In an unusual twist, Marlins GM Dan Jennings has been getting serious consideration to succeed Mike Redmond as Marlins manager, according to people familiar with the team’s thinking.
The Marlins haven’t said anything about the likely successor, but a few people with ties to the team suggested it’s quite possible Jennings could take the job in a major surprise.
Marlins people suggested to people all day that they would be making an “outside-the-box” hire that would surprise folks, and if this is it — and it hasn’t been confirmed yet that Jennings is the guy — this would indeed qualify. Jennings is extremely well-respected and liked throughout baseball, but his only previous managing/coaching experience came very early in his career, as a coach at a high school in Mobile, Ala.
After the first couple tweets from CBSSports.com regarding this possibility, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com tweeted that he believed the Marlins were “leaning toward” Jennings.
The Marlins, without providing any clues, have said they will announce their new manager at 11 a.m. ET Monday. It isn’t known whether Jennings would do both jobs if he does turn out to be the managerial hire.
Jennings has been a long-time scout and executive who worked for the Rays before coming over to the Marlins in 2002 for a top front office job. He succeeded Larry Beinfest as GM before the 2014 season, when the team showed substantial improvement.
Several other more by-the-book type choices, such as third base coach Brett Butler, Marlins great/MLB analyst Mike Lowell (he’s Redmond’s dear friend so that always seemed like a long shot, though he could do it), Marlins announcer/consultant Jeff Conine and others seemed to have been ruled out as candidates after being rumored earlier Sunday. Dusty Baker, the highly successful three-time Manager of the Year whose name will come up when there are openings now, had not been contacted. Neither had Mets’ minor-league manager Wally Backman, who had been rumored to be of interest to Miami earlier.
There was also no evidence there was serious consideration being given this time to Bobby Valentine, a successful manager in stops with Texas and the Mets who has nearly been hired by the Marlins on previous occasions. Marlins great Ivan Rodriguez was one of many rumored to be a possibility, but he was at a banquet in Dallas late Sunday night.
The Marlins fired Redmond following the Marlins’ 6-0 defeat to the Braves that left them a disappointing 16-22. Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald was the first to suggest Redmond could be in trouble, weeks ago.
Dan Jennings, right, is a long-time scout and executive with no managerial experience in the majors. (Getty)
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