The Angels are making their managerial candidates take a two-hour test
The most important thing a managerial candidate can bring to their interview with the Los Angeles Angels is a No. 2 pencil. The Angels are requiring all their managerial candidates to take a two-hour written test, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi.
The exam will test candidates on both the analytical and interpersonal aspects of the position.
#Angels administering 2-hour written test to managerial candidates, sources say, with questions spanning analytical, interpersonal and game-management aspects of the job. Sign of the rigor involved in the position across @MLB, with 6 teams looking for a new manager. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 15, 2018
While manager interviews can be intense, a two-hour written test is not a common ask from teams.
The Angels are looking for a manager for the first time in 19 seasons, which might explain why they are resorting to junior high tactics as part of the hiring process. Mike Scioscia — who led the team since 2000 — decided to step down at the end of the 2018 season.
The team likely isn’t going to share what questions are on the test, but that’s not going to stop us from taking a few guesses. If we were running the Angels, here’s how our version of the test would look:
• Would you play Mike Trout every day?
• How can you ensure we’ll stop wasting Mike Trout’s prime?
• Can you convince Mike Trout to not leave us in free agency?
It’s tough to know whether this tactic will catch on in future seasons. One potential drawback of a two-hour test is that it may only attract first-time managers who are hungry for opportunities. A veteran manager like Joe Girardi has already put together a lengthy résumé. Is he really going to want a take a two-hour test just so he can get to the next phase of the interview process?
Is it possible this is a Jim Craig in “Miracle” situation and that the decision to take the test is actually the test? Probably not, though ripping up the test in front of everyone in the room would be the ultimate power move.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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