The conclusion of the MLB regular season was immediately followed by numerous managerial dismissals, including the Atlanta Braves transitioning Brian Snitker into an advisory role. Atlanta's managerial opening is one of several around the league, and the interview process has begun for many of those teams. In fact, the Texas Rangers already announced Skip Schumaker as their next manager after parting ways with Bruce Bochy on Monday afternoon.
Former big league catchers are often among the favorites to land managerial positions, and one former Braves backstop just had an interview with the San Francisco Giants. However, if the name you were thinking of was David Ross you would be incorrect.
Kurt Suzuki interviews for manager job with the Giants
According to MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided, the Giants completed an interview with former Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki on Friday, October 3rd. Suzuki is just three years removed from his playing days, which ended with the Los Angeles Angels. Suzuki currently serves as a special assisstant to the general manger with the Angels.
The now 41 year-old Suzuki had two of the better years of his 16 year career with the Braves when he played for the organization from 2017-2018. He was often regarded as a respected veteran within Atlanta's clubhouse, and has earned rave reviews from just about every organization he's been a part of.
While Suzuki has no prior managerial experience, Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey could bypass that given his first hand knowledge about the value a respected big league catcher can provide. The Giants fired Bob Melvin after two disappointing seasons, and Posey is looking to make a hire that will get them back into the postseason after missing the last four years.
Suzuki wasn't a name we had on the Braves managerial radar, but to see him getting interviews with an organization as prominent as San Francisco it's a great reminder that Atlanta's managerial search should be an extensive one. Again, most teams with managerial vacancies are still very early in the process, so it's likely we will hear of a few more surprising names to come out as interviewees over the coming weeks.