As Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi indicated would be the case, the club reportedly selected four finalists for their managerial vacancy by Nov. 13.
They were thrown a curveball soon after when University of Nebraska head coach Darin Erstad removed his name from consideration for the Dodgers’ manager job.
Erstad later explained the decision as one due to his emotional ties to Nebraska, his alma mater, and the community.
The Dodgers then eliminated former San Diego Padres manager Bud Black from consideration, leaving Dodgers director of player development Gabe Kapler and former Padres bench coach Dave Roberts as the final candidates.
Although initial reports indicated the Dodgers could arrive at a hire as early as Friday, the decision is likely to be delayed by a couple of days, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Decision on #Dodgers manager – Kapler or Roberts – likely to be delayed to Sunday or Monday. Owners are traveling.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 20, 2015
It’s believed Dodgers ownership was not part of the initial managerial search, though Zaidi stated the hope was to get them face time with the finalists.
However, the owners reportedly asked Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to avoid quickly hiring Kapler, the perceived heavy favorite from the outset, out of concern Kapler would solely be viewed as an extension of the front office.
Whether the Dodgers tab Kapler or Roberts as skipper, they’ll have a manager who doesn’t hold previous Major League experience.
Friedman and Zaidi both downplayed the importance of experience or lack thereof during an Oct. 22 press conference, instead placing an emphasis on leadership skills.
It’s conceivable the runner-up for the managerial position will be offered a position to join the Dodgers coaching staff. That was believed to also hold true for Black, though he reportedly will join the Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim front office as a special assistant.
