The Padres introduced that they’ve signed former massive leaguer Craig Stammen to a three-year deal to function their new supervisor. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Stammen’s hiring previous to the official announcement.
“Craig has been a powerful presence in our group for almost a decade,” president of baseball operations A.J. Preller mentioned within the press launch. “He possesses deep organizational information and brings pure management qualities to the Supervisor’s chair. As each a participant and in his post-playing profession, Craig has displayed a capability to raise these round him. His energy of character, aggressive nature and expertise for bringing individuals collectively make him the perfect selection to steer the Padres.”
It’s one more out-of-the-blue improvement from San Diego. Shortly after the Padres had been eradicated from the postseason, preliminary reporting indicated that supervisor Mike Shildt was prone to keep for the 2026 season. A number of days later, he surprisingly stepped down, amid reporting that Shildt’s relationship with different membership workers was fairly poor.
Now the information of Shildt’s substitute additionally comes as a shock. Previous to the information of Stammen’s hiring, there had been no public indication that he was even a candidate for the job. Names like Ryan Flaherty, Ruben Niebla, Albert Pujols and Nick Hundley had been related to the job over the previous month. Final week, reporting from Acee indicated that there have been “not more than 4” finalists, with Pujols, Niebla and Hundley being three of them. It could now seem that Stammen was the thriller fourth candidate.
It’s additionally a stunning improvement in that Stammen has no prior managerial and even teaching expertise. He pitched within the massive leagues from 2009 to 2022. The primary seven of these seasons got here with the Nationals and the ultimate six with the Padres. He signed a minor league cope with the Padres going into 2023 however then suffered a serious shoulder harm throughout spring coaching. He introduced his retirement a number of months later. In January of 2024, the Padres employed him in a participant improvement position.
Regardless of the shortage of dugout expertise, other than his time as a participant, the Padres appear to really feel that Stammen is the person for the job. They clearly know him nicely, as their relationship with him goes again at years at this level, combining his taking part in days together with his current participant improvement position.
Nonetheless, it’s a notable gambit for the workforce to take, because the wobbly supervisor’s chair in San Diego has been a subject of dialog for years. Preller was employed again in 2014, with the Padres rebuilding for some time. Going into 2020, as they hoped the rebuild was over, they employed Jayce Tingler to be their new skipper. On the time, Tingler had a number of years of teaching expertise however was simply 38 years outdated and had by no means been a supervisor. The Padres carried out nicely within the shortened 2020 season however dissatisfied in 2021 amid experiences that Tingler misplaced the clubhouse.
Going into 2022, they went for a extra seasoned supervisor. They employed Bob Melvin, who was 60 years outdated and had nearly twenty years of managerial expertise. The Friars made the playoffs in 2022 however dissatisfied in 2023. There have been whispers that Melvin and Preller didn’t get alongside. The Padres let Melvin interview with the division-rival Giants and he jumped ship previous to the 2024 season.
Shildt, one other baseball lifer with a number of teaching and managerial expertise, was employed two years in the past. The Padres gained no less than 90 video games in every of his seasons however, as talked about, current experiences have indicated that issues weren’t fairly behind the scenes. It was additionally just lately reported that Preller most well-liked to rent Ryan Flaherty over Shildt however he could have been overruled by possession. Flaherty was 37 years outdated and barely faraway from his taking part in days on the time.
Stammen, 41, is seemingly extra in direction of the Tingler/Flaherty finish of the spectrum than the Melvin/Shildt aspect. Maybe that will not matter and the Padres simply really feel that, as a person, he’s the very best man for the job. Stammen should leap proper to the helm and attempt to steer the Padres ahead. The membership has had numerous success in recent times and is definitely hoping for extra. The roster is full of costly veteran star gamers and all indicators level to them persevering with to aim to contend.
For many who missed out on the gig, they’re principally out of possibilities for a managerial job. There have been a number of managerial vacancies this winter however this was one of many final ones to be stuffed. The Rockies are the final membership with out a skipper, although a choice for that job shouldn’t be imminent. The Rockies are first planning to rent a brand new entrance workplace chief. Whoever will get that job will then begin the seek for the membership’s subsequent supervisor. Dennis Lin of The Athletic relays that Niebla was the opposite finalist for the Padres’ job. Alden González of ESPN says Niebla is anticipated to return to the Friars as pitching coach subsequent 12 months.
Images courtesy of Orlando Ramirez, Imagn Photographs
