MLBbro.com reporter Malik Wright caught up with former Houston Astros manager Bo Porter who after a hiatus as an announcer and MLB Swiss Army knife, is back in the dugout as Ron Washington’s first base coach.
Bo Porter On Ron Washington:
“I’ve known Wash a long time, he is one of the historians of the game as it relates to the fabric of what the game represents and his attention to defense and fundamentals. It was an honor for me to join Wash and his staff.”
Bo Porter on Jo Adell:
“Im so glad that the league and country is getting to see what a talent this young man is. He has six tools. ..He’s an impact player.”
Juan Soto isn’t the only one coming to the Bronx this offseason. So is MLBbro Trent Grisham.
On Wednesday night, the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres put together a blockbuster deal to send young superstar Soto to the Bronx along with Grisham.
The Padres received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe, and catcher Kyle Higashioka.
Who Is MLBbro Trent Grisham?
Last season, the Padres had one of the highest payrolls in the majors; however, they underperformed.
Grisham put up steady numbers but struggled to recapture his all-around game. He batted 198. for the season and knocked in 50 RBIs and 13 home runs.
In five seasons (rookie season spent with Milwaukee Brewers) Grisham has accumulated three campaigns of double-digit homers and stolen bases, so he’s a weapon that the Yankees don’t have in abundance.
The centerfielder now has a new home until his contract is up in two years. Grisham could have better numbers like his outfield counterpart Soto, but he may consume the depth role. Grisham is not shy to be available. In his last two seasons, he played almost every game. Coming off the bench might be an adjustment for the outfielder, as he started nearly all of the games last year for the Padres.
With the hopes of Grisham embracing the bench role, he put together a solid career thus far. Grisham was drafted in 2015 in the first round by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 15th pick.
After being drafted, Grisham was sent down to the minors.
Grisham played double-A and triple-A for the next three years. In that time in the minors, he put together solid stats and showed signs of a promising young star.
In 2019, he got the call-up by appearing in 51 games that year. In those games, Grisham finished with a 231—batting average.
This showed the potential.
Milwaukee traded Grisham to the Padres. He spent the next four years as San Diego’s starting centerfielder. Those next four years would be an up-and-down adventure as Grisham remained a starter but couldn’t find his footing at the plate. During the Covid-shortened season, he would manage a career-best .251 batting average. Through it all, Grisham has produced some exciting moments, flashed great potential and out in work off the field.
How Does Grisham Fit With Yankees?
With Grisham coming over in this trade, it puts the Yankees in a good spot to make the offseason. There are numerous ways the Yanks can use him. He might get put on the bench along with others, like Isaia Kinner-Falfa, the utility player.
Grisham will round out the bench perfectly and provide a winning mentality in the locker room, which is something the Yankees could use. Yankees teams in recent years have often struggled with its share of egos and injury.
A new exciting piece could provide everybody with a revamped mindset. Grisham has two years left on his contract, and it’s not expensive. $4.2 million is what Grisham is going to be owed in his deal. This allows the Yankees to make him an affordable piece they could potentially move for upgraded pitching later on in the game.
In a recent interview with the YES Network, Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said:
“We want the best team possible; after this trade, we think we can compete for a championship,” Cashman said.
This could mean Grisham can be traded again before the season starts or at the end of this year. However, the scenario plays out: the Yankees have improved their chances of competing for a World Series and Trent Grisham can become a crucial piece to this New York clubhouse.
Just ask LA Angels first base coach Bo Porter and MLB Network.
It’s the beginning of the MLB offseason and many teams are already starting to gear up to improve for the 2024 season and Spring Training. One team that is getting a lot of buzz in the headlines lately is the Los Angeles Angels.
The mainstream news regarding the Angels concerns superstar player Shohei Ohtani who’s out on the market as a free agent and has been rumored to seriously be looking at the Los Angeles Dodgers as a potential destination.
LA Angels Pursuing Tim Anderson?
Aside from the Ohtani news, the Angels have been rumored to display a strong interest in the former Chicago White Sox shortstop who’s coming off a disappointing season, where he posted career lows in batting average (.245), on-base percentage (.286), slugging percentage (.296), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.582).
The two years prior to last season Anderson was a back-to-back All-Star selection in both 2021 and 2022, the 2020 Silver Slugger recipient, and the AL batting champion in 2019. Anderson had a decline in numbers in large part due to injuries, suffering a knee sprain (and a three-week injured list stint) that seemed to throw off Anderson from regaining his All-Star momentum of the previous seasons.
Anderson, 30, was bought out by the White Sox for $1 million after the White Sox declined his $14 million dollar club option and sent Anderson to the free agency pool for the first time in his career after 10 seasons with the club.
Tim Anderson Moving To Second Base?
Anderson has played shortstop throughout his career, but it’s been rumored to be looking for him to play second baseman if he were to sign with the team. This would be a great bargain and steal for the Angels if they could sign a healthy and focused Anderson, adding depth around their franchise pillars and former league MVPs in Ohtani and Mike Trout, assuming Ohtani returns to the club.
Ohtani declined the Angels’ one-year $20.325 million qualifying offer ahead of Tuesday’s 1 p.m. PT deadline. The Angels will now receive Draft-pick compensation if Ohtani decides to sign elsewhere as a free agent.
The Angles have some young MLBbro prospects in outfielders Jo Adell and Jordyn Adams and talented middle infielder Kyren Paris, who are ready to make a huge impact on the team in 2024. In addition, Ron Washington has added former Houston Astros manager Bo Porter to his staff as a first base coach and adviser.
Porter has served in every capacity from managing, to bench coach and base coach, MLB Network and MASN analyst, executive and is the current Director of Coaching for MLB, adding a wealth of knowledge to an already experienced coaching staff.
However, getting Anderson would be a great overall pick up if he can get his health back on track. The Angels are projected to have second-year player Zac Neto as the potential top candidate for shortstop next season. Having Anderson on the roster would allow them the flexibility and depth if Neto struggles or gets hurt.
Assuming Ohtani leaves, the Angels will be losing their star designated hitter, opening up more at-bat opportunities for guys such as Anderson. Now Anderson is no Ohtani (hint no one is), if he can regain what made him a Silver Slugger winner in 2020, that will surely help fill what will be a major gap left by the two-way phenom and MVP’s departure.
Let’s all root for Anderson as he looks to get healthy and find a new home for his baseball career.
Former MLBbro Bryant Nelson sees Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker and envisions being in the same spot in the future. Nelson, who was drafted by the Astros in 1992, wants to be a Major League manager, too. That’s why he has started his journey to become a coach in The Show.
Just Two Black Full-Time MLB Managers
Baker and Dave Roberts from the Los Angeles Dodgers are the only two current Black managers in the game. It’s a fair question when some ask what steps need to be taken to have more diversity in the dugout and in the front office.
MLB Diversity Scout and Coaching Development Program
Last week, Nelson completed the second year of the MLB Diversity Scout and Coaching Development Program. “My dream has always been to be a manager,” Bryant said. “I was drafted as a pitcher. I played six different positions. “I switch-hit. There isn’t much within the game I haven’t done. I know I could help a lot of guys.”
Nelson was in professional baseball for 23 years, starting in the Astros’ minor league system. He would have stints with three other minor league clubs before making his Major League debut in 2002 with the Boston Red Sox.
Nelson never got the chance to have a breakout kind of season in order to stick long term. He batted .265 in 25 games with the BoSox. That was his career in the Bigs. But he kept playing all over the world – with stops in Mexico, Japan, Taiwan and Italy.
Make no mistake about it, however, Nelson did damage in the minors at home. Before hanging up his cleats, Nelson became the all-time hits leader in the Atlantic League. Thought his career, Nelson displayed elite contact skills. He batted .284 during 11 seasons in the minors and never struck out more than 52 times in any season.
Bryant, 48, is currently seeking to transition into professional coaching, combining the skills he developed over his playing career with the knowledge he obtained at the MLB coaching program.
“The program really taught me a lot about terminology being used in the game today, better ways to evaluate talent and maturing as both a coach and scout,” Nelson said. “I gained a deeper respect for all the hard work that goes into scouting. “It was an eye-opening experience with Tyrone Brooks and Bo Porter spearheading it. It’s a very good program.”
Dusty Speaks On World Series Blackout
Baker has been outspoken about the current state of the game when it comes to Black players. This World Series is the first not to have a single Black player since 1950. The member of the exclusive 2,000-win club flat out said “he’s ashamed of the game.” It’s a far cry from when he played in the 70s, when Black players were littered all over MLB rosters.
Dusty has led a record five teams to 12 postseason berths, three World Series appearances, and has won more games than all but eight managers in history.
“I don’t think that’s something that baseball should be really proud of. It looks bad,” Baker lamented.
Nelson thinks Black representation is important to the sport. “We’re stuck on about 6-8 percent of Black players at each level,” Nelson said. “And I don’t think the number will I prove until more Black coaches are hired to develop and push these players. It’s one of my missions.”
Nelson is very optimistic about potential future opportunities gained from his experience. “This program has done a good job preparing us for the opportunity, now it’s just about putting the time and work in and getting the opportunity to show our worth within the game.”
The Major League Baseball season is starting to wind down as the ALCS and NLCS matchups start to take shape. While the World Series is being showcased in front of fans around the world, teams not preoccupied with postseason play are behind the scenes making tough decisions to put themselves in championship contention or just taking the necessary next steps. Usually, the first decision for the bottom-feeding teams is what to do with the manager situation.
There’s not a year where MLB managers get dismissed after spending time on the hot seat. Sometimes really good managers who come up short of lofty expectations get the pink slip. The most recent manager who is facing the possibility of termination, despite huge success is Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts. Roberts is fresh off being upset in the NLDS by the San Diego Padres, following a franchise-record 111 wins. Even though Roberts made history by passing Jim Leyland in postseason wins with 45, the unexpected loss raised questions as to whether he would return next year.
According to The Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers expect to retain Roberts through next season even though the team has not officially spoken publicly on the matter. The MLBbro manager had signed a three-year extension through 2025 on the strength of a 653-381 regular season record, six NL West Division titles, three National League pennants and a World Series title.
But there are six other managers who already have been fired.
The list includes Joe Maddon (Los Angeles Angels, replaced by Phil Nevin) and Joe Girardi (Philadelphia Phillies, Rob Thompson signed to two-year deal day before NLDS). Other openings are still up for grabs; Charlie Montoyo (Toronto Blue Jays), Mike Matheny (Kansas City Royals), Don Mattingly (Miami Marlins) and Chris Woodward (Texas Rangers).
Also, with Tony LaRussa being forced to leave the Chicago White Sox for medical reasons, there is a litany of opportunities for potential MLBbro managers next season. The aforementioned Dave Roberts and Houston Astros manager, Dusty Baker have been success stories with Baker still chasing championship gold this season.
But here are three MLBbro OGs who deserve a chance in one of these teams’ dugouts next year.
Bo Porter
A special shout-out goes to MLBbro.com’s Managing Editor, J.R. Gamble for this candidate. He might be one of the best talent developers in major League Baseball who no one knows about. After finishing his career as a player, he served as a special assistant to the Atlanta Braves GM as well as working as the third base, outfield and base running coach. He also managed the Houston Astros through a rebuild and cultivated and developed many of the young stars that have become the cornerstone the Astros’ consistent success the past half decade.
Porter’s insight, baseball intelligence and ability to implement analytics into a deep understanding of the human element of the game and his reputation as a talent-developer and team constructor, makes Porter a great candidate for any talented club looking to elevate to the next level.
Struggling teams that are looking for a manager need one with an eye for talent. That Bo Porter has. Speaking of that coaching talent, Porter is currently MLB’s Director of Coaching, and he ran the Major League Baseball Players Association free agent camp during spring training back in 2018.
He also works directly with MLB’s diversity programs, which have produced the likes of Hunter Green and Michael Harris II, among other future stars. In addition, he recently opened the Bo Porter Academy, a school geared towards producing great, healthy young men and baseball players.
Ron Washington
The six degrees of separation definitely fits here as Ron Washington was the one who replaced Bo Porter as the third base coach for the Atlanta Braves. He is one of the leaders on the bench, who helped the Braves win the 2021 World Series. His experience and influence is one of the main reasons that Michael Harris II is the odds-on favorite for NL Rookie of the Year and his infield instruction with his players is legendary.
If there is an MLBbro managerial candidate who deserves a shot at a position next year, it’s Washington. He has a wealth of World Series experience, having led the Texas Rangers to back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011.
All the teams listed are in need of a manager who can develop talent for the future. This MLBbro great is perfect for the job.
Willie Randolph
People remember Willie Randolph as the long-time second baseman of the New York Yankees who played for numerous teams throughout the late 70s to the early 90s.
But our MLBbro icon was also the manager for the crosstown rival, New York Mets back in 2005. The next season he led the Mets to the NL East Division title and a seven-game marathon with the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS before finally falling. Randolph holds the distinction of being the first manager in MLB history to improve his team’s record by at least 12 games in his first two seasons. Which makes it strange that he has not been offered a job since he was fired in New York in 2008. It’s been 14 years since Willie Randolph was named the 18th manager in Mets history. Randolph certainly has the goods, and he’s proved he can perform under the immense pressure of the NY City lights, on the field or from the bench.
With MLB wanting more Black and brown players in baseball, the game has to give more opportunities to MLBbro managers who can cultivate and develop that talent. These candidates are more than qualified and deserve a shot.
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