The search for Your Guy
Buster Posey is in the market
Buster Posey fired his manager is a headline that would have made you spit out your $18 beer if it ran 10 years ago. Now it registers as a mild surprise.
Posey remade the Giants’ core and now he’s going to do the same to the dugout. The range of outcomes is wide.
Does he stick with an experienced coach who shares similar baseball sensibilities? Or does Posey zag and go with someone completely unproven in the role—much like himself?
Bruce Bochy told John Shea that he’d be open to a conversation with Posey, who has shown he likes to hire people he knows. On the other end of the spectrum is Tony Vitello. Who? Why, he’s the manager over at the University of Tennessee. Both ESPN and The Athletic have cited him as a potential candidate. That doesn’t happen on accident.
If I had to guess, I think Posey will choose someone from the 2021 coaching staff. It was the biggest ever at the time and fueled career revivals for Posey and Brandon Crawford.
Craig Albernaz? Kai Correa? Mark Hallberg? Posey knows them and they have no experience as a major league manager. Perfect.
I correctly called the top of the Giants (Red Sox series win) and the time to sound the alarm, which is like calling the top of the stock market. You sound like a genius, but you’re an idiot because it can never be done over and over again and a lot dumb luck needs to be involved. So my genius or idiot take is Posey will choose a manager who isn’t a former employee. You can call me out when I’m wrong. Whomever Posey chooses needs to be able to create/maintain an Identity, culture, be uber prepared and detailed oriented, motivator, energy, keeps players pulling on same rope over personal goals. Read the Athletic profile on Vogt/Albernaz from last year. They fight a lot. The scene in the SF steakhouse is hilarious. How much does Posey’s staff or Melvin’s staff push each other like Vogter/Alby?
If you’re correct, Alby checks the uber prepared, detailed orientated, works around the clock, embraces conflict.
Any comment on the rumors Posey is seeking to interview the founders of West Coast Bias?