Cleveland Sports Forum

Scouting Will Venable as a Potential Manager
A new candidate for the Guardians' managerial role emerges

By Quincy Wheeler Sep 5, 2023, 2:47pm EDT 0 Comments / 0 New

This morning, September 5th, on 850AM ESPN Cleveland, Guardians' reporter and sideline commentator Andre Knott, said "keep an eye on Will Venable" in regards to the replacement of Terry Francona in the managerial role, should Francona retire as expected at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

This isn't the first time I've heard Venable's name, as reporter Zack Meisel mentioned him on a recent Selby is Godcast as someone who was on Guardians GM Mike Chernoff’s college baseball team at Princeton and might be a potential candidate to be their manager. Venable spent 2016 spring training with the Cleveland baseball team before being released on March 27th and finishing his career that summer with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Venable played parts of nine big league seasons, mostly for the San Diego Padres, had a career 101 wRC+, 135 stolen bases and only 31 caught stealing, and put up 13 fWAR. That solid major league career followed a sterling college baseball and basketball resume at Princeton, becoming the only Princeton player to be twice-named All-Ivy League in both sports (along with Chris Young, who would also eventually play with the Padres and become Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Texas Rangers).


Since his playing career ended, Venable has been a first base and third base coach for the Chicago Cubs (2018-2020), a bench coach for the Boston Red Sox (2020-2022), and an associate manager for the Texas Rangers in 2023. He’s widely viewed as the eventual replacement for Bruce Bochy, Rangers manager. Venable has interviewed for managerial jobs with, at least, the Royals, Rangers, Astros, Red Sox, Athletics and Tigers, so he has been a sought-after candidate without landing those jobs as of yet. The sought-after is certainly a positive thing, while the “not able to land the job yet” might give some fans pause.

Venable spent time in Japan and in the Dominican with his dad, Max, who was a major league baseball player, and his thesis in Princeton was on multi-culturalism in baseball as seen in his time in Japan and the U.S. Venable, throughout his public life, has been known as intelligent, a fierce competitor and incredibly kind and personable. He’s gracious in giving interviews, and even in answering questions from first-time reporters turning them into lifelong fans of his.

Venable is a resident of California, so it would be interesting to see how the Guardians would attempt to lure him to the shores of Lake Erie, if that is indeed their goal. Venable has a reputation as an analytically-inclined person around the game, as well as being a person everyone likes to be around. In contrast with the majority of MLB managers who are north of 50 years old and white, Venable is a 40-year old black man which could bring some helpful perspectives to a culturally-diverse major league clubhouse.

As we monitor news and hope for a healthy and happy conclusion to the season for Terry Francona, we’ll keep you up to date about potential names who could be the Guardians’ manager should Tito’s retirement actually occur. Venable is certainly an interesting name to consider. You can read an earlier list of potential names I compiled here.

Isn't Sandy Alomar applying for the job for the umpteenth time?

I believe that Alomar has said in the past that he did not like being the manager when he filled in as manager.

Since the link in the last sentence of that article doesn't work from the posted article, could you give us the full list that he is referring to

If I can find it again I will.

An early list of potential 2024 Guardians managers should Terry Francona retire
With Tito’s retirement seemingly likely, who should be on the shortlist?

By Quincy Wheeler Aug 24, 2023, 3:52pm EDT 70 Comments / 70 New

I don’t want to push Terry Francona into a premature decision, but it seems pretty clear from his recent comments that he is leaning toward retiring at the end of the 2023 season, primarily due to health concerns. I’m sure we would all wish him the best in his treatment and surgery plans. I also look forward to plenty of time to reflect on his time in Cleveland and the good he brought to the Guardians’ organization as the manager for the past 11 years.

In the meantime, I thought it might be helpful to look at some names who may be under consideration to step into the role of Cleveland Guardians’ manager. No one knows exactly what Paul Dolan, Chris Antonetti, Mike Chernoff, James Harris and company are thinking as they begin preparing for the hiring process, so these names are, at best, informed speculation.

Internal Options: The Old Guard
Demarlo Hale, Guardians Bench Coach: I suspect Hale would be among the top names destined to generate the smallest amount of excitement among the Guardians’ fan base, but he is said to have a lot of respect among Guardians’ players. At 62, Hale may be older than what would be ideal to lead a young roster, but my main concern would be wondering how friendly he is to the insights of modern analytics on optimizing a roster for on-field success. If the Front Office is confident he can do that, he certainly is the kind of candidate who has put the work in to deserve an opportunity. I can’t say I was impressed with his time as interim manager, but having Tito and the players’ trust can go a long way in smoothing a transition. I do wonder if, having had to work through the health issues of an older manager over the past few years, if the Cleveland brass may prefer a younger person for team stability reasons.

Sandy Alomar, Jr, Guardians First Base Coach: If you ask a cross-section Guardians’ fans who should replace Terry Francona, the vast majority of them will mention Sandy Alomar. However, while Alomar has interviewed for multiple managerial jobs, he hasn’t been able to land one, which is likely for a reason. The 57 year-old is obviously a good first base coach and catching instructor, but his skills in managing a whole clubhouse aren’t proven. I’d have some questions if he was the hire, but I never want to rule out that people can learn and grow into new roles.


Mike Sarbaugh, Guardians Third Base Coach: Of the old hands on the Guardians, Sarby is my personal favorite. The 56 year-old never had a losing season in nine years as a manager in Cleveland’s minor league system. He coaches third base very aggressively, which fits with the preferences modern analytics suggest for that spot. The players seem to love him from the interactions I observe on the field. Plus, he got himself ejected in the recent Jose Ramirez-Tim Anderson fight, so his “he gets us” quotient is high. My main questions would be about his familiarity and friendliness to analytics and about whether or not a new, fresh voice is needed for the current team.

Carl Willis, Guardians Pitching Coach: Willis is also 62, but, again, players clearly love him and he’s obviously done an excellent job as a pitching coach in Cleveland. One thing that stands out to me about Willis as I listen to him is that his job is clearly mostly about helping guys handle their emotions and play to the best of their abilities. Those are tasks that Tito has excelled at, and, if those skills are most important to the Guardians, I could see Willis being given the reigns.

Travis Fryman, Roving Hitting Instructor for Cleveland Guardians: In the category of former players, Fryman has been with the organization for a while. I know hiring a person who has been instructing Cleveland hitters may seem counter-intuitive, but, again, a manager’s primary job is to help the team be positioned to play to the best of their abilities and keep the clubhouse environment positive and productive. Giving a former Cleveland player who has had a chance to interact with many of the players in the dugout over the year the chance to manage the team can bring a steadying influence that might be of immense value. I don’t think Fryman is a likely candidate, but I did want to bring up his name.

With former players like Alomar and Fryman, it’s always tempting for fans to allow nostalgia to influence their opinions of them as potential managers. I’m sure that won’t play a role in the decision-making process for the Cleveland Front Office, nor should it.

Internal Options: Groomed for Succession
Andy Tracy, Manager of Columbus Clippers: Only 49, Tracy hasn’t seen a ton of success record-wise with the Clippers, but the focus is mostly development there, so it’s hard to say how the organization views Tracy’s skills. For what it’s worth, Tracy seems very competent in press interviews and he brings the experience of a former player to the role. He’s a native of Bowling Green and has been the manager in Columbus since the 2021 season.


Luke Carlin, Catching Instructor for the Guardians: A name to keep an eye on is Luke Carlin, as I’ve heard consistent rumors for a while that he is well-liked by the organization who promoted him to a job with the major league team this offseason. At only 42 years old, Carlin would be the kind of hire the Guardians would make with the intent to give him a lengthy stay. Interestingly enough, Carlin had a very managerial-type interview with FanGraphs in 2019.

Chris Valaika, Guardians Hitting Coach: Valaika is certainly the popular whipping boy for the very poor performance of the Guardians’ hitters in 2023. While I can’t excuse the under-performance of the batters he coaches, the organization clearly liked the 38 year-old enough to replace Ty Van Burkleo and Valaika generally says smart things about hitting in interviews. I’ve seen folks say that Valaika as manager would be a bonus because the Guardians could then hire someone else as a hitting coach, and, while that’s petty... I get it. Again, the role isn’t primarily about coaching, it’s about positioning players to do their best and keeping an entire team focused on a goal. I don’t know if Valaika would be good at that, but certainly can’t rule it out.

Rouglas Odor, Akron Rubber Ducks Manager: At 55 years old, Odor has a lot of coaching experience under his belt and with his Venezuelan connections, he offers some unique insights into the needs and concerns of the strong Latino presence in the Guardians organization. Odor is generally well-regarded by his players and has been able to coach most of the Guardians’ current roster as they have made their way through Double-A.

Junior Betances, Columbus Clippers Hitting Coach: The only thing we know about Betances is that young hitters have liked him and often times blossomed under his influence. Antonetti has spoken highly of him in the past. If Betances is well-regarded around baseball, retaining him by promoting him to the big league club in some manner may be needed. He’s 50 years old, so he does have that “done my time” stamp.

External Options: Waiting in the Wings
In this list, you’ll find names who will be mentioned for numerous managerial openings around baseball. While I see the attraction in providing for organizational stability by hiring internally, I also wonder if it might make sense to add some fresh perspective and insights from other successful organizations with Francona’s retirement providing that chance. I tend to lean toward that being the right move, while acknowledging I may be wrong.


Joe Espada, Astros Bench Coach: The 48 year-old Puerto Rican has interviewed for a few manager positions without being able to land one yet, but getting a member of one of the most successful baseball organizations of the few years seems like a pretty good idea for someone.

Troy Snitker, Astros Hitting Coach: I’m a huge fan of Braves’ manager, Brian Snitker, and since he’s not going anywhere, is hiring his son the next best thing? The Astros tend to get the best out of their hitters, so Snitker maybe able to offer Cleveland some help there, also. He is only 34 years old, which would be an unusual hire for that reason.

Rodney Linares, Rays Bench Coach: The popular name in Twitter circles is Kevin Cash, manager of the Rays, but as he is under contract through 2024 and local to Tampa, I find it more likely that someone could land Linares, 46 year-old Rays Bench Coach, and see if they can unlock some of the secrets that enable the Rays to be routinely successful as a small market team. Linares managed the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team, and, as a Dominican-American, he would provide a good connection to the strong Dominican presence throughout the Cleveland Guardians’ organization.

Kevin Seitzer, Braves Hitting Coach: Seitzer played for Cleveland from 1996-1997, so there is an organizational connection. He has extensive experience as a major league coach and could offer insight from a successful organization in the Braves as well as the experiential advice and guidance that comes with having been a successful major leaguer.

Ruben Niebla, Padres Pitching Coach: Cleveland could try a return engagement with Niebla, who received rave reviews as a pitching coach with the Guardians. However, Niebla has had a bumpy road in San Diego with the major league pitching staff over the past two years (ranking in the 18-20 range in MLB for FIP and xFIP), and Niebla’s family is local to San Diego, so it may not be a good fit.

Matt Blake, Yankees Pitching Coach: Again, 38 year-old Blake was well-regarded in his time with Cleveland and has been fairly effective with the Yankees (considering some injury issues they’ve had), so perhaps a return to Cleveland would be of interest to both parties if Blake is seen as someone who can guide an entire team as well as he can pitchers.


Chris Woodward, Special Assistant for the Dodgers: 47 year-old Woodward has been around the league as a player and a coach and is often times mentioned as a potential managerial candidate. Working with the successful and progressive Dodgers is certainly a plus on the old resume.

Tony Mansolino, Orioles Third Base Coach: Mansolino managed in Cleveland’s organization for 5 years before going to Baltimore, so there’s a connection here for the 40 year-old. Mansolino is well-regarded in an organization that is gaining a reputation as one of the most progressive in the game.

Bryan Bannister, Director of Pitching for the Giants: With a scouting background and a well-known expertise in analytics, the 42 year-old Bannister is one of the most highly regarded potential managerial candidates in the game. He also has a history of good success with Giants pitchers, often times getting the best out of both rookie and veteran pitchers there.

Danny Lehmann, Bench Coach of the Dodgers: Only 35 years old, Lehmann is one of the youngest bench coaches you’ll ever see. Again, he’s obviously deeply connected to the analytically strong approach of the Dodgers and would seem likely to offer some useful insights to a new franchise if the Guardians want to go young in the role.

Ozzie Timmons, Hitting Coach for Milwaukee Brewers: A former hitting coach for the Rays and now working for the similarly analytically-strong Milwaukee small market, the 52 year-old Timmons will be rumored for some managerial roles this offseason.

Alyssa Nakken, Assistant Coach for the Giants: In 1974, the Cleveland baseball team became the first organization in MLB to hire a black manager. They hired Frank Robinson because of his skill and in recognition that MLB teams were missing out on the value that Robinson and other black coaches could provide. Similarly, I wonder if some organization is going to evaluate the value they may be missing out on by not considering hiring a woman as a manager. Nakken was the first female to coach on a MLB field. At only 33 years old, I suspect she’ll have another 8-10 years of work to put in to be considered for a position like this, if she is even interested, but Nakken certainly already has a strong resume of rising through the ranks to work for an excellent organization in the Giants.

Justin Viele, Hitting Coach for the Giants: The Giants have a very young coaching staff, including Viele who is 32 years old. The Giants always seem to be getting the best out of veterans needing to make hitting adjustments and over-performing their projections, so stealing some of that coaching talent would be of interest to me.

External Options: Old Pals
Mike Napoli, First Base Coach for the Cubs: Again, it’s hard not to let nostalgia for 2016 influence our views here, but Napoli, obviously, had a great reputation as a clubhouse leader in Cleveland in other organizations, leaving a lasting impact on players like Jose Ramirez. He is known to be friendly toward the insights of analytics and his approach to hitting the ball as hard as possible, as far as possible couldn’t hurt here in Cleveland.

Shelley Duncan, Manager of Yankees’ Triple-A Team: The nostalgia effect is certainly not as strong for Duncan, but he is also known to be analytically-inclined and working for a progressive organization in New York.

Victor Martinez, Special Advisor to Blue Jays’ Front Office: My nostalgia kicks in to its highest gear thinking about VMart, who tearfully bid goodbye to the city after being traded, returning as a manager. However, he doesn’t seem to quite have the experience and training the team would likely want in the role.

Josh Bard, Bullpen Coach for the Dodgers: A gritty, former catcher working for a super smart and successful organization should be someone the Guardians inquire about.

Bottom Line
It’s no fun to think about not having Terry Francona in the Guardians’ dugout, but I’m sure we all want what’s best for him and his health. I think the above list has a few names who will likely be very good major league managers at some point. If Tito’s plans continue as seems likely, it will be up to Dolan, Antonetti, Chernoff and Harris to sort through names like this and find the best option to lead a young team to the promised land. For me, I am most interested in Linares, Bannister and Carlin. But, my heart also roots for the chances of Sarbaugh, Odor, Napoli and Duncan. We’ll see what unfolds when the season comes to a conclusion.

It will be scary to leave the safe confines of a Tito-led ball-club, but I am optimistic that Francona will still be associated with the organization to help lend credibility to the new manager (as a cheerleader of a sort). I am also optimistic that there are lot of bright baseball minds who would love to lead a young, talented team to better days ahead.

Thanks for finding and posting.
There's a lot of names there. It's been quite awhile since Cleveland hired someone without any managerial experience. That would be Eric Wedge in 2002. Of course we've only had 2 managers since then, Acta and Francona.

Most managers are not a big deal. A good one will win you a few you shouldn't win and a bad one will lose you a few you shouldn't lose.

It's the players, stupid.

Most managers. But great ones set the tone, the environment that best suits the players and their best interests and performance.

The 2023 Cleveland Guardians eulogy: A season that didn’t go according to plan MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 28: Xzavion Curry #44 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts to pitching to the Minnesota Twins in the second inning at Target Field on August 28, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
By Zack Meisel
Sep 8, 2023



The tune starts with a dramatic hammering of piano keys before the smooth melody takes over. Triston McKenzie walked from his locker to the other end of the room one morning during spring training, circled an imaginary mound and synced his every movement to the song blaring from the clubhouse speakers.

The way McKenzie envisioned it, fans would be downing a hot dog and sipping a beer on a steamy summer afternoon as he tossed his warmup pitches, their feet tapping to each note of the (secret) song released a quarter-century before the Cleveland Guardians pitcher was born.

That was the plan. But this Guardians season didn’t go according to plan. This was the season of off-script, a trying year requiring plenty of improvisation.

McKenzie injured his right shoulder during his final Cactus League tuneup. He made two starts in June before returning to the injured list with an elbow sprain. He’s finally nearing a comeback, but not in time to save the Guardians.

On Thursday night in Southern California, Emmanuel Clase blew his league-high 10th save of the season in a 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, dropping the Guardians seven games behind the Twins in the loss column with about three weeks remaining in this slog to the finish line.

Time of death on this Guardians campaign: 12:29 a.m. ET, Sept. 8. Well, maybe.

It’s debatable. You could argue the clanging of Royce Lewis’ grand slam against the metal bleachers during the Twins’ 20-run romp on Monday served as the final buzzer on this dismal season. You could point to the sinking liner that skipped past Myles Straw’s glove and scooted toward the center field wall on Tuesday night, which secured Minnesota another critical win as fans at Progressive Field initiated the chant that signals a change of seasons.

Here we go, Brownies, here we go. Woof, woof.

Some would argue this Guardians season met its demise at the trade deadline, with the exodus of Aaron Civale, Amed Rosario and Josh Bell for prospects and spare parts. Some would suggest the punchless lineup and unreliable bullpen and wounded starting rotation doomed this season long before the front office intervened.

Nonetheless, this season won’t be one to remember.

It was the year Meibrys Viloria made the Opening Day roster and then totaled four plate appearances in five weeks. It was the year Mike Zunino nearly went 0-for-May. It was the year Clase looked mortal. It was the year the Guardians plucked Kole Calhoun from near-retirement in an effort to rescue the lineup and clubhouse. It was the year Rosario tested the limits of the defensive runs saved metric (and not in a good way). It was the year José Ramírez boosted his hard-hit rate at the expense of Tim Anderson’s jaw.

It was the year the entire rotation was on the sideline or in Triple A by the All-Star break. It was the year the front office wielded the anti-Midas touch. It was the year David Fry made the longest appearance on the mound by a Cleveland position player since some guy named Milt in 1936. It was the year the Guardians were no-hit hours after trading their cleanup hitter. It was the year Ramírez stole home with two strikes and two outs in extra innings … only for the Guardians to lose the game 10 minutes later. It was the year of the shocking waiver claims that paid shockingly low dividends. It was the year Bell rediscovered his swing the instant he escaped Cleveland. It was the year the bullpen proved trustworthy in every moment but the pivotal ones. It was the year Noah Syndergaard sounded like a broken man after every outing.

It was the year the Guardians failed to stand tall in a division marked by its shortcomings. And it appears it’s the last hurrah for Terry Francona, the longest-tenured manager in franchise history.

All the Guardians can It was the year the Naylor brothers blossomed, Josh into an imposing, middle-of-the-order threat and Bo, albeit in a smaller sample since he waited behind Zunino and still isn’t regularly facing lefties, into a toolsy catcher. It was the year the next wave of pitching factory products burst onto the scene, with Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams showcasing their ability to bloom into front-line starters. It was the year Xzavion Curry bounced between roles, patching leaks that sprung up on the pitching staff.

There’s more to learn over the next few weeks. Maybe Ramón Laureano can play his way into a 2024 roster spot, rather than a non-tender. Maybe Gabriel Arias can seize the shortstop job. Maybe Tyler Freeman can earn more at-bats and put his contact prowess to use. Any further experience for Bibee, Williams and Logan Allen is a plus. A full bill of health for McKenzie and Shane Bieber, complete with a return to the big-league mound, would be beneficial both for the pitchers and the team.

The front office has a ton to solve this winter, beginning with identifying a new manager. They still need to sort out their middle infield glut, an unchecked box on their to-do list for two years running. They need to determine the best course of action with Bieber, who can become a free agent after next season. They need to find a way to fortify their outfield, a source of weakness for much of the last two decades. They need to assess their hitting development philosophies, which have fueled an offense that ranks ahead of only the Tigers and Athletics in runs scored. They need to hope and pray that Kyle Manzardo is one answer to the lack of thump in the center of their lineup.

For now, though, the Guardians are resigned to dreaming about better days ahead, with hot dogs and beer and catchy rhythms. Perhaps next season will go according to plan.

I'd hope Laureano is DFA'd and maybe signed to a minor league contract for 2024. We always some young guys to add to the winter roster, although not as many as the past couple seasons. Makes sense to give Johnathan Rodriguez a shot rather than lose him a la Anthony Santander in Rule 5.

Reliving one of the highlights [?] of 2023

THANK GOD FOR FRY-DAY — What’s wrong with me? For something like 30 years now, every time any team pointed any position player to the mound in a real Major League Baseball game, I’ve written that down in a little notebook. Why do I do that? David Fry is why I do that.
It was Twins 11, Guardians 1, in the sixth inning Monday. And the Guardians handed David Fry, their favorite super-utilityman, the baseball. Since he doesn’t normally pitch for a living and it was the sixth inning, everyone here at Weird and Wild World HQ was jolted to attention. The rest of Fry’s deep-fried day went like this:

4 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 3 HR, 64 pitches, 23 batters faced, 2 inherited runners who both scored

I’m assuming he knows this and you know this, but just for the record, that’s going down as an all-time unforgettable day in position-player-pitching history. Here’s why:

He pitched four freaking innings! That ties Fry with the legendary José Oquendo (May 14, 1988) for most innings on the mound, in one game, by a true position player in the expansion era. Just one slight difference between those two: Oquendo entered his game in the 16th inning … and Fry entered his in the sixth inning.

He threw 64 pitches! For the record, 68 relief pitchers got to pitch Monday across baseball. Here’s a list of all of them who threw 64 pitches:

David Fry.
End of list. Back to you.

He outpitched a bunch of starters! Here’s a partial rundown of the starting pitchers who didn’t throw 64 pitches over Labor Day weekend: Rich Hill, Dallas Keuchel, Michael Kopech, James Paxton and Alex (Almost No-Hit) Cobb.
Cobb was coming off a one-hitter. Fry was coming off a game where he played one inning as a defensive replacement at first base. Yet a few days later, Fry threw more pitches in a game than Cobb? Baseball is amazing.

In other news … Fry became the first true position player in the expansion era to allow 10 hits in a game, the second (joining J.R. Murphy) to allow 11 base runners in a game, and the third (joining Kevin Plawecki and René Pinto) to allow three home runs in a game. But at least there’s this:

Innings pitched since the All-Star break, Guardians:

Shane Bieber — 0
Triston McKenzie — 0
David Fry — 4

Story of the season, perhaps:

Innings pitched since the All-Star break, Guardians:

Shane Bieber — 0
Triston McKenzie — 0
David Fry — 4

But to think where we'd be [fighting the Royals and Sox for bottom of the Central is our 4 rookie starters had not come through so splendidly.
The combined rookie rotation stats have got to about the best of all time. [Not the win total, since a] 6 inning starters are as good as one expects nowadays and b] they depend on good work behind them from the bullpen.

But just the number of starts by rookies must be among the highest in team history, and then compile the rest of the stats along with them innings, strikeouts.

Bibee Allen Williams and Curry total as starters:

68 starts
351 innings
339 strikeouts

I would have to guess that a single starting pitcher decades ago would have worked nearly that many innings, so maybe these totals are not going to set team records but the numbers of starts may well. I'll let Baseball Reference or one of its fellow sites figure this out

Nice obituary written by Meisel. Just shouldn't have released it 3 weeks before the patient dies.