Phillies should pursue Mike Scioscia for managerial position
By Jim Koch
Mike Scioscia should be strongly considered if the Philadelphia Phillies elect to replace interim manager Rob Thomson in 2023
On June 3rd, the Philadelphia Phillies made a move that many of the team’s fans believed was long overdue.
Following an unacceptable 22-29 start to the 2022 campaign, beleaguered manager Joe Girardi was sent packing by the Phils. Bench coach Rob Thomson has taken over in the interim, but there’s a fairly good possibility that a more accomplished candidate could be handed the job before the 2023 season gets underway.
Mike Scioscia, longtime manager of the Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels, would be an excellent choice. Does Dave Dombrowski, Philadelphia’s President of Baseball Operations, have any interest in the 63-year-old former SoCal skipper?
Like Girardi, the former Los Angeles Dodgers catcher-turned-coach has a World Series championship on his managerial resume. In 2002, Scioscia led the Angels to the only Commissioner’s Trophy in franchise history. The Philly faithful are well aware that the club has not accomplished that feat since 2008, back when the popular Charlie Manuel was leading the team. They’ve had four managers since Manuel was let go during the 2013 season; none have lasted three full seasons. Though his title carries an ‘Interim’ prefix, Thomson is manager number five.
A job with the Philadelphia Phillies would be a homecoming for Mike Scioscia
Scioscia grew up in Upper Darby, a Philadelphia suburb just 11 miles away from Citizens Bank Park, but spent his entire playing, coaching, and managing career in Southern California, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels. How tempting would a job with the Phillies be for a hometown kid?
Almost four years have passed since Scioscia stepped down as the manager of the Angels. He held that post for 19 seasons, presiding over a squad that made seven postseason appearances during his tenure. While the World Series title may have been his greatest achievement, Scioscia also took home two American League Manager of the Year awards in both 2002 and 2009. Under his watch, the Angels won 1,650 games and were on the losing end of 1,428 contests.
Last year, Scioscia agreed to manage the United States national team that qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The squad brought home the silver medal after losing to Japan in the gold-medal game.
There’s no doubt that many names will be tossed around by Dombrowski and his cohorts in regards to the Phils managerial position. Expect to see Scioscia among them.
