The Next Padres Manager Will Be...
Robby Hammock!
With all the chatter about managers these days, who is the ideal manager? Some say you need some grizzled old veteran manning the dugouts to win, using Joe Torre, Casey Stengel and Bruce Bochy as examples. Some say managers actually aren’t that important, and point to modern cases like Alex Cora, Joe Girardi and Ozzie Guillen.
The real answer is somewhere in between. Since the end of World War II, 77 World Series winners have been led by 51 different managers. Thirteen men have won more than one but only six have made it at least three times. With six managers accounting for 25 of the past 77 World Series winners (32%), that doesn’t leave many openings for new blood. So do you have to have one of these old dinosaurs to reach the promised land?
Well you could also argue for younger and relatively inexperienced guys too. The manager has been 49 years old or younger for 35 winners, while only 7 times have managers won while being old enough to collect social security.
You’d definitely prefer at least some experience. Four times has a World Series winner had a manager with zero Major League managing experience in the past 77 seasons. Two times that manager didn’t even have minor league managing on their resume (Alex Cora in 2018 and Bob Brenly in 2001). The majority of winners fall between 1 and 10 seasons worth of MLB managing, and 15 professional seasons overall when Minor League stints are counted.
If you had a club with an opening and wanted to win the World Series, you’d pick someone in their upper 40’s, with at least 5 full seasons of Major League managing experience under their belt who played at least 1,000 games of professional baseball. No manager has ever won without playing at least 170 games (Joe Maddon) in the minors or majors. Sixty times the winner had a manager with at last 1,000 games played.
The median World Series winner of the past 77 champions is 50 years old, with 14 seasons of managing professional baseball.
So how do the current managers stack up?
Best Matches
Alex Cora (48), Red Sox: 5 MLB seasons, 1,750 games played
Aaron Boone (51), Yankees: 6 MLB seasons, 1,732 games played
Bruce Bochy (69), Rangers: 26 MLB seasons, 4 MiLB, 996 games played
David Bell (51), Reds: 5 MLB seasons, 4 MiLB, 2,112 games played
Dave Roberts (52), Dodgers: 9 MLB seasons, 1,654 games played
Craig Counsell (53), Cubs: 9 MLB seasons, 2,153 games played
Can’t Count Them Out
A.J. Hinch (48), Tigers: 10 MLB seasons, 870 games played
Torey Lovullo (58), Diamondbacks: 8 MLB seasons, 9 MiLB, 1,598 games played
Brian Snitker (68), Braves: 8 MLB seasons, 19 MiLB, 236 games played
Brandon Hyde (50), Orioles: 5 MLB seasons, 5 MiLB, 200 games played
Bob Melvin (62), Giants: 20 MLB seasons, 1,250 games played
Dave Martinez (60), Nationals: 6 MLB seasons, 2,240 games played
It Has Happened Before
Pedro Grifol (53), White Sox: 1 MLB season, 5 MiLB, 652 games played
Rocco Baldelli (42), Twins: 5 MLB seasons, 876 games played
Scott Servais (57), Mariners: 8 MLB seasons, 1,188 games played
Kevin Cash (46), Rays: 9 MLB seasons, 924 games played
John Schneider (44), Blue Jays: 3 MLB seasons, 9 MiLB, 311 games played
Bud Black (67), Rockies: 16 MLB seasons, 493 games played
Rob Thompson (60), Phillies: 1 MLB season, 1 MiLB, 216 games played
Not There Yet
Stephen Vogt (39), Guardians: 0 experience, 1,474 games played
Matt Quatraro (50), Royals: 1 MLB season, 4 MiLB, 415 games played
Mark Kotsay (48), A’s: 2 MLB seasons, 2,071 games played
Skip Schumaker (44), Marlins: 1 MLB season, 1,843 games played
Carlos Mendoza (44), Mets: 0 MLB seasons, 3 MiLB, 1,061 games played
Derek Shelton (53), Pirates: 4 MLB seasons, 3 MiLB, 46 games played
Oliver Marmol (38), Cardinals: 2 MLB seasons, 5 MiLB, 262 games played
So the Padres have limited options for the ideal manager but we can all agree they’ll win the World Series if they hire….
Rob Hammock, with 5 years of minor league managing experience, 5 years of MLB coaching, 1,094 professional games played and 46 years old. He’s the one right there. Hammock time in the World’s Finest City.