Major League Baseball is having one of the more competitive World Series in recent years, but the Friar Faithful are enjoying the festivities from their homes once again and not at Petco Park.
The San Diego
Padres are seeking to hire a new voice in the dugout. The front office was caught off guard by the sudden retirement announcement of Mike Shildt following the Padres ouster from the Wild Card round. And their managerial search seems to be heading into the final stretch, as San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee (subscription required) reported the Friars have narrowed the field to Albert Pujols, Nick Hundley, Ruben Niebla, and an unknown candidate.
We have discussed why Pujols is under consideration for the Padres’ managerial job. I will not waste time speculating about who is the mysterious finalist. Please, contact us if you see a person of interest strolling in the Gaslamp Quarter.
Niebla offers clubhouse stability
Ruben Niebla is a managerial candidate because of his outstanding work as the Friars’ pitching coach. He has developed several prospects and resurrected floundering careers. All have excelled in the bullpen or in the starter’s role. During his three seasons (2022-24) in San Diego, Niebla’s pitching staffs have a 3.80 ERA and hold a 56.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
As a manager, his approach will be to get his lineup into a mindset of identifying the opponent’s weaknesses and capitalizing on them in games. Niebla is skilled at translating the analytics into valuable information for his team.
Pitching coaches rarely get considered for the managerial position, but Niebla is different, as he builds a relationship with the players. If someone is struggling at the plate, in the field, or on the mound, Niebla will gather the data and watch game tapes before offering insight to break them out of their slump. This type of interaction builds a strong rapport inside the clubhouse.
Former Padre is a managerial candidate
The catcher position is called the “tools of ignorance,” as no one in their right mind would go behind home plate. However, the nickname is misleading because catchers are the most strategic-minded players on the field. In fact, some of the sport’s best managers were former catchers.
Another name to emerge as a finalist for the Padres managerial position is Nick Hundley, who played for the franchise from 2008 to 2014. Currently, the former catcher is a special assistant to a former teammate, Texas Rangers GM Chris Young.
During his playing days, Hundley was praised for his leadership skills. He called out all the infield defense alignments and advised the manager if a pitcher was faltering on the mound. His knowledge would help to build a strong, fundamentally sound team.
The one drawback is that Hundley lacks major league coaching experience. However, he was a candidate for the San Francisco Giants job before they hired University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello.
All the candidates should be graded on a learning curve, as each will guide a major league team for the first time. It is a challenge that could influence who is chosen for the position.
The franchise should have a manager in place before the general managers’ meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 10-13 in Las Vegas.
