Angels manager: If Mike Scioscia steps down at season's end, here are 10 potential candidates to succeed him
From Brad Ausmus to Rob Thomson, we survey the field
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3 min read
On Saturday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia is expected to step down at season's end. Scioscia, the longest-tenured skipper in baseball, has managed the Angels since 2000. If true, this will mark the end of an era.
Who might the Angels target to replace Scioscia? It's a fair question, and one we decided to attempt to answer by providing 10 potential candidates. Remember, this is more guesswork than science. Still, we're not just drawing names from a hat. Each has a reason for being here.
With that in mind, let's get to the list. Note that the candidates are presented alphabetically.
Brad Ausmus
Ausmus joined the Angels front office last November after serving as the Detroit Tigers manager for four seasons. He was often criticized for his tactical decisions during that run, and finished with a sub-.500 record. Still, Ausmus figures to get another chance at some point. It's clear that the Angels value what he offers -- even if it proves to be not enough to name him manager.
Eric Chavez
General manager Billy Eppler likes Chavez so much that he hired him away from the New York Yankees, where the two had worked together. Chavez hasn't worked as a coach, but has stated in the past he feels that's where his future lies.
Gary DiSarcina
Currently the New York Mets bench coach, DiSarcina has a history with the Angels. He spent time as the first- and third-base coaches during a three-year run with the club earlier in the decade. DiSarcina has popped up on candidate lists before, and was seemingly in contention for the Philadelphia Phillies gig before they decided on Gabe Kapler.
Dino Ebel
Like DiSarcina, Ebel has sufficient history as a big-league coach as well as with the Angels franchise. He was the third-base coach from 2006-13 and reclaimed that post this season after three years spent as Scioscia's bench coach. Beyond that, Ebel has extensive history as a minor-league coach, and has served with the Angels organization since 2005.
Joe Espada
Why might Espada earn consideration for the Angels job? It begins with his nearly decade-long run as a big-league coach and extends to his connection to Eppler, given the two worked together with the Yankees. Another thing working in Espada's favor is that he's spent this season as the bench coach for the Houston Astros, suggesting he's comfortable using advanced metrics on some level. That's pretty much a must in today's game.
Darin Erstad
In the NFL or NBA, Erstad would be a more realistic candidate. He's a well-known former player who has spent years coaching at Nebraska. Baseball, for various reasons, doesn't seem to believe in the college-to-majors leap -- not for managerial types, at least. Maybe that'll change someday down the road, but it won't happen in time for Erstad to replace Scioscia.
Joe Girardi
As with John Farrell, Girardi is going to be connected to most every opening until he's hired elsewhere. Because Girardi is the hot name with regards to the St. Louis Cardinals opening, his connection to Eppler from their shared Yankees days is likely to go unnoticed -- that relationship is why he, not Farrell, gets named here. Of course, the flip side to their history is that Eppler may feel the same way about Girardi that the Yankees did when they dismissed him last fall.
Josh Paul
Expect Paul to get an interview. He joined the Angels staff as bench coach over the winter, having previously worked with Eppler as part of the Yankees organization. Paul played with the Angels and was able to hang around despite a lacking bat due to his staff-handling abilities and smarts. He's considered a future skipper, and it could be a matter of when, not if he gets a shot.
Ron Roenicke
If the Angels want a Scioscia associate -- and it's not clear that they do -- then Roenicke makes plenty of sense. He has had separate stints coaching under Scioscia, from 2000-10 and then again from 16-17, wrapped around his five-year run as the manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Roenicke now serves as bench coach for the Boston Red Sox.
Rob Thomson
Thomson spent a decade as coach with the Yankees prior to leaving last winter to join the Phillies as bench coach. Philadelphia's success could lead to renewed interest in Thomson as a manager. At minimum, his relationship with Eppler could land him an interview.
