The Mariners are continuing to move forward in their search for a new manager, interviewing two more candidates today. Detroit Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McLendon and former Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge are both in town interviewing with Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik, according to the Seattle Times’ Larry Stone.
The Mariners will interview two more managerial candidates Wednesday, including former Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon, the latest to be revealed as a contender for the vacancy.
The Mariners are also scheduled to meet with former Cleveland manager Eric Wedge on Wednesday as the club moves through the first round of interviews.
Lookout Landing’s Jeff Sullivan put together a few thoughts on McLendon.
Is McClendon any good? No idea. He had a 43.0% winning percentage over five years with the Pirates. In the five years previous to his reign, the Pirates had a winning percentage of 45.5%. In the five years since, they’ve had a winning percentage of 39.8%. The only thing I can conclude from these numbers is that the Pirates are somehow getting worse.
Jeff Sullivan also had a few thoughts about Wedge and the rest of the candidates.
Milton Bradley once reportedly wore a t-shirt in the Cleveland clubhouse that said “f**k Eric Wedge”. Wedge has or is scheduled to interview for pretty much every available managerial position in the league, and I’m pretty sure he just sees these things as getting a free trip.
What’s it all mean? Finding a manager is a crap-shoot, of course.