Six MLB teams will present new managers for the 2019 season. Four of the vacant positions have already been filled. SPOX gives an overview of the new faces in the dugouts.
The Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles have separated from their managers at the end of the season or during the current season. Only two posts are still vacant – the Rangers and Orioles are still looking.
The Reds split from Bryan Price in April and ended the season with Jim Riggleman as interim manager. On 21 October, the Reds appointed David Bell as their permanent successor. He signed a three-year club option agreement for 2022 and will be the first to serve as a manager, most recently as Vice President of Player Development for San Francisco Giants.
Bell played in the MLB from 1995 to 2006 for a total of six teams (Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers).
Bell was Minor League Manager for the Reds from 2009 to 2011 before taking on various coaching jobs with the Cubs and Cardinals. From 2015 to 2017, he finally acted as bench coach for the Cardinals before moving to San Francisco at the end of 2017.
Manager John Gibbons’ contract expired at the end of the season and the Blue Jays announced at the end of December that it would not be extended either. Like Bell in Cincy, Charlie Montoya also got a three-year deal with a one-year option.
Montoya had a short appearance at the Montreal Expos in 1993, but was mainly involved in the organization of the Tampa Bay Rays, where he appeared in various roles before acting as bench coach in 2016 and 2017.
The Angels separated after 19 years from Mike Scioscia, the only manager to win the World Series (2002) with this franchise. He won six division titles and was voted Manager of the Year twice.
Finally, on 25 October, Brad Ausmus was introduced as the team’s new manager. Ausmus was last four years manager of the Detroit Tigers, his first station as manager in the MLB.
The former all-star catcher was active in the MLB from 1993 to 2010 and probably had his most productive time from 2001 to 2008 with the Houston Astros, with whom he reached the World Series in 2005.
The Twins announced in early October that Hall-of-Famer Paul Molitor would not return as manager after four years. However, the American League Manager of the Year 2017 is to be retained in another role of the organization.
His successor was Rocco Baldelli, who was primarily active for the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays in his injured career. The former Outfielder ended his career at the age of 29 for health reasons and has worked in the organisation of the Rays as Special Assistant and Minor League Instructor since 2011.
From 2015 he was promoted to the MLB team’s coaching staff and worked as a First Base Coach before being promoted to Field Coordinator in 2017.
This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.