The Post-Gazette reports that the only candidates left in the Pirates’ managerial search are Rangers hitting coach Clint Hurdle and Pirates bench coach Jeff Banister. Here’s some information on Hurdle, who apparently teaches fundamentals well and is very loyal but often (like so many managers) makes strange tactical decisions. As I wrote when it was revealed that the Pirates were considering Hurdle, the situation has an absurdist air to it – the Pirates fired Jim Tracy for being the worst manager of all time, and then he went to Colorado, where he replaced Clint Hurdle. Now Hurdle is one of two candidates left to manage the Pirates. If that doesn’t prove that field managers are interchangeable functionaries, I don’t know what does. At this point, I’d be happy if the Pirates picked Banister.
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