The Baltimore Orioles reassigned hitting coach Jim Presley within their organization and are in search of a new hitting coach. Some former Phillies have surfaced as potential candidates. However, it appears that the heavy time commitment was not appealing to them.
Jim Connolly of the Baltimore Orioles reports:
Orioles had interest in: BJ Surhoff, Brady Anderson, Charlie Manuel, Jim Thome & Raul Ibanez. Told time commitment was issue w all. Hard job
— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) November 24, 2014
This is the first time Thome has been linked to a coaching job in the major leagues.
Ibañez, meanwhile, is one of three finalists for the managerial job in Tampa Bay. While a managing job would definitely be even greater of a "time commitment" for Ibañez, Ibañez seemed to rule out being a coach when the Yankees had interest him as hitting coach:
Ibanez, the former Yankee (2012) who finished a splendid career this past season with the AL champion Royals, was approached by the team following the World Series about the hitting job and was said to be “intrigued.’’
Nevertheless, since then, the Rays talked to the 42-year-old former outfielder who played in the big leagues for 19 years about managing their team.
Ibanez, who never has managed a game at any level, remains a legitimate candidate for the opening. And if he doesn’t replace Maddon, Ibanez doesn’t want to coach according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
For Ibañez, maybe some rest would interest him more than coaching, while a managing gig would be too good to pass up.
Thome is currently a special assistant in the Chicago White Sox organization and has stated in the past that he would like to manage someday. But, for now, Thome may enjoy the freedom to work less. Presumably that is where Manuel stands; his new role with the Phillies and his personal hitting clinics may be enough for Manuel for the rest of his career.
