Los Angeles Angels: Replacing Mike Scioscia could be interesting
The Los Angeles Angels will now have a very intriguing task this winter as they look to replace the longest-tenured manager currently in MLB
Last offseason, many felt the manager intrigue was as big as it’s been ever in one offseason, as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were both hiring a new skipper, a rare thing for both historic franchises to be searching at the same time. Enter another historic franchise in the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, and now the Los Angeles Angels will be replacing the longest-tenured manager in the game, Mike Scioscia.
There are multiple directions the team could go, and interestingly, much like the Red Sox and Yankees last offseason, there’s unlikely to be a lot of overlap in considered candidates, though there will certainly be some.
Scioscia was just 41 when he took over the Los Angeles Angels job in 2000, going 82-80 in his first season on the job. He turns 60 this winter after spending 19 years at the helm with one organization.
His time has been successful, to say the least. While only recording one 100-win season in his career in 2008, Scioscia has failed to win 75 games just once in his time with the Angels, keeping the team in relative contention the majority of his time at the helm.
Barring a miracle finish to the season, he will finish his managerial career with the Los Angels with seven postseason appearances, six division titles, and one World Series win in 2002 in a dramatic victory over the Giants.
He will finish his Angels tenure with more wins than losses. He currently has 1,625 wins and ranks 18th on the all-time managerial list, but he has no chance this season to move up on that list as the manager ahead of him is Jim Leyland with over 140 more victories.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Scioscia is done as a manager, as he could find the inspiration to come back to the helm with another club, but he’ll likely take at least a couple of seasons off, away from the head job.
Let’s take a look at who the Los Angeles Angels may select to replace him!
Picking a manager from Scioscia’s coaching tree to manage the Los Angeles Angels
When General manager Bill Stoneman hired Scioscia before the 2000 season, he put together an exceptional coaching staff while working with Scioscia.
Joe Maddon is probably the most well-known of the former members of that staff. He’s had tremendous success in a small market in Tampa Bay and also with a big-market club in Chicago and has shown an ability to handle all sorts of personalities. Could he handle the greatest player of this generation?
Maddon does have one more year left on his contract after 2018, so that would have to be part of negotiations with Maddon, but it could be accomplished if the Los Angeles Angels believe he’s the man for the job.
Ron Roenicke managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011-2015, with a .508 winning percentage and one playoff appearance in his time as manager. He’s currently serving as the Red Sox bench coach.
Bud Black was the second member of the Scioscia staff to leave for a managing job, taking over the Padres in 2007. He was able to coax a 90 win season out of the Padres, but he was removed in 2015. He made the playoffs last season as the Rockies manager in his first season with the club, and he’s got his club playing tremendously well in the second half this season as well.
Still on Scioscia’s staff after all of these years is first base coach Alfredo Griffin. He’s been a key cog to the coaching staff throughout the Scioscia regime and could keep a level of stability in the transition.
However, this will be General Manager Billy Eppler’s first chance to hire “his” guy into the managerial role. His contract runs through 2019, but with the heavy investment in the farm system that he’s made, it’s likely he’ll be given a chance to have another contract to see his choice at manager handle the role with the young players that he’s brought in.
Los Angeles Angels dipping into Eppler’s Yankees background
Before Billy Eppler came to the Los Angeles Angels, he was the director of professional scouting and assistant general manager with the New York Yankees. Certainly, he could dip into his experience in that organization in the search for the Los Angeles Angels next top guy.
The obvious name that people will be following is Joe Girardi. Girardi might be the manager choice of the offseason, likely drawing interest from every team looking for a new director on the bench.
Girardi was wronged in the eyes of many twice as a manager, first in his first opportunity after he took the reins of a young and volatile Marlins team and became the face of discipline with some of their young players. He then replaced Joe Torre in New York and won the 2009 World Series as well as 3 division titles, but he had not won a division title since 2012, and the Yankees chose to move on when his contract was up after 2017.
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Outside of the obvious candidate in Girardi, Eppler could look at two former pitching coaches he worked with in Dave Eiland and Larry Rothschild, though Eiland would likely be more in the role of pitching coach for the Angels. Rothschild is currently the pitching coach for the Yankees.
One outside-of-the-box choice (but with a more traditional path) would be former Yankee Luis Sojo. Sojo has managed at multiple minor league levels and coached at the big league level, and he’s had some mixed reviews as to his ability to manage, but on a strong staff, he could be a good choice to relate to Latin players.
The very outside-of-all-boxes choice could end up being along the lines of many recent players that have found their way into the managerial seat. Eppler has been noted to have a very positive relationship with Alex Rodriguez, and as A-Rod has rebuilt his relationship with MLB as a very good analyst on television, he could use this role as the next step in his reputation-building toward a possible Hall of Fame induction.
Next. Scioscia likely stepping down. dark
Of course, the Los Angeles Angels could look at plenty of options not even mentioned here, but this should be a likely top-of-the-list group for the Angels this offseason. Which way do you think they should go?