Chicago Cubs third base coach Will Venable, he of the past player experience, front office experience, and big league coaching experience, is in that spot where he’s going to come up for pretty much any managerial opening.
Having already interviewed for a few spots – including the most recent Cubs opening – Venable is likely to continue getting looks, not unlike former Cubs coaches Dave Martinez and Brandon Hyde, who eventually did get gigs with the Nationals and Orioles, respectively.
So, when Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire announced his retirement effective immediately, the speculation began in earnest:
Gardenhire: "It’s been wonderful here, but I also know I have to take care of myself. When you come to the ballpark and you’re stressed out and your hands are shaking, that’s not fun."https://t.co/3FTFzU39wH
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) September 19, 2020
#Tigers expected to consider A.J. Hinch, Will Venable, George Lombard, Vance Wilson, Don Kelly, Pedro Grifol, and Mike Redmond for managerial vacancy, among others, in addition to internal candidate Lloyd McClendon. Strong list for an appealing job. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) September 20, 2020
#Tigers probably won't move quickly to hire their next manager. Venable, Lombard, and Thames could be in postseason bubbles during October — thus complicating interview logistics — and Hinch won't become eligible until after the World Series. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) September 20, 2020
All the best to Gardenhire and his family. He was likely retiring after this season in any case, but added health concerns made him move a little earlier than planned.
As for his replacement, the Tigers will probably have a number of excellent options, as referenced above. That’s a young, talented roster, and a loaded farm system. That could be a team on a very rapid upswing.