Next Dodger Manager: Some Affirmative Suggestions

Wishing Tom Lasorda the best of luck this season, of course, it’s time to select the next Dodger manager.

Insiders say the Dodger game plan was to promote Lasorda to general manager next season, replacing Al Campanis, who would gracefully, if not willingly, retire. Well, Campanis’ retirement happened a little early, but that doesn’t change the picture. Win or lose, there’s a good chance that this is Lasorda’s last season in the dugout.

I’d like to give the Dodgers some help choosing their new manager, even though they haven’t asked me yet. They’ve hired only two managers in the last half century, so they may be out of practice.

First, the new Dodger manager must be black. This eliminates Bobby Valentine, reportedly the leading candidate for the job. But it’s a mistake to think of Valentine as the only logical heir to Lasorda, especially considering current circumstances.

The Dodgers are the flagship of baseball, the premier organization, a role model for other franchises. The Dodgers set baseball back with the Al Campanis incident, and now they should assume a leadership role in helping baseball regain its dignity.

Naturally there will be objections. Why not follow baseball tradition and simply hire the best man (or woman) for the job, regardless of race? Answer: Why start now?

For years, blacks have been victims of systematic exclusion from managing. The only way to right that wrong is by some systematic inclusion. Also, there’s a good reason why the Dodgers should not simply pick the man (or woman) who has the best qualifications for the job.

Reason: There are no qualifications for the job.

All that is required for being a big league manager is that you be breathing and not legally brain-dead, although even those rules have been waived in the past.

If someone starts lecturing you about qualifications for being a big league manager, you can end the discussion by saying, “Jerry Coleman.”

Choosing a skipper isn’t a real scientific process. Historically, most front-office conferences convened to select a new manager end with the pronouncement, “What the heck.”

However, making recommendations on Dodger managerial candidates is not a job I take lightly. All kidding aside, this will be even more important than the usual hiring, for obvious reasons. So no frivolous suggestions here, no funny throw-in candidates.

My nominations for the Dodger job are, in order:

1. Reggie Jackson.

2. Davey Lopes.

3. Bill Madlock.

None of these people has indicated, at least to me, that he is interested in managing the Dodgers. However, my hunch is that any of them would accept the job.

I had Reggie Smith on the list, too, but he said he had no interest in the job.

Now, I said there are no qualifications to manage a team, but I want to take that back. The next black manager in baseball will have to be tough. It will be more difficult in many ways to be the fourth black manager in baseball than it was to be the first, because many people will accuse the next black manager of sliding into the job on an Al Campanis scholarship. He will be scrutinized and analyzed more than any other manager. He must be sensitive, but tough.

A brief review of my candidates: JACKSON

This is almost surely his last season as a player, unless he invested all his money in Kareem Co. Jackson has spoken of having general manager aspirations, and a few years as field manager would be excellent training and experience. Not that any is needed to become a GM.

Reggie is a psychologist, he studies people and he is sensitive to people, except when he’s in a grouchy mood. He is a leader, a motivator, a father figure to younger players. Also, he has what I consider to be the No. 1 quality of a big league manager, from the media standpoint: He’s a fun guy to have around. Baseball is dull enough without having a dull manager.

LOPES

A technicality: Lopes isn’t black. But he is from a minority group. Lopes lacks that fun-guy-to-be-around quality, but he makes up for it with his intensity. He is a challenging person to deal with at times, but who says a manager has to be Mr. Sunshine? Right, Billy Martin? Lopes is the bristly, tough-guy type, maybe just what the Dodgers need.

He has the right heritage, too, having played nine seasons at second base for the Dodgers. He has an analytical baseball mind. He is also a former school teacher. As the cliche goes, Lopes won’t be running any popularity contest here.

MADLOCK

I don’t know if he’s ready to retire, but at 36 Madlock has to be close. Besides, he could be player-manager for a couple of seasons. Most great hitters often do not make great managers, but Madlock might well be an exception.

On the surface, Madlock is the opposite of Lopes, with a pleasant, approachable, easygoing manner. But he has plenty of intensity for the game. You don’t win four batting titles and survive 13 big league seasons with four different teams without being tough.

I keep mentioning toughness and intensity. Hey, I don’t want to steer the Dodgers onto a candidate who drifts through baseball on automatic pilot, oblivious to the world about him. Some guys play baseball. Other guys are baseball players. I’m not sure what the difference is, but it sounds good.

Anyway, Dodgers, that’s my input. If I can be of further service, don’t hesitate to call.