Former Astros catcher Brad Ausmus will be interviewed by the Red Sox next week for the very appealing manager position.
The Red Sox will interview Brad Ausmus next week for the team's manager position, the Globe's Nick Cafardo has confirmed.
Ausmus, a special assistant to the general manager for the San Diego Padres, turned down a chance to interview for the Astros' manager position. The Red Sox are a different story.
"That's one job that would get me off my couch early," he said last week.
Ausmus is a Connecticut native and Dartmouth graduate who owns a home on the Cape. He spent 18 seasons in the majors as a catcher for the Padres, Tigers, Astros and Dodgers.
Hmm, a former catcher that is now a special assistant to a GM will be interviewing for a manager position. Ausmus is only two years removed from the majors...any other former catchers with those similarities popping in your head.
If you said Scott Hatteberg, I am sorry, but you would be wrong. We were looking for Jason Varitek. It looks like the Sox may be molding him into a future manager, since they are bringing a guy like Asmus in. I didn't mean to get into the Tek talk, because it is NOT HAPPENING any time soon.
Asumus was not an impressive catcher by an means, but was one of those guys that was and is knowledgeable about the game. That is usually how it works. Former players with sub par career numbers are for the most par, the brightest coaches and managers. Most of them spent a lot of time in the dugout and could study the game as it happened. Those who played a little more were die-hards and just studied and lived the game as much as possible. So, is Brad Ausmus that guy? Well, we don't know yet.
Ausmus is only 43 with very little front office experience. He did catch a lot of games in his career, so you would hope his knowledge of pitchers will be at the level someone like Tek (that is the last mention of Tek in this post). We know these Red Sox pitchers could use some help.
Who knows, he could come into Boston and blow Cherington away in the interview and be the guy they have been looking for. It would be nice if he has a no BS attitude and can keep everything, or most things, in the clubhouse.
Chances are, the Red Sox will not end the search with Ausmus, but it is nice to hear names other than John Farrell.
