Blue Jays Rumour Roundup: The Managerial Merry-Go-Round

It’s not just the Blue Jays that have a managerial vacancy. Many other clubs have an empty bench and will be looking to fill the spot before Spring Training.

With ample speculation on who will succeed John Gibbons at the end of the Blue Jays bench, many other teams have thrown their hats in the ring with regards to the skipper shuffle. Though the decisions of these teams might not directly have an effect on what goes on with the Blue Jays, their coaching decisions could indirectly force a candidate in or out of the picture.

With that said, here are some of the latest notes and rumours from other teams looking for a new bench boss:

Rangers Eyeing DeRosa

Mark DeRosa, former Blue Jay, and current MLB Network personality has been frequently connected to the Texas Rangers, writes Fancred’s Jon Heyman. DeRosa, who has a Cleveland connection, is both a personable and knowledgeable baseball mind who could conceivably be a dark horse to fill a spot.

Reds Looking at Farrell, Ausmus

The Cincinnati Reds, a rather confused organization without a manager, has reportedly interviewed ex-Blue Jays and Red Sox manager John Farrell, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Heyman also connects the Reds to former Detroit Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus.

Multiple sources have also reported that Joe Girardi, also looking for a job, interviewed for the Reds job. Though no other details have become available, it’s possible the ex-Yankees skipper has a chance to nab the spot.

Twins Favouring In-House Replacements

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Many insiders, including Heyman, are expecting the Minnesota Twins, who recently let go of bench boss Paul Molitor, to look inside the organization to find their next manager. Derek Shelton, who in 2017 worked with the Jays as a quality control coach and has recently been the Twins’ bench coach, is apparently the most likely in-house candidate to succeed Molitor.

It’s also likely that the rest of the coaching staff, most notably Gene Glynn and Eddie Guardado, could leave as well to follow Molitor.

Other Misc. Managerial Notes

Though there were rumblings of managerial replacements, the Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals will all stick with their current managers, at least for another full season. The Baltimore Orioles, who parted ways with Buck Showalter last week, round out the list of teams looking, along with the floundering Los Angeles Angels.

Though the Blue Jays haven’t been connected to any names, in particular, the above rumours can somewhat be of help in narrowing down the list of potential candidates. Heyman’s series of notes continues to point to Stubby Clapp as a logical replacement.

Again, the decisions of these teams will not directly impact the decisions made by the Blue Jays front office, but it’s reasonable to assume that once one domino falls, the rest will soon follow. With an abundance of free managers and only a select few coveted spots, getting a solid choice fast will be crucial into assuring a positive future in terms of the coaching staff.