New hires who could reshape game
Perhaps the more than billion dollars of transactions brokered last month or the trades that ultimately hatched from talks that began in a suite of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego will make the difference in winning a pennant or languishing in the second division.
But in the modern baseball world, brainpower is increasingly viewed as the ultimate currency. After all, one bright mind, or one soul who connects with a struggling player in a fashion others cannot can impact several players, not just one.
This winter, the amount of intellectual property on the move is staggering.
With that in mind, USA TODAY Sports queried more than two dozen baseball executives and officials to determine a different kind of hot stove winner – the franchises that gained the most in the executive branch, or the minor league operations, or even in a dimly lit video room. A look at the coaches, managers, executives and development mavens who were most highly thought of in our survey:
Chaim Bloom, Red Sox chief baseball officer: An obvious choice but also an overwhelming one among executives queried. He was plucked from his No. 2 role with Tampa Bay to run a storied franchise that hopes to pivot to a more sustainable approach while competing annually for championships (though perhaps not in 2020). Lauded as much for his people skills and humanity as his significant baseball acumen.
Dan Hubbs, Tigers, director of pitching development and strategies: Hubbs, the head coach at Southern California the past seven seasons before joining the Tigers, drew mention for his ability to apply novel and modern pitching techniques to maximize performance. He will soon have an arriving cavalry of young arms to shape, most notably former No. 1 pick Casey Mize.
Ben Sestanovich, Braves assistant general manager: Great feel and instincts for getting the best out of a player; grasps the human side of development. The Braves hired him away last week from the Padres, for whom as assistant director of player development he aided a significant number of success stories to burnish his resume.
Derek Shelton, Pirates manager:
The former Twins coach is regarded as an ideal hire for the Pirates’ current pivot point, particularly in how he will partner with new general manager Ben Cherington as the club launches a rebuild.
Joe Dillon, Phillies hitting coach:
Several executives praised the makeup of new manager Joe Girardi’s staff, but none might have as large an impact as Dillon, whose loss will sting in Washington, where he played a significant role in Juan Soto’s finishing kick to superstardom.
Matt Blake, Yankees pitching coach: As someone familiar with his work in Cleveland noted, “That guy with Gerrit Cole? Wow.” As the Indians’ director of pitching development the past three seasons, he could match wits with a development-obsessed player such as Trevor Bauer and connect with players who aren’t as up to speed on sports science and progressive techniques.
Kai Correa, Giants bench coach: A 31-year-old bench coach whose highest level as a player was at Division III Puget Sound? Sure, given how well Correa checks off every other box. Cleveland’s former infield coach and “defensive coordinator” is highly organized, according to a peer, and able to connect that information with players in a concise and efficient manner. Now he will be sandwiched between rookie manager Gabe Kapler and first base coach Ron Wotus, a Giants lifer.
Don Kelly, Pirates bench coach: The Shelton-Kelly ticket is expected to infuse a positive culture shock to Pittsburgh’s dugout after a season of toxicity and clubhouse fisticuffs. Another formerly itinerant player who multiple people believe is on a fast track to a No. 1 dugout job thanks to his humble nature and firsthand knowledge of the ups and downs of a professional career.
Scott Harris, Giants general manager: Harris earned plaudits for his ability to share and amplify ideas in Cubs boss Theo Epstein’s front office. San Francisco baseball ops president Farhan Zaidi waited a year to fill the general manager opening beneath him, and rival front offices now view the group as a potent collection of brainpower with Harris and veteran executive J.P. Ricciardi collaborating with Zaidi.
Tony La Russa, Angels special adviser: Wait, who let a 75-year-old Hall of Fame manager into this party of spinrate savants and millennial managers? Well, there is a bit of room for gravitas and experience, and with coaches at every level of most organizations increasingly lacking experience, former colleagues of La Russa noted how he can fill in many gaps for bright, talented coaches and executives who lack his baseball worldly experience.
Ryan Flaherty, Padres quality control coach: A favorite of Buck Showalter’s in Baltimore, where his clubhouse value and mental skills compelled the Orioles to keep him around for six seasons despite a .215 batting average. Walks straight from the playing field – he finished 2019 as a reserve infielder in Cleveland – to a key job in San Diego, and several in the game think his rise will be quick. He joins former Orioles coaches Wayne Kirby and Bobby Dickerson on a team centered around exteammate Manny Machado.
Steve Sanders, Pirates assistant GM: Cherington brought him along from Toronto, where he helped elevate the Blue Jays’ farm system from 24th to sixth in Baseball America’s rankings. Many expect the two working in lockstep in Pittsburgh to significantly boost the Pirates in similar fashion.
Brian O’Halloran, Red Sox general manager: The lone internal promotion on this list, because not often an entire regime below the No. 1 baseball officer returns intact when a new guy is hired. But when Bloom was hired, not only did he retain O’Halloran along with Raquel Ferreira and the scouting department, he insisted “BOH” be promoted to general manager. O’Halloran earns plaudits from both agents and rival executives alike for his attention to detail and thoroughness in his actions.
Craig Albernaz, Giants bullpen coach: Albernaz, 37, has worn many significant hats working his way up the Rays’ player development staff, a period that has coincided with their farm system turning into one of the game’s best. He spent 2019 as their minor league field coordinator and in 2018 gained acclaim for shepherding a loaded Bowling Green (Kentucky) team to 90 wins and a Midwest League title. Now, he’s making the leap all the way to Kapler’s big-league staff but perhaps more significantly is viewed in the industry as a key player development weapon as the Giants’ bottom-up build kicks up a gear.