Angels name former Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus as new manager
It’s apparently new manager day in Major League Baseball. The Los Angeles Angels announced on Sunday that Brad Ausmus will be their new manager, hours after the Cincinnati Reds named David Bell as their team’s new manager.
The Angels are happy to welcome Brad Ausmus as the new Manager! pic.twitter.com/LDi8A4HHQ0
— Angels (@Angels) October 21, 2018
Angels GM Billy Eppler released a statement about the team’s new hire.
The statement from Billy Eppler on the hiring of Brad Ausmus as manager. pic.twitter.com/rQ3IvEGA5r
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 21, 2018
Ausmus, 49, was a catcher in the majors for 18 seasons, retiring in 2010 after spending most of his career with the Houston Astros. He spent 2018 in the Angels front office, serving as a special assistant to Eppler. Before that, he managed the Detroit Tigers from 2014-2017. The Tigers went 64-98 in 2017, and Ausmus’ four-year contract was not extended at the end of that season.
The Angels had a long list of initial candidates for their first round of interviews. Along with Ausmus, Angels special assistant Eric Chavez, Chicago Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde, Astros bench coach Joe Espada, former gold glove shortstop Omar Vizquel, and Tampa Bay Rays field coordinator Rocco Baldelli were also interviewed. In addition to lengthy in-person interviews, the Angels gave their managerial candidates a two-hour written exam.
A written exam may seem extreme, but Mike Scioscia leaves big shoes to fill. Scioscia managed the Angels for 19 seasons, starting all the way back in 2000. Scioscia’s contract was not renewed at the end of the 2018 season, which saw the Angels go 80-82 and deal with injuries to a number of key players.
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Liz Roscher is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at lizroscher@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter at @lizroscher.
