MLB insider reveals Padres eye future Hall of Famer to lead clubhouse
October 16, 2025
MLB insider reveals Padres eye future Hall of Famer to lead clubhouse
33 comments
AJ Fucking Preller
Let him cook.
Would rather Pujols be the hitting coach and work up to manager.
He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice but I certainly wouldn’t have to worry about player ego if he was the manager.
I could get on board.
the slug doctor
Take this with a grain of salt considering the source.
Pujols is one of my favorite all time players. Guy absolutely knows ball and was the choice manager for the DR side of the WBC which definitely says something given all the talent they have. Also if there’s one thing this team has a ton of, it’s egos and Pujols would absolutely be able to keep those in check with his leadership and experience level and well as respect he has amongst the players already.
The big Puuuuuuiuu
What are the odds we get him. Must be pretty enticing to join the pads, beautiful city, elite club, amazing atmosphere. But who else is interviewing him? I know the o’s are, I like those odds for us if it’s just them.
He’s interviewing with Baltimore and probably other teams.
I’d be ok with this. I’d also be ok with him throwing on a fake mustache mid game and pinch hitting with the game on the line. That’s just me
Honestly, we might be the most attractive option for a manager right now.
Playoff caliber team in a beautiful city with sellout crowds every night.
all we need is a manager that isn’t afraid to check egos and make changes when necessary
Remember when they interviewed Ozzie Guillen
Have the Padres ever hired a manager who was a World Series winner before being hired? Someone mentioned we need somebody who’s been there, done that. Let’s please think about it.
Whenever I saw this guy at bat back then, and his team needed a hit, went ahead and hit a home run, EVERY TIME.
If Niebla wanted the job and is not considered I don’t see how he would want to stick around. Hope I’m wrong
The more I think about it, the more enticing Pujols sounds. Relative lack of experience would be my only concern, but so many teams are interested in him, and he’s got DR WBC experience, that I can’t be too worried. Definitely feels like he would be a nice fit for us.
People aren’t going to like this, but it’s true. Good players make good managers. Padres don’t have enough good players to get them over the hump that is the Dodgers or a NLCS worthy team. And the players still have to produce near their averages, which wasn’t the case for too many players this past season.
AJ has to be better to put a roster together that doesn’t have any major holes or at least minimize the MLB roster weaknesses that is manageable from Game 1 through Game 162 without going scorched earth on the Minor League system.
La Máquina/The Machine/Pujols would be another first year manager under AJ and it hasn’t worked out well, but he would be overseeing a very talented team with the expectations of making the playoffs.
Regardless of the manager, Niebla has to stay and the Padres need to shore up their starting rotation, one more bullpen arm, a 1B/DH, and at least one viable bench/role player.
Whoever they hire should have a ring, and Pujols has two (and an NLCS MVP award).
Pujols
Poojols
Poohols
Poo Holes
…In Brown
I am also down to have the Padres be all Dominican players. Including Jackson “El Jalao” Merrill
Here i was afraid that we would be recycling one of the current pool of old timers floating around MLB. But this, something like this could actually be exciting.
Hopefully the convo was, “Ruben, you ready?”
Ruben, “No, I like what I do. But give Pujols a call.”
AJ, “On it!”
He’s easily my first choice given this teams needs. I love Ruben, but I don’t think he wants to leave and I’m not sure elevating him would change anything significantly.
Pujols would bring a different dimension to this team in all aspects, but particularly I think he would help us on the hitting side. He also likely relates better to our players.
Don’t know a thing about Albert’s personality, but he is one of two players with 700+ dingers and 3000+ hits ever. That will command some respect amongst players, of course. What’s his coaching experience outside of the WBC?
Preller’s 0 for 2 in his first time manager hires, so I’m not confident this is gonna work. But, I’d take this in a heartbeat before Ryan fucking Flaherty
he’s a p.o.s. …i’d hate this choice
As long as we keep Ruben!
Can he DH too?
They said this on MLB network the other day….and an assistant with the Cubs that has a close relationship w AJ. I don’t think AJ would hire Albert because AJ likes to have a level of control over the manager that isn’t common, and I feel like AJ could be slightly intimidated by Pujols as a Manager. I’m not sure if Pujols would be a good manager either but it couldn’t hurt to have a manager that speaks Spanish but again, AJ is in the last year of his contract, I wouldn’t expect any big name manager coming in because unless they’re ok with AJ telling them the lineup every night, they’re not going to be the manager of the Padres. This was more than proven when Schildt ended up getting the job.
Cardinals fan growing up in Missouri. This dude was my hero.
33 comments
AJ Fucking Preller
Let him cook.
Would rather Pujols be the hitting coach and work up to manager.
He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice but I certainly wouldn’t have to worry about player ego if he was the manager.
I could get on board.
the slug doctor
Take this with a grain of salt considering the source.
Pujols is one of my favorite all time players. Guy absolutely knows ball and was the choice manager for the DR side of the WBC which definitely says something given all the talent they have. Also if there’s one thing this team has a ton of, it’s egos and Pujols would absolutely be able to keep those in check with his leadership and experience level and well as respect he has amongst the players already.
The big Puuuuuuiuu
What are the odds we get him. Must be pretty enticing to join the pads, beautiful city, elite club, amazing atmosphere. But who else is interviewing him? I know the o’s are, I like those odds for us if it’s just them.
He’s interviewing with Baltimore and probably other teams.
I’d be ok with this. I’d also be ok with him throwing on a fake mustache mid game and pinch hitting with the game on the line. That’s just me
Honestly, we might be the most attractive option for a manager right now.
Playoff caliber team in a beautiful city with sellout crowds every night.
all we need is a manager that isn’t afraid to check egos and make changes when necessary
Remember when they interviewed Ozzie Guillen
Have the Padres ever hired a manager who was a World Series winner before being hired? Someone mentioned we need somebody who’s been there, done that. Let’s please think about it.
Whenever I saw this guy at bat back then, and his team needed a hit, went ahead and hit a home run, EVERY TIME.
If Niebla wanted the job and is not considered I don’t see how he would want to stick around. Hope I’m wrong
The more I think about it, the more enticing Pujols sounds. Relative lack of experience would be my only concern, but so many teams are interested in him, and he’s got DR WBC experience, that I can’t be too worried. Definitely feels like he would be a nice fit for us.
People aren’t going to like this, but it’s true. Good players make good managers. Padres don’t have enough good players to get them over the hump that is the Dodgers or a NLCS worthy team. And the players still have to produce near their averages, which wasn’t the case for too many players this past season.
AJ has to be better to put a roster together that doesn’t have any major holes or at least minimize the MLB roster weaknesses that is manageable from Game 1 through Game 162 without going scorched earth on the Minor League system.
La Máquina/The Machine/Pujols would be another first year manager under AJ and it hasn’t worked out well, but he would be overseeing a very talented team with the expectations of making the playoffs.
Regardless of the manager, Niebla has to stay and the Padres need to shore up their starting rotation, one more bullpen arm, a 1B/DH, and at least one viable bench/role player.
Whoever they hire should have a ring, and Pujols has two (and an NLCS MVP award).
Pujols
Poojols
Poohols
Poo Holes
…In Brown
I am also down to have the Padres be all Dominican players. Including Jackson “El Jalao” Merrill
Here i was afraid that we would be recycling one of the current pool of old timers floating around MLB. But this, something like this could actually be exciting.
Hopefully the convo was, “Ruben, you ready?”
Ruben, “No, I like what I do. But give Pujols a call.”
AJ, “On it!”
He’s easily my first choice given this teams needs. I love Ruben, but I don’t think he wants to leave and I’m not sure elevating him would change anything significantly.
Pujols would bring a different dimension to this team in all aspects, but particularly I think he would help us on the hitting side. He also likely relates better to our players.
Don’t know a thing about Albert’s personality, but he is one of two players with 700+ dingers and 3000+ hits ever. That will command some respect amongst players, of course. What’s his coaching experience outside of the WBC?
Preller’s 0 for 2 in his first time manager hires, so I’m not confident this is gonna work. But, I’d take this in a heartbeat before Ryan fucking Flaherty
he’s a p.o.s. …i’d hate this choice
As long as we keep Ruben!
Can he DH too?
They said this on MLB network the other day….and an assistant with the Cubs that has a close relationship w AJ. I don’t think AJ would hire Albert because AJ likes to have a level of control over the manager that isn’t common, and I feel like AJ could be slightly intimidated by Pujols as a Manager. I’m not sure if Pujols would be a good manager either but it couldn’t hurt to have a manager that speaks Spanish but again, AJ is in the last year of his contract, I wouldn’t expect any big name manager coming in because unless they’re ok with AJ telling them the lineup every night, they’re not going to be the manager of the Padres. This was more than proven when Schildt ended up getting the job.
Cardinals fan growing up in Missouri. This dude was my hero.