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San Diego Padres general manager A.J. Preller spoke with the media on Zoom after he announced the firing of manager Jayce Tingler. Preller will be undergoing his third managerial search and it’s clear he’s going to have to steer clear of unexperienced managers.
Here are some of the notable things Preller said during his presser this afternoon:
AJ Preller let rest of coaching staff know "They're free to pursue other opportunities." Some could be back.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) October 6, 2021
It’s unexpected for most of the coaching staff to stay with the major league team but Wayne Kirby might be the most probable coach to stay, as it seems like all of the players and fans love him. He also got Fernando Tatis Jr. ready to play the outfield in pretty short order in the middle of the season.
AJ Preller says that there are different types of experience for a manager, and that experience is important. Preller adds that the team will put together a list of qualities they're looking for in their next manager.
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) October 6, 2021
The list of qualities the next Padres manager needs to have are:
- experience in consistently winning games as a big league skipper
- control of a clubhouse
- can deal with the media
- isn’t a “yes” man to the front office
Preller says they need a manager & staff that's able to execute the organization's vision
— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) October 6, 2021
“We feel we have a talented roster, we feel we have a team that should play into October. Ultimately, it’s my job to get this right over the next months.”
At least Preller is owning that it will be his fault if they don’t get the manager right and/or don’t make the right additions/subtractions to the roster.
AJ Preller was asked how much responsibility he bares for hiring two consecutive managers without any managerial experience: pic.twitter.com/W6fpG85INN
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) October 6, 2021
AJ Preller was asked if any Padres players complained to him about the job that Jayce Tingler was doing and suggested that he wasn't the right person for the job: pic.twitter.com/ROOrWAAUu4
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) October 6, 2021
It’s important to note that Preller didn’t answer the above question with a direct ‘yes’ or ‘no’. That leads us to believe the answer is ‘yes’.
The real work for Preller starts right now and we’ll have to wait and see if he takes a step in the right direction with his next managerial hire.