Former C’s manager Miller ‘surprised’ by firing after title win
Rich Miller swears he didn’t see it coming.
Miller was fired by the Toronto Blue Jays just days after managing the Vancouver Canadians to the Northwest League title and, via text message from his Pennsylvania home, admitted late Wednesday that “I was surprised that I was let go so soon.”
“It was as if winning and the team improving really didn’t mean anything,” Miller, 66, added.
The C’s won the short-season, single-A crown on Sept. 12 at Nat Bailey Stadium, beating the Eugene Emeralds 2-1 to claim their best-offive final series in four games. Miller went home the following day and, two days after that, got word from the Blue Jays that he didn’t have a job in the organization for 2018. Miller was also named Northwest League manager of the year for his success with Vancouver.
News of the decision leaked out this week. It did cause a commotion on social media among C’s fans, something that Miller says he appreciated.
Minor league teams do routinely change coaching staffs yearly, so the odds of Miller returning to the Nat next summer were already limited.
“I am very thankful for all the positive support I have received,” Miller explained. “As far as I am concerned, Vancouver is the best place to manage in the minor leagues. The front office and the fan support is No.1.”
Miller has been involved in pro ball since he was drafted by the New York Mets in 1973. An outfielder, he had an eight-year minor-league career as a player before getting into managing and coaching.
Miller had been with the Blue Jays since 2010. He had worked largely in a roving instructor or adviser role, with this year’s stint with the C’s his first managing duty since taking over running the Vancouver dugout midway through the 2011 campaign due to John Schneider’s leave of absence. The C’s, then in their first year as a Toronto affiliate, won the first of three straight Northwest League crowns that season.
You can argue that the Blue Jays don’t have any roving instructor or adviser jobs available. Toronto has rebuilt the top of its player development department since president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins took over running the team in late 2015. Gil Kim was named director of player development in January 2016, and Eric Wedge was named player development adviser a month later, although he’s listed as field coordinator now.
You can argue, too, that Miller, at his age, is too old to work as a manager. Of course, you can also argue that he seemed to make a connection with this year’s C’s, and they’ll seemingly make up a chunk of the next core for the Blue Jays.
For his part, Miller admits he’s already reached out to “several teams,” so he’s obviously keen on being somewhere in pro ball next year.
“The timing might be right to get into professional scouting,” he explained, “but I thoroughly enjoyed managing in Vancouver this past season.
“As much as I enjoyed managing, I enjoyed my time being a senior adviser, which involves working with all players in the organization and evaluating staff members. I also enjoyed my time as an outfield, baserunning and bunting co-ordinator.”