For Dodgers, managerial experience is an asset, not a requirement

Don Mattingly had no major league managerial experience when the Dodgers promoted him from Joe Torre’s coaching staff. With the Dodgers sporting the highest payroll in baseball history, and with a “World Series or bust” mentality surrounding the team, would the Dodgers take a chance on another guy who has no experience managing in the major leagues?

Yes, they would.

In May, in the wake of the Miami Marlins installing General Manager Dan Jennings as their new manager, we asked Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, what qualities he would seek if he were hiring a manager. He said major league managerial experience would be an asset, not a requirement.

What would be required: the abilities to lead, communicate well, evaluate talent, understand each player’s skills so as to put each in position to succeed, and apply whatever data are provided to give the team match-up advantages on offense and defense.

You can read the entire story here.

And, for an early list of Dodgers managerial candidates, click here.