The Baltimore Orioles must make a vital decision on their future managerial hiring. With one of baseball’s most promising young cores, they must select a captain who can steer the club forward. The Orioles have been planning for this transition since May, when Brandon Hyde was sacked.
“The Baltimore Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde on Saturday, hoping that a new leader will spark a turnaround for Major League Baseball’s most disappointing team.” Hyde, who had led the Orioles through the conclusion of their reconstruction and helped them reach the playoffs the previous two seasons, oversaw a disappointing start. “The Orioles dropped to 15-29,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.
A big factor in the Orioles’ decision to move on so quickly was their dismal start to the season.
“There is no bigger disappointment through this season’s first half than the Orioles, and it probably isn’t even close,” Alden Gonzalez, an ESPN reporter, wrote.
With the season coming to an end, Baltimore needs to thoroughly review its list of prospects. One fascinating prospect is George Lombard, who has never managed in Major League Baseball. Despite lacking administrative experience, he has a solid coaching background.
“Lombard is a rising star in coaching circles, having worked as A.J. Hinch’s bench coach in Detroit for the previous four years. He played six seasons in MLB and is well-known for his work with outfielders and baserunners (he was the Dodgers’ first-base coach in 2020). Unlike Ross and Schumaker, he has no managing experience, although he is a youthful coach (49) with a large following in league circles. His contributions to the Tigers’ resurgence as an AL powerhouse might put him as the top contender on the board, according to Brandon Glick of Call to the Pen.
