Less than a week after falling out of the playoffs, the Dodgers decided to part ways with manager Don Mattingly, leaving a vacancy at a marquee job in one of baseball's biggest markets. Though Mattingly was quick to find himself a new home with the Marlins, the Dodgers are still without a skipper. But the team has already interviewed a number of candidates, and several names have come to the forefront.
Among the top candidate being considered are former Dodger and recent Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson and Padres bench coach Dave Roberts, according to The Los Angeles Times, as well as Padres manager Bud Black, according to Fox Sports. Dodgers' farm director Gabe Kapler was previously said to be the front runner for the position, but since L.A. has brought in a number of big names to interview for the role, the job is up in the air.
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So who's going to get the job? At this point, it's somewhat early and slightly unclear. Out of Gibson, Roberts and Black, all three have strong resumes with good chances.
Despite spending most of his career with the Tigers, Gibson moved to the Dodgers in 1988, when he was the NL MVP and won the World Series while hitting possibly the most famous home run in MLB history. In 2010, Gibson took over as manager of the Diamondbacks, where he was named NL Manager of the Year his first year, but otherwise has a mostly mediocre 353-375 (.485) record. This past April, Gibson revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
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Until recently, Black was thought to be lined up to become the next manager of the Nationals, but problems during contract negotiations led Black to reject the job and Dusty Baker took the position. Black is therefore looking for another team, and after eight season with the Padres (including a 2010 NL Manager of the Year award), he might be a promising candidate. However, with a .477 win percentage and no postseason appearances managing the Padres from 2007-15, the Dodgers could have some reservations about Black's resume.
Though Kapler was looking like the favorite for the position after a strong interview, Roberts emerged as the newest frontrunner. A member of the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox, Roberts joined the Padres in 2011 as a coach. Despite no real managerial experience, Roberts, "aced the interview, and he's now apparently the favorite," the LA Times reported earlier this week.
The funny thing is, these three names are just a few of the numerous contenders for the position.
Dodgers MGR candidates include:Kirk Gibson,Bud Black,Gabe Kapler,Dave Roberts,Bob Geren,Dave Martinez, Darrin Erstad, Ron Roenicke, Wallach
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) November 4, 2015
Though Gibson, Black, and Roberts all have more high profile status than some of the others being considered, it's still an open field that's just a bit too close to call. Besides, with 151 days until the start of the 2016 baseball season, what's the rush?
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