Eric Chavez Is Likely To Replace Mike Scioscia As Angels Manager
Angels manager Mike Scioscia is expected to step down from calling the shots on the field for the Angels at the end of this season. Entering today’s action, he has a 1,646-1,427 record as the Angels’ skipper — the most wins in franchise history. He is in the final year of a 10-year deal, and this will also also be his 19th season at the helm. According to Bleacher Report, Scioscia has said that he’d still like to manage a team still — which has left the Angels in the position of needing to make plans, just in case the two sides don’t work something out.
That is where Eric Chavez comes in. The 40-year-old Chavez has played 17 seasons in the majors — 13 with the A’s — and a pair of seasons each with the Yankees and the Diamondbacks. Since hanging up his cleats, the 6-time Gold Glove winner has spent a season working in the A’s broadcast booth, as well as a season as a special assignment scout for the Yankees. Chavez has also been special assistant to General Manager Billy Eppler since 2015. While Chavez doesn’t have significant experience in major league management, he did finish up the AAA season managing the Salt Lake Bees.
Former All-Star third baseman Eric Chavez, a special assistant in the #Los Angeles Angels front office, has emerged as the favorite to replace Mike Scioscia as the Angels manager in 2019
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) September 25, 2018
While Scioscia has expressed a desire to continue managing, the problem is that the Angels may not want him back. According to NJ Advance Media, he is closing out a very lucrative contract, during which time they have only made the playoffs once in the last nine years. They haven’t won a post-season game since 2009. It is thought that they are ready to shake things up.
“We’ll continue to evaluate things this week. I’ll speak with (Angels owner) Arte (Moreno) and speak with (general manager) Billy (Eppler), and kind of come to a decision. But I think that if you love something, you want to continue to keep doing it. If you can, great. And if it doesn’t happen, so be it. But I love the dugout. I love managing. I love the dugout. I love the challenge of getting the team and getting them going in the right direction. That’s something I thoroughly enjoy.”
Report: Eric Chavez the favorite to replace Mike Scioscia as Angels manager https://t.co/uS6338nZ1U via @HardballTalk
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) September 25, 2018
According to Bleacher Report, it is thought that Chavez’s strong relationship with Eppler is what gives him the edge over other candidates for the job, including Scioscia. Eppler was the one responsible for bringing Chavez to the Yankees — as both a player and as a special assignment scout. He then brought him to California when he took the GM job there, and also gave him a shot managing a partial season in AAA.
