Los Angeles Angels: Three early favorites to replace Mike Scioscia

Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia will officially step down from his role following the 2018 MLB season, giving the team time to gauge replacements.

The longest-tenured manager in the MLB is no longer going to be that following the 2018 MLB season. Mike Scioscia has been the manager of the Los Angeles Angels since the 2000 MLB season.

Scioscia has been the coach of the Angels for this entire millennium. No other American League coach was hired before the 2010 season. The only other manager hired before the turn of the decade is Bruce Bochy, who was hired by the San Francisco Giants on October 27, 2006.

While it is bittersweet, the Los Angeles Angels definitely need a change of scenery. While it is not entirely on Scioscia, the Angels have not won a playoff game since 2009 and have one playoff appearance (2014) since the turn of the decade.

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With this news being announced this early on, it gives the Angels’ front office plenty of time to gauge the next coach for hire. This hire is going to be huge, as the next coach may decide whether or not Mike Trout wants to leave or stay with the Angels.

There are going to be countless names connected to the Angels as the months go on and the true candidates begin to take shape. For now, there are three early favorites that lead the way to be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Angels.

1. Dino Ebel

Dino Ebel is the man who many expect to take over the reigns from Scioscia, especially if the Los Angeles Angels want to keep the hire in-house to prevent too much of a change.

Whether or not this is a smart strategy considering the team’s success is up for debate. However, Ebel could still give the Angels a much different look and give the team the spark it has needed the past four seasons.

Ebel was hired in the Angels in 2005 to be the manager of the Salt Lake Bees. Ebel was then brought in prior to the 2016 season to be the team’s third base coach after bench coach Joe Maddon was hired by the Tampa Bay Rays.

From 2014-2017, Ebel served as the team’s bench coach before being renamed the third base coach prior to this season.

2. Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus does not seem to be a great coach, at least on paper, after his tenure with the Detroit Tigers.

Ausmus went 314-332 in his tenure as the Tigers manager but for good reason. Ausmus came in right in the tail end of the title-window for the Tigers. The front office began to trade key pieces and guys such as Miguel Cabrera and Ian Kinsler ran into father time.

After the Tigers opted not to extend Ausmus following last season, the Los Angeles Angels signed him as a special assistant to general manager Billy Eppler.

That obviously puts Ausmus’ foot in the door and makes him a leading candidate for the job.

3. Joe Girardi

If the Los Angeles Angels want to hire outside of the organization then Joe Girardi becomes an easy front-runner for the job. While there certainly will be other names connected, as well as a few surprises, Girardi is the biggest name to keep in mind moving forward.

Girardi had a decent tenure as the manager of the New York Yankees and the team opted not to re-sign him despite the Yankees coming one game shy of making it to the 2017 World Series.

Girardi was booted out right when the Yankees’ real window of contention started but still managed to win a World Series with the team in 2009, capitalizing on a window that Joe Torre left behind.

The Angels need someone with winning experience and Girardi got that and more from winning a World Series and managing such a classy organization like the New York Yankees.

Next. The Angels could slowly be losing Mike Trout. dark

Not only would Girardi be a good manager, he could help the Angels realize the team’s true potential and give the clubhouse the direction it needs.

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