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A new name has been put forward as a possible next manager for the Cleveland Guardians, and his name is John McDonald. A 16-year MLB veteran, the former utility infielder brings a host of experience to the table.
At the end of September, veteran manager Terry Francona announced that he would be stepping down from his position as manager of the Guardians. The longest tenured MLB manager, "Tito" Francona also holds the all-time Cleveland franchise record for wins as a manager.
McDonald, a native of Connecticut, has recently been floated as a possible successor to Tito. A 12th-round draft selection by the Indians in 1996, McDonald spent the first seven seasons of his career playing in Cleveland.
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According to Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com, the Guardians will be interviewing McDonald for the role.
"A longtime former Cleveland player is on the #Guardians' radar in their managerial search:" - MLB Trade Rumors
Following his tenure with Cleveland, John McDonald became a journeyman, playing for several teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, for seven seasons. A career .233 hitter, McDonald was also renowned for his fielding, posting a .974 fielding percentage in well over 6,000 career innings played in the infield.
He has worked as a minor league field co-ordinator with the Guardians since 2015.
Although the team opened to a strong start to the season, the Guardians finished with a record of 76-86, finishing third in the AL Central, 11 games behind the Minnesota Twins. As the youngest club in MLB by average age, many believe that the Guardians will be contenders in the coming years.
Current Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash's name was also brought up as a possible successor. However, the former back-to-back AL manager of the year is under contract with the Rays until the end of next season, and has indicated that he is not in the market for a new job.
"Here is the exact question Kevin Cash was asked and his response to the Cleveland Guardians managerial job. #RaysUp" - Evan Closky
John McDonald will bring familiarity to an exciting young team
In his decade as manager in Cleveland, Tito won the AL Manager of the Year Award three times. However, without any titles to show for his time, fans on the banks of Lake Erie are looking for someone to take the team the extra mile.
While the new manager may not be chosen as of yet, John McDonald is certainly positioning himself as a strong option.
