After losing long-time manager Joe Maddon, the Tampa Bay Rays are looking for a new manager. On Friday, they trimmed down the original list of 10 candidates to three finalists.
Tampa Bay will choose Raul Ibanez, Kevin Cash or Don Wakamatsu to become the teams new manager, the team announced Friday. It will be up to the Rays president of baseball operators Matthrew Silverman to make the decision on who will manage next year.
#Rays have narrowed their managerial search from 10 finalists to three: Kevin Cash, Raul Ibañez and Don Wakamatsu.
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) November 21, 2014
“Our clubhouse would best benefit from a new voice that will add to our already strong and cohesive culture,” Silverman said, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
“We were very impressed by the 10 finalists we interviewed, and could have envisioned any of them managing our club,” Silverman added.
The old manager, Maddon, left after Andrew Friedman received a cost-effective contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maddon opted out of his contract with the Rays to sign a five-year deal to become the manager of the Chicago Cubs.
Ibanez has played 19 seasons in the MLB before retiring after losing the World Series against the San Francisco Giants. He hit .272 with 2,034 hits, 305 home runs and 1,207 RBI’s during his career. He has eight seasons with 20 or more home runs, two seasons with 30 or more home runs, six seasons with 90 or more RBI’s, four seasons with 100 or more RBI’s, and ten consecutive seasons with 30 or more doubles.
Wakamatsu was a bench coach for the Royals during the 2014 season and managed the Seattle Mariners in 2009. He was able to manage to start the 2010 season before getting fired in August.
Cash played for Tampa Bay during his eight-year MLB career. He has handled the Cleveland Indians‘ bullpen coach for the last two season.
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