Steve Phillips: Martinez Not Manager Material
(WSCR) Rays bench coach Dave Martinez seems to be at the top of White Sox general manager Ken Williams' "short list" for managerial candidates, but Steve Phillips of Sirius XM radio doesn't know if Martinez is the right man for the job.
"I've never looked at Dave Martinez as a Major League manager," Phillips told The McNeil and Spiegel Show on Thursday. "Maybe I'm wrong, maybe other people are right. I know that he's with Joe Maddon and Joe Maddon likes and respects him – he's the right-hand man to Joe. I just never looked at him as having that sort of presence to lead a team. He was always kind of a nice complementary sort of a player. I never looked at him as an impact personality. I may be wrong, but he's not somebody that I would've put on my list."
Phillips admitted his experience with Martinez was rather limited, though.
LISTEN: Steve Phillips on The McNeil and Spiegel Show
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With outspoken manager Ozzie Guillen gone to the Miami Marlins, it would appear the White Sox are looking for a more introverted manager after eight years of Ozzie.
"This is what we do in baseball" Phillips said. "When we have a fiery, emotional guy, then we go to the kind of quiet, calm guy. When the quiet, calm guy doesn't win games, we go to a fiery guy. That's what we do. We figure, 'Well, let's try to opposite of him and see if that doesn't turn it around.' Every team does it."
Epstein Will Be Costly
If the Cubs plan to finagle their way into the Red Sox's organization and take Theo Epstein, they better be prepared to pay up.
"My sense is that it would be a top-level prospect if (the Red Sox) are going to consider giving up Theo Epstein," Phillips said. "I mean, it's going to be an impact sort of prospect if the Cubs are going to be able to make a deal. It will not come cheaply.
"I completely understand the Cubs asking for permission. I think Theo Epstein is brilliant. I think he's an outstanding general manager. If I had to get a general manager, he would certainly be at the top of the list of people to try to bring in. I don't understand for one second why the Red Sox would grant permission at all. You've got Theo Epstein under control for another year. He's signed for another year under contract. I wouldn't grant permission. I wouldn't even consider letting Theo go."
