You could say that things are going ahead of schedule for Cleveland and their search for a new manager. So much so, Mark Shapiro may add one or two more final candidates.
At least that is the latest word out of Cleveland as they prepare to interview one of their own on Friday.
Thursday, Bobby Valentine faced the media after his sit down with Shapiro and assistant general manager Chris Antonetti. What he said is for another day and another article, but let's just say he disappointed and leave it at that.
With the elimination of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Indians final candidate Don Mattingly, could probably schedule his interview for sometime early next week before the World Series even starts.
And because Shapiro is doing his due-diligence and wants to get the right guy, he could take that extra time and incorporate a few more candidates into the race. One of the names being floated around is former Rockies' skipper Clint Hurdle.
Friday is Torey Lovullo's day though. Originally left off the final listing in favor of another Indians minor league manager Travis Fryman, Lovullo is currently the manager of Cleveland's Triple-A Columbus affiliate.
He's spent years in the system working his way up and has interviewed for major league managerial jobs in the past. He's no stranger to this party and he's quietly been waiting for his opportunity. I truly believe Lovullo is destined to be a major league manager someday.
The question now becomes, will it be for the Cleveland Indians or someone else?
Familiarity Equals Comfort
There is one thing that Torey Lovullo holds above every other candidate for this job.
It's familiarity with the system, the coaches, the players, the management, the city, the fans, the way of doing things.
He's been to many spring trainings with the big leaguers and the minor leaguers. He's seen a majority of the Indians players that are currently on the active roster come through his stops in Buffalo, Columbus, Kinston, and Akron. He's spent time with the big league club after the minor league season ends as an extra coach.
The Indians know him and he knows the Indians.
Now that can be an advantage or a disadvantage, but knowing the way Mark Shapiro works, he'll only look at in a positive manner. Where I think Shapiro is going to get concerned about Lovullo with is the parallels with Eric Wedge.
Lovullo is very much in the same position Eric Wedge was when he got hired to manage the Indians. Everything points to Lovullo being a good manager and even a good fit for this type of situation.
All of the players know him, as mentioned. There's a certain comfort level that they can have knowing that a complete outsider isn't coming in and shaking a ton of things up. Whatever moves Lovullo is going to make, they've seen him before and know what he's about.
Shapiro can hire Lovullo knowing full well in what he's getting as far as a motivator and instructor. He should have no worries as far as what he's getting as a manager and a teacher.
That works to his advantage and if you think otherwise, you are crazy.
What could work against him though is something that Lovullo has no control over, at least not now.
The one downfall with Eric Wedge when he was hired was the lack of big league experience, not necessarily big league managing experience, but just flat out big league experience in any role.
Lovullo matches that situation, someone who has not been in the major leagues as a manager or coach. He's been in the Indians minor league system since the start and while he's interviewed for big league jobs, he hasn't even been a third base coach.
That may have worked for Eric Wedge, because the Indians were already in the process of blowing things up. The team Wedge was dealing with was not expected to win immediately; the concept was that he'd grow with them.
Lovullo is coming into a situation where they may not be expecting to win this year, but there is a core already established. There is sort of a mold that has already been sculpted by Wedge and Shapiro and Lovullo would have to either change that or grow into it.
How does someone who has not managed on the big league level do such a thing?
When you manage in the minor leagues, you are more of a teacher and a groomer. The big leagues are a new game and that is something Lovullo would have to learn on the job.
There isn't to say anything is wrong with that though. The familiarity he has erases so many of those issues. Another time and another place, Lovullo is probably the perfect candidate because of this singular reason.
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