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US Presswire photo Bo Porter has previously interviewed for jobs with the Marlins and Pirates. |
According to MLB.com and the Houston Chronicle, Porter flew to Houston today (an off-day for the Nationals) and is meeting with new Astros owner Jim Crane and general manager Jeff Luhnow.
Porter, 40, lives in Houston in the offseason, though he has no previous connection to the Astros organization. This isn't the first time he's interviewed for a major-league managing position, though: He was a finalist for the Pirates' job in 2010 and the Marlins' job in 2011 before ultimately losing out to Clint Hurdle and Ozzie Guillen, respectively.
Porter also was considered by the Nationals last fall, though Davey Johnson was widely expected all along to retain the managerial job after taking over in midseason.
Johnson has one year remaining on his three-year, consulting contract with the Nationals. He has said he won't discuss his situation until after the season, but he is expected to return for 2013 at age 70.
The Nationals, ideally, would like to eventually replace Johnson from within the organization, with Porter and bench coach Randy Knorr the most likely candidates to someday ascend to the managerial position.
In order to interview Porter while he's still under contract with the Nationals, the Astros would have had to receive permission from GM Mike Rizzo.
69 comments:
Bo is my candidate to replace DJ when in a year or so. Hope he stays in Washington.
I thought Bo was a shoo-in to be the next Cubs manager after he was so ready to join them in the dugout recently.
Good luck to him. He's a real asset to the Nats, but deserves a shot with his own club.
Bo definitely deserves a major league manager job. I hope he decides to stay here for the time being though. I'm very happy with him as 3B coach.
Agreed.
Good luck to him. He's a real asset to the Nats, but deserves a shot with his own club.
Nationals third base coach Bo Porter has long been considered a potential big-league manager, so it's not surprising that multiple reports out of Houston say he's interviewing today for the Astros' job.
MLB has long had a requirement that minorities be interviewed for open managerial and front office jobs. Bo Porter has long been a member of a minority group - 40 years, to be exact. So it's not surprising that multiple reports out of Houston say he's interviewing today for the Astros' job.
What remains to be seen is whether he's being interviewed on merit or purely on his minority status. Only time will tell.
Bo should be the heir apparent in DC
If I was Bo I might flunk this interview on purpose. He is a good guy and deserves to at least work for an owner that dosen't think of Roger Clemens as a pitching option.
... I'm certainly nothing like a business-minded fan. I could seel out ebery game of the year and make a profit. So when I read this story, and countless others like it in years past, I feel the timing for it (them) is atrocious. To make comment on this, as positive and encouraging a story as it is, in the midst of the season - especially in the kind of season we are experiencing - is regrettable.
... this kind of announcement adds nothing to the game as the team is playing it today, nor to the organization in the midst of a playoff and WS run, and could easily, and should, come after the end of the season.
Go Nats!!
I love Bo, and it appears the players do too. I would love to see him take over after D.J.
Natscan, yes but the skipper was let go last month, in the midst of the season. Although there is an interim manager, the team is holding interviews now, in the midst of the season. I'd rather have the teams in question publicly name candidates than have an intrepid reporter spot one of them at the ballpark in Houston and speculate. (Wait, is that what happened? Wait 'til I tell my blog-mates about this. :-))
Interesting
" In order to interview Porter while he's still under contract with the Nationals, the Astros would have had to receive permission from GM Mike Rizzo."
I've heard something like this multiple times. Is this just a formality, or does the GM have the right to say No.
Presumably even if you love the guy and want him to stay you'd still say Yes to remain on his good side. Or does saying Yes mean your telling the guy "good go!"
Mark, can you go into more detail on this aspect?
I don't think Bo was ever the heir apparent to DJ in DC; he would have been named bench coach this year if that was the case.
As far as the timing; neither Houston nor Bo has any obligation to wait until the Nats season ends provided that permission is granted and Houston has an obligation to find the best candidate it can before other teams start competing for qualified candidates.
From Bo's perspective this may be a double edged sword because if you take on too many bad situations you are eventually branded a losing manager ALA Manny Acta. Bo has a lot to think about.
Sure quieted the anti-Lannan crowd, well, especially the one who fretted he wasn't man enough for the pressure of this particular situation.
Just telling it like it was and still is. Its not Lannan's fault, replacing Strasburg is the luck of the draw. There is a great deal (as he himself seems to have observed) of difference between the rotation he finds himself a part of and those which featured Jason Marquis and Livo Hernandez, the defacto ace before the younger arms made the scene.
Add on the whole pile of horse hockey about Stras's shutdown and you have Danny style controversy. The kind that has made many a competent (if not consummate) professional crack.
Lannan didn't over 5, but even Mark noticed the Riggleman-like hook that Davey pulled out in the fifth when Lannan walked that hitter. Davey didn't want to risk an implosion ruining what was a solid, bordering on spectacular outing into the fifth inning. Exactly what Riggleman use to do with Lannan. Davey's done the same with the others including Strasburg early on in the season wanting to ensure they always take something positive from the outing.
Nonetheless, five relievers were required. Which isn't exactly a good thing given the remaining schedule.
Davey is keeping a close watch on John Lannan.
Has anybody asked themselves, "Why do we want Bo Porter to succeed Davey Johnson?" I have no opinion on Porter's managerial talent -- simply because it has yet to be proven at any level. Good coach? Seems to be. Managerial genius in waiting? A blank slate. For every ex-player now managing a first place (or close) team there's Lee Mazzili. (If there ever was a guy who seemed cut out to be a manager, Mazzili was one.)
Assuming Johnson retires after 2013, after two NL East championship teams (or better), it seems to me you'd want someone w/ a comparable level of achievement so there wouldn't be a reason to be afraid of a fall-off.
Managerial geniuses -- even counting those who place a higher value on themselves than you could sell them for -- aren't found behind every rosin bag.
The coach-in waiting thing hasn't worked out in college football and I don't know why it should work in baseball any better. I'd think a lot less of Rizzo if he pulled a Bowden and hired anyone (e.g., Acta) who he didn't think was absolutely the best available.
Murray, not to steal Mark's thunder here, but since Bo is under contract to the Nats, yes, another organization does need explicit permission, and it is not always granted. Can lead to some awkward exchanges, but it's been known to happen. It's generally considered a really [rude] move to withhold it.
Completely agree with NatsJack: Bo Porter deserves something with far greater potential. Examples: Ventura had something with which to work; Mattingly put in his time under Torre and inherited a decent baseball situation. A good manager can turn a decent situation into something excellent. A good manager cannot make chicken salad out of chicken stuff. And Houston is worse than that stuff.
One of Potter's Curtis to prepare and position the young outfieldes. worked with Harper, Limbo, and Moore.
I was/am under the impression that the Astros were stockpiling a formidable amount of young talent and future picks from the Pence, Wady and a couple of other trades. Maybe I'm wrong, but that was my impression.
Speaking of being wrong, some people never admit that they just might've been wrong. Pity.
I'm w/ Theo. I've never had any luck at predicting a manager's success before they have the job. Any baseball veteran can fill out the lineup and switch the pitchers, and a lot of fans could do that OK. A good manager earns his keep by managing the egos and also managing at bats to balance development of young guys vs keeping everyone fresh. I have no idea if Bo or Knorr would be good or terrible at that. Hopefully Rizzo has a better handle on that. But, the way this team is built, I think it will be easier to manage. I think Werth, LaRoche or DeRosa could just about be player/managers right now as solid as that clubhouse is. Not really, but it's a great group, right?
How long has bo been with the Nats organization? I know that Jewett and Knorr have been around since day one. I see Knorr as the heir apparent. He has come up right along with a lot of the super young guys you are seeing now and coached them.The organization seems to promote from single A on up. Peric- five relievers weren't "required" - that's just the choice that Davey made - probably to match up with hitters. You make it sound like they all stunk it up and had to be yanked. He also made the choice to pitch Burnett for the first time in a close game - he was probably the only one that needed to be replaced. Davey also likes to throw people out there if he thinks they need to get in a game. Lannan hadn't pitched in 13 days, Davey didn't want to push him. He probably would have been glad to stay out there and who knows if he would have wriggled out of a jam. He's a good dp pitcher. It's not like we had to burn the entire bullpen because Lannan was weak or something. They also had the off day coming today.
Its really hard to evaluate how good of a coach Porter is, theres so many intangibles that we'll never see. However, the one aspect in which we can evaluate Porter is his baserunning calling abilities. On this issue I have to say I'm not impressed.
Apparently Davey also wanted Garcia to make back-to-back appearances.
Will -- I think there i evidence, for what it's worth, that Porter can teach how to play the outfield -- Harper, Moore, Lombardozzi. Watching Moore go back and to a left on a fly ball last night, he was positively graceful.
... hey there 1a, I see your point. And I am not one of those who says all team info should be held in a vault somewhere and dribbled out to the messy masses iota by iota at the whims of the FO.
... I just wouldn't want the status of any player's or coach's future to be the cause of anything shifting the focus from the product on the field, at this specific time of the season.
... then again, I'm of an age where holding focus on one issue at a time is an Herculean task, let alone being able to toggle back and forth between two or three.
... in any event, Go Bo, and in the end, Go Nats!!
Bo deserves more than just window-dressing interviews. He really merits serious consideration by a team. I mean, there's no way the Astros could have done WORSE than Hurdle, right?
Is this one of those things where you have to be careful what you wish for? A Major League Manager's job - a dream job, right? With the Astros,who are epically bad and changing to the AL. Sounds like a fun challenge? I know - if they sweep the Phils this week, he should definitely take the job.
And - I don't really care what Rizzo said to Dr. Yokum or what he said back about Stephen Strasburg. Why is everyone still obsessed with who said what to whom? What is this, Junior High?
Sigh, I keep looking for Mark to post a lineup tonight. Seems like the decent thing for the NFL to do is schedule the 'Skins on the Nats off days.
Last year the Dodgers denied the Red Sox permission to interview their third base coach, Tim Wallach.
The Blue Jays thwarted the Red Sox' run at their manager, John Farrell, a former Boston pitching coach.
Everybidy thought the A's would be rhat bad. Look again they sre way ahead of schedule. Houston lokks likecthey could be next. Naybe before the Cubbies.
Great job if he can nanage to get it!
OMG - I am sooooo sorry. I seem to have broken everyone's spell checkers. Mark Z, please don't ban me!
Richard Justice has heralded the top-flight prospects the Astros are collecting -- first baseman Jonathan Simgleton, second baseman Delino DeShields Jr., Correa, the shortstop they took first overall, and outfielder George Springer.
Now they have the top pick again. Good luck to Bo. If he gets the gig I hope he's around long enough to see the talent bloom.
Bo's no spring chicken. So, if he wants to move to the next level, time's a wasting.
slidell2 - if Davey's any indication, Bo need not worry.
Still think the heir apparent is Randy Knorr - he has been the manager at ( I am pretty sure) every level of this organization - successfully. He has also had a big hand in developing the talent you see before you on a nightly basis. Not a big name, but he has been brought up through the ranks in plum positions. He also sits right next to Davey Johnson in the dugout. Sounds like an internship to me.
lol sincerity.
I heart you, NatsNut.
On reflection, I'm pretty sure that Potter Curtis is the heir apparent.
Good old Potter Curtis. He can't define a championship team, but he knows one when he sees it.
Now THAT (@9:27) was skillful Scooter.
Obscenely clever, Scooter.
But can Potter Curtis hack the gorse?
I've been to the ballpark a lot in the last month (hello, Sec. 313). I've seen something that bothers me, but I've been waiting until a non-game night to post. No, not Strasberg's struggle in his last outing, or R Zimm's occasional airball: it's the President's race.
It doesn't bother me that they run it, and I understand the "Teddy never wins" marketing shtick. What bothers me is that the Presidents can cheat to win. I've never seen one disqualfied for pushing or tripping their opponents. Not that our Presidents are perfect, even those four in the rear view mirror of history, but I doubt that any would have approved of cheating in a footrace. And, of course, the kids are watching. Why not have the GEICO gekko disqualify the next one that pushes their opponent to win? It would be a change (for the better).
Of course, I haven't been there every night, so maybe I missed one where that happened. I'm sure someone will tell me.
OK, enough complaining: back to looking for tickets for the next homestand.
ArVaFan
I have 3 major problems. The perfect work occurs occasion.
First my auto correct is pathetic.
Second I do suffer from dyslexia and often Time simply invert letters or cannot see the areas at all.
Third I have corneas in both eyes which causes small screens to be out of focus too often. As of now still see a 60 inch TV though in 10 years from now I Will be blind enough I won't be able to read any of this so by then you Will be tired of trying to decipher my crap
I have2 chooses try my best and hope my eyes work or I can shut up. I Will keep trying.
It doesn't bother me that they run it, and I understand the "Teddy never wins" marketing shtick. What bothers me is that the Presidents can cheat to win. I've never seen one disqualfied for pushing or tripping their opponents
Maybe they're racing under WWE rules, not Marquis of Queensbury rules.
I saw only 1 DQ. Teddy was disqualified in his one win. He rode a bike and blew by the other 3.
I am going to guarantee you that either the Dodgers or Cardinals will win tonight.
In other news the Phillies are winning 4-3 in Houston.
ehay2k wrote: "Sigh, I keep looking for Mark to post a lineup tonight."
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Well said; my sentiments exactly.
As for the cheating in the Presidents' Race, can you imagine if they were using modern-era occupants of the Oval Office? Not only would there be over-the-top cheating, but then they'd have to have nine folks dressed up in giant Supreme Court Justice heads come around to validate the ill-gotten results.
No offense taken. Just want peopleknow I honestly have a logical though maybe odd thought and in my mind and what I first reread looks fine but after fresh look obviously unreadable, I don't do it on purpose.
My favorite auto correct is "hand" in reality I typed "damn"
Derek Jeter tied Willie Mays for 10th in base hits.
Astros score 3 in bottom of the 8th and won 6-4 over Phillies.
And the Phillies give up 3 in the bottom of the 8th, go down to the lowly Astros 6-4, return to .500, and have their elimination #at 2!
Now I move to Cards at Dodgers. I love MLB Extra Innings
If they used modern era Presidents, Clinton would be the Teddy, because he would stop to hit on an atractive woman in the stands every time out.
I like adding Clinton to the race. That would be a hoot.
I hear you, natscan. Wait, what were we talking about? :-)
natscan reduxit said...
... hey there 1a, I see your point. And I am not one of those who says all team info should be held in a vault somewhere and dribbled out to the messy masses iota by iota at the whims of the FO.
... I just wouldn't want the status of any player's or coach's future to be the cause of anything shifting the focus from the product on the field, at this specific time of the season.
... then again, I'm of an age where holding focus on one issue at a time is an Herculean task, let alone being able to toggle back and forth between two or three.
... in any event, Go Bo, and in the end, Go Nats!!
September 13, 2012 7:02 PM
With the Dodgers' loss the first magic number is 4.
I'm with NatsNut, Manassas. Keep posting, even if we sometimes giggle a little bit. Wonder whether Limbo will be in the lineup tonight. :-)
In other news, hat tip to the LAD. Thank you kindly, boys.
NatsNut said...
Oh no, Manassas, please don't take my laughter the wrong way. I'm mortified and sorry if it looked like I was making fun of you; I really wasn't. I have seen some pretty odd and inexplicable auto-corrects from friends phones too and it always cracks me up. Your posts are fine; please don't give it another thought.
September 13, 2012 10:33 PM
If the Phillies make the playoffs, my feeling is the Nationals will be toast. I hope not, but they are playing great baseball.
Best way to ensure that the Phillies don't make the Wildcard is for the Nats to take care of them in the next 3 weeks.
The Phils elimination number is very low - maybe 2? Hopefully they won't be in it anymore when we get there. Although I really don't like the idea of getting something because someone else failed. I prefer that we take it by force.
Oooh - dang autocorrect almost made my post profane!
Yes Manassas, please keep posting. I didn't mean to criticize or single you out when I called you my inspiration for my Autocorrect Instant Analysis. I just happened to read a bunch of "PC-assisted" posts and yours was the last before I thought to start mine.
Also, nice WaPo birdcage article by Kilgore today on McCatty. Also, an amazing set of stats given in a sidebar, showing how the staff has improved under McCatty. The most impressive of all the stats (and the WaPo cleverly saved this one for last) is that under McCatty, the staff has actually gotten younger!!!!
McCatty better bottle that up and sell it at Bloomingdales - he'll be a bazillionaire!
swami, yes, I think it's 2 for the division for the Phoolies, but 15 for the wild card.
New, improved post - now, with link!!1!
Those numbers are going by this site (the numbers in parens).
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