Philadelphia Phillies: Potential replacements for Pete Mackanin

With the shocking decision to relieve manager Pete Mackanin of his duties, the Philadelphia Phillies have a massive hole to fill. There are several possible replacements on the market, but the team needs someone they can build around with this young core.

The Phillies have underwhelmed this season. After a tough year last year the team looked to be turning a corner with so many young pieces making their way through the minor leagues. Many have made their debuts, and several looks to be building blocks for the future. Pete Mackanin has instilled a mindset of hard work and dedication to their craft, something a young roster needed, but now someone will have to come in and take over. Here are the best options to take over the Phillies next season.

Dusty Wathan

Dusty Wathan should be considered a front-runner for the open manager’s position. He hasn’t had any major league coaching experience, but what he has done in the minor leagues has been astounding. Wathan is the winningest manager in the Reading Fightin’ Phils team history and has had success this past season as the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Most importantly for Wathan, he has spent years with the young Phillies coming up through the minor leagues. Many of the young players who are now in the majors look up to Wathan. Once the players fully get behind a manager the team will start competing. Dusty Wathan is a manger the Phillies can build the future around.

Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus has just finished up his four-year tenure as the manager of the Detroit Tigers. The beginning of his coaching career was bright, leading the Tigers to an American League Central division title with a 90-72 record, but since then things have soured. In the next three years, the Tigers went 224-260 under Ausmus, missing the playoffs in each of those years. Ausmus is only 48 years old, considered to be on the younger side for a major league manager. He showed off his abilities in his first year with the Tigers, and if he can recapture that magic with the Phillies, this young group of players could be making a postseason run faster than originally thought.

Jim Thome

This option may seem like a bit of a reach, but Jim Thome would be a great manager. Adored in Philadelphia for his success as a Phillie, along with his work ethic and great attitude, Thome could teach this young Phillies team how to be a great major leaguer. While he has never managed a team before there are many examples of coaches who got their big chance at the major league level. This Phillies team is going through a rebuild, so why not rebuild at the manager position as well?

Next: Phillies will not retain manager Pete Mackanin after 2017 season

The Phillies have a very important decision to make this offseason. Whoever ends up taking over for Pete Mackanin has a group of young players to build around, making their job a whole lot easier.