The Los Angeles Angels hired former player Kurt Suzuki to be their next manager, passing over other candidates.
Suzuki is only signed to a one-year deal, giving the Angels a chance to re-evaluate him next season before next season begins.
“I make a joke of it, but I feel like I’ve been playing on one-year deals my whole career,” Suzuki said during his introductory press conference.
“I feel like I had to prove myself every single year I played this game. … I’m here because I want to lead this team. I’m here because I want to help these players. I want to do good for this city and this organization.”
The Angels have been led by Ron Washington over the past two years, and partially by Ray Montgomery when Washington suffered a personal health issue.
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Los Angeles decided to move on from Washington and Montgomery, starting fresh with new leadership that can bring fresh ideas.
They went 72-90 last season, and the previous five managers for the team have failed to produce a winning record.
It has been years since the Angels reached the playoffs, and they hope Suzuki can be the guy to lead them back to October baseball.
The hire will be crucial for general manager Perry Minisian, who has been leading for some time but has not yet delivered the wins ownership expects.
Minisian is well aware of Suzuki’s brief resume, which lacks any managerial experience, but he feels confident that the former catcher can deliver.
“I never thought I would be comfortable hiring a manager who wasn’t a manager before, but this is a different person,” Minasian said, per ESPN.
“I know he didn’t have a coaching title, but even when he played, he coached-slash-managed for different places. He managed a game for a long time. I believe he’s the right person for the job.”
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Suzuki faces a tough challenge ahead, especially since ownership is known for being demanding of the team and lacking patience when the results fall short of a certain standard.
There are significant rewards if he performs well next year; a long-term deal and stability are on the horizon for Suzuki, although he will need to handle the uncertainty of baseball.
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