Scioscia to lead U.S. in Olympic baseball bid
For the first time since leaving the Angels three years ago, Mike Scioscia is back in the dugout.
Scioscia was selected Tuesday as manager of the United States team looking to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
Although nine former major league managers have been hired by clubs since Scioscia last managed the Angels, he said he did not take the Team USA job to enhance his visibility for another major league job.
“I don’t expect to manage in the major leagues,” he said. “That’s my decision.”
The U.S. is one of 12 countries competing for the final two spots in the baseball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics. Mexico, Israel, South Korea and host Japan have qualified. The U.S. must win one of two qualifying tournaments in June, with the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela among the field in the first tournament.
“I’m excited about the challenge,” the 62-year-old Scioscia said.
The first challenge is persuading major league teams to let their minor leaguers play for Team USA during the minor league season. Teams often are reluctant to let their best prospects play, concerned about possible injury or pitcher overuse.
Scioscia said he had received a positive response in his initial conversations with teams.
“They see the opportunity to move some players ahead with this type of an intense situation,” he said. “These are playoff games. You’re going to go into these games with every bit of the intensity you’re going to need if you’re in a major league playoff game, or a pennant race game.”
Team USA also could include recently retired players. Five-time All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, 38, hopes to play for Mexico; four-time All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler, 38, has pledged to play for Israel.
Scioscia is a three-time World Series champion, as a catcher for the Dodgers in 1981 and 1988, and as manager of the Angels in 2002. His 1,650 victories as a major league manager — all in his 19 seasons with the Angels — rank 19th all time.
Tommy Lasorda, the former Dodgers manager for whom Scioscia played, managed Team USA to a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Scioscia said he never saw Lasorda cry when the Dodgers won the World Series but tears flowed after his United States team won gold.
“It meant the world for Tommy,” Scioscia said. “With everything he accomplished with the Dodgers, there was a special place in his heart for winning that gold medal.”