In a dizzying managerial merry-go-around in which a college coach was hired with no professional experience in San Francisco, and a 33-year-old was hired in Washington, the San Diego Padres’ managerial choice Thursday was the most shocking of all.
The Padres hired former 13-year-veteran reliever Craig Stammen to be their manager after retiring less than three years ago, and never having coached or managed at any level.
Stammen, 41, who received a three-year contract, was selected ahead of future Hall of Fame manager Bruce Bochy, who had expressed interest, future Hall of Fame player Albert Pujols who interviewed for 9 ½ hours, Chicago Cubs bench coach Ryan Flanerty, former Padres catcher and Texas Rangers special assistant Nick Hundley and Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla.
Stammen becomes the sixth full-time manager under GM A.J. Preller, replacing manager Mike Shildt, who parted ways after the season with two years and $4 million still remaining on his contract.
Stammen, who pitched for the Padres from 2017-22, has been a special assistant in the Padres baseball operations department the past two years. There are still six players remaining on the team from his last season as a player: Jake Cronenworth, Yu Darvish, Manny Machado, Joe Musgrove, Adrian Morejon and Fernando Tatis Jr.
“Craig has been a strong presence in our organization for nearly a decade,” Preller said in a statement. “He possesses deep organizational knowledge and brings natural leadership qualities to the manager’s chair. As both a player and in his post-playing career, Craig has displayed an ability to elevate those around him. His strength of character, competitive nature and talent for bringing people together make him the ideal choice to lead the Padres.”
Stammen, who sat in some of the managerial interviews, was tremendously popular in San Diego. He was the Padres’ 2022 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, received the Padres 2017 chairman’s award for his philanthropic efforts and was the recipient of the 2020 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award.
Stammen’s stunning hire certainly tops Tony Vitello’s hiring in San Francisco, leaving the University of Tennessee for the Giants, and Blake Butera’s hiring in Washington.
Stammen was the eighth managerial hire this winter but despite all of the turnover, there has only been one minority hire – Kurt Suzuki of the Los Angeles Angels.
Three-time World Series champion Dave Roberts of the Dodgers and Will Venable of the White Sox are the only Black managers in MLB.
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