San Diego Padres: Why Bruce Bochy should be the next manager
The San Diego Padres are in the market for a new manager after dismissing Andy Green in mid-September. The only logical choice is hiring Bruce Bochy.
As the 2019 regular season comes to an end, the San Diego Padres showed great promise at times before the wheels came off after the All-Star break.
Once again, the Padres finished at the bottom of the NL West standings, a whopping 36 games out of first place. Changes have to made and the first order of business was dismissing Andy Green as manager in late September.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller believes a new voice is needed in the dugout if the franchise is going to become a legitimate playoff contender in the National League. And the lone choice for the Friars is bringing back Bruce Bochy into the fold.
A move of this nature gives them their best opportunity to fulfill expectations in 2020.
What Went Wrong With Andy Green
The San Diego Padres stayed with Green at the helm for as long as possible. I thought he was good as gone after 2018’s disastrous 66-97 campaign, but Green was brought back for another season. However, his continual in-game managerial missteps called for a change at the position.
Just too many questionable pitching changes and a lack of urgency by the players in the field and the plate were the deciding factors in firing him. In the end, Green never felt like the manager who would reap the benefits of leading this talented group of players to the playoffs.
Now, the Padres join a group of other teams (San Francisco Giants, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Angels and possibly the Philadelphia Phillies shortly) seeking to hire a new manager.
Preller’s Job Security Will Come Under Scrutiny
Curiosity definitely surrounds the next managerial choice of the Padres as Preller needs to get this hire right for his own job security. I mean you can go only so far boasting about having “the best farm system in baseball” without receiving some criticism for the lack of results on the field. His free-agent signings of Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado haven’t made much of an impact in the lineup either.
Preller cannot hire another manager short on experience and has no say on the structure of the batting lineup or the usage of the pitching staff. No, choosing a rookie skipper comes with growing pains that could stagnate the growth and development of this young roster. Another losing season could intensify the scrutiny on Preller’s job security as questions will be raised on his reluctance to make the necessary changes to put the Padres in a better position to compete on the field.
It’s smarter to opt for a veteran manager who gains immediate credibility inside the clubhouse and with the loyal fanbase. There is no better candidate than Bochy, but Preller must treat him as an equal partner in the process and not some subordinate chose to carry out his orders.
Can Bochy Be Coax Out of Retirement?
If this move is going to take place, then the Padres need to act fast and bring Bochy into the fold before he chooses to stay retired. However, this rumor won’t go away until he takes himself out of consideration for the open managerial position in San Diego.
It may come down to if Bochy is content with staying home and just waiting for a call from Cooperstown. If the fire is still burning inside him, then he will be sitting inside a dugout next summer. Plus, the temptation to mold a young, inexperienced team into a playoff contender might be enough for Bochy to put up with the endless travel and daily grind that comes with the title of major league manager for a few more seasons. Any agreement with Bochy will be short-term, likely a two or three-year deal.
Bochy’s retirement announcement had a feel of someone staying too long at the party. Now, I’m not trying to imply the front office wanted to push him out the door, but they were ready to usher in a new era of Giants baseball. They tried to debunk the rumors of Bochy being forced out as the team’s manager because of the hire of Farhan Zaidi as the President of Baseball Operations last November. The Giants wanted 2019 to be a season that saluted Bochy’s contributions to the organization before Zaidi was allowed free reign to rebuild the roster.
What The San Diego Padres Gain From Hiring Bruce Bochy?
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Luring Bruce Bochy back into the fold allows him to finish his managerial career where it all began back in San Diego.
The mention of the San Diego Padres should hold a special place in his heart as Bochy spent 21 seasons in the organization as a player, coach, and minor/major league manager.
Bochy offers the Padres a proven manager with a winning (three-time World Series champion) pedigree from his time with the San Francisco Giants. From the first day of spring training in Peoria to the last day of the season, Bochy will teach and preach the fundamentals of the game.
It’s precisely what a team like the Padres who feature a good mix of veterans and youngsters need. It all begins by instilling some accountability inside the locker room. His voice in the clubhouse could finally provide the spark needed to move this franchise in the right direction.
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A hiring of this nature changes the conversation surrounding the team as fans and foes focus more on an old warrior returning home. Hopefully, it buys some time for the Padres talented young nucleus to learn their trade from one of the great managers in the game.