That series against the Los Angeles Dodgers was huge for the San Diego Padres and the team showed it by relieving their manager of his duties. Bud Black had been the manager of the Padres for eight plus seasons. Ultimately the poor performance against the Dodgers yet again, probably cost the manager his job.
Bench coach Dave Roberts immediately takes over as manager until the team can find a full-time replacement. Early speculation has Pat Murphy, Mark Kotsay and Phil Nevin as possible replacements. So has the team given up on the season? Have they thrown in the towel with this firing?
I do not think so, but the Padres organization clearly wants to go in a different direction. The fact Black was serving as manager during the last year of his contract was a not a good sign for his future tenure. Padres fans really should have seen this coming. The team has underachieved all season long, and someone needed to be held responsible for the slow start. The Padres will likely search for a manager who has a polar opposite philosophy. The will surely want a more intense, fiery manager than what the calm Black brought to the team.
So where does this leave the Padres for this year and beyond? The team is still very much in the race for the playoffs and this season is not close to being over. Hopefully for Padres fans, the team will find a manager that can motivate them. The team needs guidance and perhaps this shakeup will result in more wins for the team.
There are many potential managers, and the Padres are likely to find one who has a big name. It seems like the most likely scenario. However minor league manager Pat Murphy could be a the man for the team. He was, earlier in the season, coveted by the Milwaukee Brewers after they fired their manager. The Padres refused to let the Brewers talk to Murphy. Perhaps they view him as the manager of the future. Murphy is already said to be on the way to San Diego to at least serve as bench coach to interim manager Dave Roberts.
As for Bud Black, he will likely be unemployed for a short time. He has a history of success as a pitching coach and it seems likely a team will hire him for that position. He could also be given a managerial job, but it will take time for him to find the right place. The National Media loves Bud Black and early outcry is this is a foolish move by the Padres.
The Padres have made a bold move in removing their manager. Will it lead to success for the team? Only time will tell. The move is very bold however, and it shows the importance that the front office feels for success in this 2015 season. The team is built to win now, and nothing less than that will be accepted by the Padres organization.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
