I’m on record as saying that the Baltimore Orioles should hire a guy new to managing when they look for a leader in the dugout. (Obviously they need to hire a GM first, but I digress.) But is it possible that a candidate with experience could be the right fit? Even for a young team?
Jim Riggleman was relieved of his duties in Cincinnati and thus is available. He’s not a flashy name by any means, but he’s had some limited success over time. He’s also older, and would probably not be looking to manage long-term.
In other words, he’d be primed to maybe set the course of the organization in terms of fundamentals, and then when things start to churn well they could look to bring in a flashier name. This while Riggleman would in theory be retiring.
I thought that Riggleman was treated poorly by Cincinnati. That team was dead in the water in April, and he lit a fire under the players and they started to win. At the very least, he deserved to be their manager next year, and I thought it was poor form to let him go. He was also treated poorly by the Washington Nationals, who refused to even discuss picking up his option. Riggleman resigned mid-season as a result – a move that I respected.
But would he be the right fit for such a young team? That’s up to the new front office. But the fact is that he’s a name that’s out there. Anything is possible.
Birdland Crush 