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Red Sox managerial candidate profile: Brad Ausmus 10.17.12 at 1:20 pm ET
By Alex Speier

Brad Ausmus (left, serving as acting manager for the Dodgers in 2010) is the third candidate to interview with the Red Sox. (AP)

With the Red Sox now conducting first-round interviews to fill the managerial vacancy created by the firing of Bobby Valentine after the season, WEEI.com will offer a profile of each candidate who takes part of the process. Other candidates reviewed: Tim Wallach, Tony Pena.

Candidate: Brad Ausmus

Age: 43

Current position: Padres special assistant to the GM

Interview date: Oct. 17

Prior managerial experience:

  • 2012 Team Israel (World Baseball Classic); 2-1 record
  • Served as Dodgers’ acting manager for one game at the end of both the 2009 and 2010 seasons; 1-1 record

Additional coaching experience:

  • None

Playing career:

  • 18 seasons (1993-2010) — Padres (4 seasons), Tigers (3 seasons), Astros (10 seasons), Dodgers (2 seasons)
  • 1999 All-Star
  • Three-time Gold Glove winner at catcher
  • 1,971 games: .251/.325/.344/.669, 80 HR, 607 RBI, 75 OPS+

Noteworthy:

  • Hired by Padres as special assistant to GM in Nov. 2010, in which capacity he worked with Padres GMs Jed Hoyer and Josh Byrnes, both of whom served as assistant GMs in Boston under Theo Epstein
  • Interviewed in September for Astros managerial opening but then withdrew from consideration
  • Graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in government
  • Connecticut native
  • Selected in the 48th round of 1987 draft by Yankees

Quotes:

  • Ausmus to MLB.com in 2010 on the idea of a managerial career path, and why he didn’t necessarily think that minor league experience was necessary: “In the minor leagues, a lot of the decision-making is out of the manager’s hands. The organization wants certain guys to play. They dictate at-bats, innings pitched, pitch counts. Development is the top order in the minor leagues, whereas winning is the most important in the major leagues.”Coaching in the major leagues — third base, pitching coach, hitting coach and just being around the manager in the dugout as part of the process — might be the more prudent way to prepare for major league managing. The last two years, being a part-time player behind [Russell Martin] — which is the extreme of being a backup catcher — allowed me to be on the bench and watch [Joe Torre] and to ask questions of [bench coach] Bob Schaefer or Donnie [Mattingly] or Larry Bowa and to learn more about the game.”
  • One major league talent evaluator and longtime acquaintance of Ausmus: “I can’t speak highly enough about Brad as a managerial candidate. I’ve sat at many games with him, talking about situations from a game management standpoint. The way he breaks down players, both mentally and physically, he already sees that part of the game. He’s got such good feel for the game, playing it for as long as he did, but he can look at it through a different lens, too, not just as a player. He can look at it through the lens of a front office guy. He can look at it through the lens of if he was managing the player. He can look at it through the lens of if he was purely a scout. He’s got this rare combination. To me, he’s got so many traits that will serve him well if and when he decides to do it. It’s a slam dunk that he’s going to manage in the major leagues. It’s really just when he wants to do it.”
  • The same evaluator suggested that Ausmus would need to learn the administrative aspects of managing and might face an adjustment to both the time management requirements and, in Boston, the volume of media covering the team. As such, Ausmus likely would need a veteran bench coach with experience running spring training to help him with some of the logistics of the job. Still, the evaluator raved about Ausmus’ skill set: “Would he be a great manager right off the bat? I don’t know. Especially in that environment. But he has all the ingredients you’re looking for – from game management to managing players to how to interact with the superstars, the rookies, the foreign guys, how to interact with the media, game management – he has everything you’d want to find in a manager. … Dealing with the players, running the game, running pitchers and a pitching staff, those things are going to come so naturally to him. The actual management of the game and the management of the clubhouse I think are going to be really strong areas for him immediately.”
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  • WJWallberg

    His father was my former History professor at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven.  If he’s anything like his dad … he’s well qualified.

  • Brent Lafond

    Very highly regarded around baseball which is a plus an is considered to be very smart. I no some people in baseball consider him one of the best up an comers an most expect him to be a great coach in the phew years. Not sure he is ready tho for the big show. An not condident in Boston being a fit for him at this stage of his career. But I am very intrigued by him.

  • DAPATS

    Not a big game player. Cost the PATS the Super Bowl last year and key drops against the Ravens in playoffs.  Don’t let the door hit you in you hair-plug for men…..you arse. GO PATS!!!!

  • Reality Check

    Would you rather Welker, a tier 2 CB and a tier 3 CB – - – or Amendola, Wallace, Talib and a tier 2 CB?

  • pete from Pebble

    dummies..he’ll look real good with Peyton when we play them in denver nxt year..
    another thiughtless BB general mgr move..

  • brandonruns

    It amazes me how you people forget that he was a big reason why the Pats got all the way to the Super Bowl in the first place.  And, rewatch the game, nearly everyone was dropping catchable balls in that Super Bowl.  Not only did he lead the Pats in receiving In this season’s AFC Championship game, he was also top receiver for the regular season (even though he started out on the bench) and in the post season, too.  Why everyone wants to place all of the accountability on just one guy (but no one else) and then try to pretend he’s irrelevant is beyond me.  In spite of the drops, in Brady’s own words, Welker is the best guy on the team.

  • Shutiggyup

     Yeah and while we’re at it, let’s go with the wishbone offense! Dude, the 80′s called – they want their football back.

  • DAPATS

    brandonrunshit……….if the ball touches your fingers you should catch it.  Your sista doesn’t let an ounce of my goo drop……………GO PATS!!!!

  • brandonruns

    Take of the blinders. He isn’t the only one on that team making crucial mistakes.

  • Dano S

    Pats Predictions 39.0 Free Agents Signed Mike Wallace WR Steelers,Danny Amendola WR Rams,
    Brandon Moore G Jets,Winston Justice OT Colts,Connor Barwin DE/OLB Texans,
    Alan Branch DT Seahawks,Pacman Jones CB Bengals and Nnamdi Asomugha CB Eagles.

    Draft 1 Trade for 2,3 and 5. 2 Johnthan Banks CB Mississippi St.
    2 David Bakhtiari OT/G Colorado 3 Eric Reid S LSU 3 Stedman Bailey CB West Virginia
    5 Steve Beaucharnais LB Rutgers 7 Emmett Cleary OT Boston College
    7 Cierre Wood RB Notre Dame.

  • Schwank

    Well if he goes, so much for friendship with Brady and all that BS.  Maybe for some people it’s all about the Benjamins.  With the $$ they make is a couple mil here or there going to make you incrementally happier?  Hey I’m sure this very debateable.  But to me it’s like leaving a job for more $$$ somewhere else.  I did it when I was younger and believe me the devil you know is sometimes better than the one you don’t or let may think of another cliche… the grass isn’t always….you get the point.  I can’t imagine anyone other than Payton Manning and the Broncos that would be able to utilize him at the level 120 catches per year he is at now. 

    I hope this is just part of the process. But you know somebody will pay him.  and it’s like Rory McIroy in golf….he gets paid and takes and changes equipment …..look at him now.  I play and I BELIEVE that equipment has an impact…look at tiger he’s struggled for years with NIKE stuff…..I digress big time….you get my point.  If Welker is smart and the $$ isn’t all that much different he should stay.  If someone blows him away….so be it.  I’m sure Amendola is on speed dial.

  • Schwank

    Interesting…Hernandez in the slot.  He would be tougher to cover as he is, or at least appears to be, bigger than Welker (He’s not huge like Gronk).  For what we lose in speed, we may gain in someone more difficult to cover on those patterns.  But I will say this Welker is so quick that he could get open in a phone booth (remember what those were?). So would Hernandez get open running Welker routes?  The other positive is Edelman would provide you with a Welker like clone, as a change of pace id Hernandez is out or in another position.  Then you could potentially use the $$ on a Lloyd replacement.   

  • Schwank

    Did you have that dream last night?  Me too.

  • Schwank

    Reply to myself …..ESPN is posting an article today that warns Welker……that  the Pats wait for no one.  So that answers my question…..they won’t be looking around for dance partners once everyone is taken.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/JNCAWRPVRGJ6L6BAPAI6FARFBQ Richard

    I love Welker, Edelman and Woodhead….especially, when they are all healthy. At age 36, it is harder to stay in that peak condition required in the NFL. I think that Wes should be happy catching a few less passes in front of the safeties. Most NFL players would be more than happy to catch 5 balls per game. The recievers and QB work “together” as a team….without Brady, Wes will not get 100 catches per season.

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