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Beltran Yankees Manager Candidate

Managing the Yankees is on the mind of Carlos Beltran

Carlos Beltran has announced his retirement from MLB after closing out the year with a World Series championship, and already we have speculation that he could be a candidate for the vacant Yankees manager position.

Of course Beltran is a candidate; he’s (now) a former player that has a connection to the Yankees — get in line, Carlos, because apparently Cashman is bringing in everyone with a loose Yankees connection, managerial experience be damned.

When talking to MLB.com about the vacancy, Beltran even seems like he’s interested in the position.

“I had the opportunity to play with the Yankees for three years and I enjoyed myself, big-time,” Beltran said. “I appreciated the way I was treated; my family, the relationship with [Yankees GM] Brian [Cashman]. I don’t know what they’re looking for. Experience as a manager, I don’t have that. But I have the passion for the game, I have the knowledge of being able to play the game for a long time. I get along well with the players, with my teammates; I’ve always taken that to heart, trying to impact my teammates in a positive way.

“I would not discount anything; you’re talking about the New York Yankees. You’re not just talking about any team in baseball. Not taking anything away from any other organization, but the Yankees are a team that anyone would love to put on that uniform and manage that ballclub.”

This guy just wrapped up a 20-year playing career that might just land him in Cooperstown, ended it with a World Series championship, and he wants to just dive into a managerial position with the New York Yankees?  Carlos, breathe — grab a beer — let’s think about this one a little longer.  Maybe even take a look at pictures of Joe Girardi before he started managing, and then the 2017 version of Joe.

It’s quite the transformation.

The Laundry List of Candidates

To date, the ever-growing line outside Cashman’s office includes Rob Thomson and Eric Wedge, who have both already interviewed for the position, as well as former Yankees greats, Aaron “Bleeping” Boone and Hensley “Bam-Bam” Muelens who will interview after this week’s GM meetings.

The list of potential candidates continues.

Jerry Hairston Jr., David Cone, John Flaherty, Sandy Alomar Jr.Jay Bell, Trey Hillman, Raul Ibanez, Kevin Long, Pete Mackanin, Tony Pena, Reggie Willits, (cough) Alex Rodriguez, Brad Ausmus, Joe Espada.  Even Bob Melvin, the current manager of the Athletics, has been considered — thankfully Billy Beane, who is still upset about the Sonny Gray trade, denied the Yankees permission to talk with Melvin.

Cashman seems to be leaving no stone unturned in this grand search to lead the supremely talented group of Yankees who seem ready to make a serious run at a title.

When Girardi was not brought back (feels like a firing), I assumed Cashman had a lock-down plan with one, maybe two guys at the top of his list for the successor.  To me, when you have a team that is young and ready to win (right now), a definitive plan should be in place concerning the man who will lead them.

Cashman, talking with Mike Mazzeo of The Daily News, credits a new and improved plan that is being implemented with the current search.

“I would say it’s too early to say,” Cashman said when asked how the process is going. “We went through this about 10 years ago (with Joe Girardi) and I think we have a new and improved model, not in terms of candidates but in terms of process. Hopefully, it’ll lead to a good result.”

So, we’re using Sabermetrics more than ever to evaluate talent on the field, how to proceed in many game-time situations, and now it seems that Cashman, and his team of statisticians, have devised a formula for managerial success.

I, too, hope it leads to a good result.

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We talk more about the search for a Yankees manager on this week’s episode of The Bronx Pinstripes Show (@YankeesPodcast).

You can listen here: smarturl.it/yankeespodcast