Esposito – The bench coach for the Padres worked closely with Shildt during this past season and took over when Shildt was ejected from games. Again, a steady choice who is familiar with the organization and has a relationship with the players and Preller.
Mark Loretta – Former Padres player and current special assistant in the organization, Loretta was a bench coach with the Cubs in 2019 and has been with the Padres front office since 2022.
A. J. Ellis – A former Padre and member of the Padres front office, Ellis has been a long-time member of the Padres staff and in 2024 accepted a position that has him as an on-field evaluator in a more hands-on role with the players.
External
Ryan Flaherty – A former bench coach with the Padres under Bob Melvin, Flaherty has been the bench coach for the Cubs the past two seasons. He interviewed for the Padres managerial job when Shildt was selected and was thought to be a finalist at that time.
David Ross – A former Padre, Ross was the Cubs manager for four seasons until he was let go in favor of Craig Counsell. He has also been mentioned as a candidate for the Atlanta Braves job.
Phil Nevin – A former Padre and the former manager of the Anaheim Angels, Nevin has managed at the minor league and major league levels since leaving his playing career.
Other possibilities: Rocco Baldelli was fired from his managerial job with Minnesota at the end of the season. Nick Hundley, a former Padre, has been interviewed for the San Francisco Giants position. Brandon Hyde was fired from the Baltimore Orioles at the end of their season. Albert Pujols is rumored to be the front runner for the Anaheim Angels managerial position. Bruce Bochy is 70 years old and does not seem to fit the criteria that Preller has mentioned. He stated in his presser on Tuesday that they want someone who can be with the organization long term and provide consistency and stability. Bochy will be an automatic election to the Hall of Fame when he is eligible, but is not a long-term solution as a manager for the Padres.
