For one thing, two organizations that were familiar with Martinez did not select him to be their manager, and opted for an equally inexperienced manager outside their organizational structure instead of hiring Martinez. The Martinez tale began when Andrew Friedman left the Rays after the 2014 season to take over the Dodgers operation. This lead to Joe Maddon also leaving Tampa for the loveable Cubbies. So the Rays needed a new manager after 2014. They were happy with Maddon. Martinez was there. He was a top candidate. He knew the players. He wasn't expensive. But they went in another direction, choosing Kevin Cash from the Indians staff. Why didn't the Rays name Martinez manager then?
Fast forward one year. The Dodgers parted ways with Don Mattingly. Maddon was safely with the Cubs, but Martinez was available and interviewed for the Dodgers post. Friedman was familiar with him. Martinez was passed over. Not for Gabe Kapler, ,who was the leading candidate in house for the Dodgers at the time. But for Dave Roberts, who was a coach for the San Diego Padres. Why did another executive from Tampa pass over Martinez if he was qualified and familiar?
Another reason I question this move is Martinez's actual qualifications. Do you know what they are? I don't. From what I see, his qualifications are essentially being Joe Maddon's bench coach. Anyone reading this knows I don't like Maddon. He is a self-promoter that pulls stunts for media promotion -- penguins in the clubhouse, getting the players to dress like princesses and the like. Maddon's in game management is as poor as Dusty Baker's was. I'll see your Sammy Solis and raise you a Carl Edwards Jr. I'll put an outfielder that makes Adam Dunn look like a Gold Glove left fielder in my lineup. I'll run Aroldis Chapman's arm into the ground no matter how many hits he gives up. So what I see here is that the Nats let a manager go who was experienced, a good clubhouse man who made bad in game decisions, to hire an inexperienced man who's claim to fame is assisting a manager who is good in the clubhouse but makes bad in game decisions. I don't think this makes sense.
What has Martinez ever done in baseball that merits this selection? Carry Joe Maddon's bags? Help Joe get the rattlesnake out of Tropicana Field? Kevin Long was an inexperienced candidate but I know what he did. Helped Yankees and Mets hitters -- Curtis Granderson and Daniel Murphy being two of his pupils. The only other known candidate who was interviewed, John Farrell, led the Red Sox to the World Series and was a highly respected pitching coach. What makes Martinez qualified? His middling 1980s-90s career? He knows Wade Boggs? I'm not saying Martinez isn't qualified, but I sure have not heard not now and not ever what makes Martinez suited for the position. Hopefully the Nats will explain this in the press conference introducing him to the local media. .
Finally, keep in mind that Martinez interviewed for the manager's job with the Nationals before. After 2013. He was not hired because Nats management decided that Matt Williams was more equipped to run the Nats than Dave Martinez. Remember how well the Matt Williams hire went? Well we just hired the guy who wasn't as good.
I hope Martinez does well and I hope next year everyone reading this can look back on it and point out how wrong I am here. But to my eyes, on October 29,2017 this supports the Jon Heyman's of the world who are quick to criticize the Nats for their failure to obtain a top manager because they don't want to pay him.
Jon Heyman was the first to report this hire. Of course.
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