In the absence of baseball news (it's almost as if the Astros recognize Saturdays are for college football, and thus do nothing interesting), Justice asks for some input on the managerial search. Today's name? Padres bench coach Ted Simmons. Regard:
He's a bench coach for the Padres, but has done almost everything in his career except manage. He's very, very smart. He's also a workaholic. He has expressed an interest in the job, but having no managerial experience at either the major league or minor league level is a huge, huge, huge negative, maybe a killer.
He has a strong personality and probably won't be tolerant when one of the fellows jogs down to first base. A guy that knows him well told me he'd get to the ballpark at 8 a.m. for a night game and be there until 3 a.m.
He was offered the Milwaukee job last year but wouldn't take it because he didn't think Ned Yost had been treated fairly. He would have been hired by the Rockies this year if GM Dan O'Dowd had been allowed to offer a multi-year contract, and he'll probably get the San Diego job if GM Kevin Towers is forced to pull the plug on Bud Black.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
