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The search for the new manager of the San Diego Padres will remain one of, if not the most, discussed topic of the offseason. At least until a manager is selected and announced. Then the conversations will shift to who did not get the job and the grade President of Baseball Operations and General Manager A.J. Preller should get for the hire.
There have been a bevy of names thrown out by reporters and fans, but nothing has been confirmed by the team, as the Friar Faithful have come to expect. Albert Pujols, Ryan Flaherty, Nick Hundley, Scott Servais and Bruce Bochy are just some of the names that have been mentioned as being possible candidates for the job. Until Preller or anyone else from the Padres confirms anything, most of the names being mentioned are just speculation.
Another name that has been the topic of speculation is current San Diego Pitching Coach Ruben Niebla. He has been with the organization for multiple years and he has been lauded for how he works with and communicates with each member of the pitching staff from the front of the rotation to the back of the bullpen, and everywhere in between.
Niebla could receive interviews from multiple teams this offseason as seven other organizations will be looking for managers. If he does not accept a position with another team, he could come back at the Padres pitching coach if he is not offered the managerial spot. According to a recent poll on Gaslamp Ball, 66 percent of 521 votes were in support of Niebla getting an opportunity to make out the lineup on a daily basis.
Of course, if Niebla does not become the manager of the Padres, he could be let go by the incoming manager or he may decide to walk away on his own, and that would have to be seen as a major loss for the San Diego franchise. If continuity and chemistry is what Preller and the other Padres decision-makers are looking for, then Niebla should get the nod.