Surprising Miami Marlins managerial candidate

The Miami Marlins are looking for a new manager and there are some interesting options. We already have some favorites for the position, although there’s talk that Joe Espada is going to be managing the Chicago White Sox instead. Either way there’s a new candidate that just received an interview… Dusty Wathan. Dusty is currently the Philadelphia Phillies third base coach and played a part in the team now being one win away from the World Series. Could he be our next manager?

Dusty Wathan could be the next Miami Marlins manager.

Who is Dusty Wathan? After the 2018 season he eas actually interviewed for the then vacant Texas Rangers job opening. Wathan is 49 and spent 14 season in the Minor Leagues. He did play in the Majors, but for only three games with the Kansas City Royals in 2002.

Interestingly, Wathan’s dad spent 47 years with Kansas City in multiple different roles. He was a player and manager and finally retired this year. Dusty’s sister Dina Blevins works for the team too. Considering they interviewed Dusty too, it does seem to me as if they’re probably the favorites to hire him instead of The Fish.

Kansas City has actually been interviewing the same people as us, with Dusty joining Matt Quatraro and Pedro Grifol on that list. Of course it doesn’t appear as if they also interviewed Skip Schumaker, who we however did. Time will tell who will end up getting hired and who won’t be.

I think that it’s interesting that all of these candidates have experience either winning the World Series or getting there. It seems as if the Miami Marlins are definitely looking for winning experience in our next manager. It’s a good idea, as we do need a manager who knows what winning teams do.

Will Dusty Watham be our next manager? I don’t think so. I think that he will end up managing the Kansas City Royals. My guess is that the family connection will end up overcoming what I expect to be a similar contract offer from both teams. Of course he can still choose us, or maybe we’ll be going with a different candidate.