1. Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals
Dusty Baker is back in big league dugouts as a manager, as he takes over as the manager of the Washington Nationals. Baker owns a career .540 win percentage as a manager, has won manager of the year three times, and has finished second another three. Despite this success Baker has only won the N.L. Pennant once in his 20 year run as a manager. Baker inherits a good Nationals team that if managed correctly should be able to compete in the World Series this season.
They have a great pitching staff, and solid hitting, and now they have a seasoned manager at the helm. For the Nationals this was a smart. Baker knows how to handle a team that is ready to win now, and they won’t have to deal with any growing pains of a first time manager. With this roster the Nationals expect Baker to take them to the next level, and he has the knowledge and experience to take them there.
2. Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins
Mattingly is the other big name to sign with a new team this offseason. Mattingly managed the Dodgers the last five season, and amassed a .551 win percentage during that stretch and won at least 92 games each of the last three seasons while also winning his division. The downfall to Mattingly is that his team was never able to take their regular season success and carry it over into the post season.
While one would think you would have job security signing with a team that is rebuilding that is now the case, as the Marlins have had six mangers in six years. This should be a good signing for the Marlins though. Mattingly had success while in LA and even though he won’t have as free spending of a team you don’t average 90 wins a season on accident. In due time Mattingly will have the Marlins as playoff contenders,it just won’t be in his first season.
3. Andy Green, San Diego Padres
Even though Green has no major league experience as manager he managed a few seasons in the minors before becoming the Diamondbacks third base coach last year. Despite a lack of overall experience he has received high praise in particular to D-Backs manager Chip Hale who says that Green is an aggressive coach and knows how to exploit a team’s weaknesses.
Over the last couple in season in baseball it hasn’t been a priority to higher coaches with previous managerial experience and it has turned out fairly well in some cases such as in Tampa with Kevin Cash. After an awful season last year that has seen the Padres trade many of the pieces they traded for or signed as free agents, Green won’t be expected to win right away and will be able to build the team the way he seems best fit.
This is important for a new manager as he can isn’t inheriting players that he is forced to play, but can instead build the team however he envisions, and can then mange it i9n a way the he sees best fit. Only time will tell if Green will succeed but he is a fiery guy that has a passion for winning which is two great traits to have in a manger.
4. Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners
With Servais we see the recent trade of managerial signing where the new manager has no previous managerial experience. Servais has spent the last four season in LA working with the Angels in the front office, after spending six season with the Rangers in player development.
Servais worked alongside GM Jerry Dipoto in LA so he was very comfortable signing Servais and Dipoto has a good idea about what kind of manager he may become. Not too much can be assessed Servais from an outside perspective, but he is credited as being the one who turned around Nelson Cruz’s career. Servais played a large part in turning Cruz into the offensive monster that he is now.
His time in player development may actually work out well for him as a manager as he will be able to provide valuable input to players and help tweak mechanics along with the coaches. Not many managers have this type of insight, and it should work out in his favor as he inherits a talented roster that retains many of the players (including Cruz) that made people think the Mariners were going to be playoff contenders last season.
5. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Roberts is by far the biggest question mark out of the new managers this season. Roberts has no managerial experience and last season he was only a bench coach for the Padres. With no managerial experience and little coaching experience Roberts must have really nailed his interview to impress the Dodgers enough to get the job.
It seems surprising that a team so intent on winning now would higher such a question mark to be their manager, but he certainly has the roster to succeed, as long as he is able to control Yasiel Puig.