The Philadelphia Phillies are searching for a new manager. That search may be coming to an end in the next couple of days.
Despite their struggles in 2017, the Philadelphia Phillies were not expected to be looking for a manager this offseason. They are a team in the midst of a rebuild, and had modest expectations at best heading into the year. When manager Pete Mackinin was given a contract extension in the middle of the season, it seemed as though he had plenty of job security, at least for 2017.
Instead, Mackinin was removed as the Phillies manager at the end of the season, and was moved into the front office. Philadelphia has been tied to a number of potential candidates, and have conducted numerous interviews, but there were not any clear favorites. That is, until Wednesday, when minor league manager Dusty Wathan became rumored to be the next Phillies skipper.
The Philadelphia #Phillies zeroing in on Dusty Wathan to become their next manager, promoting him from Triple A Lehigh Valley
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 25, 2017
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Wathan has spent quite a bit of time in the minors. Aside from three games with the Kansas City Royals in 2002, he spent his entire 14 year playing career in the minors, essentially serving as an additional coach on the roster. He became a full time coach in 2008, and slowly worked his way through the minors once more before emerging as the favorite for the Phillies job.
Baseball, and managing, run through Wathan’s bloodlines. His father, John Wathan, spent a decade with the Royals as a catcher and outfielder before managing the franchise for five years. His brother, Derek Wathan, also spent a dozen years in the minors, bouncing around five different organizations.
Hopefully, if he is the next Philadelphia Phillies manager, Dusty Wathan’s stay in the majors lasts longer than three games. While relatively unknown, he could be the right person for the Phillies as they look to move forward.