
Several MLB teams entered the offseason searching for a new manager. The Giants and Pirates are the final two looking for a new leader.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi seems to have a list of finalists, too. The third name is the real mystery, though.
NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reported on Oct. 31 that the Giants were down to former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler, Astros bench coach Joe Espada and Royals quality control coach Pero Grifol. One week later, it appears Kapler and Espada remain in the race, but Grifol no longer is part of the group.
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The San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reported Wednesday that Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro is a finalist -- not Grifol -- along with Kapler and Espada. Quatraro was first tied to the Giants on Oct. 17, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin.
Quatraro, 45, was named Tampa Bay's bench coach prior to this past season. He spent 2018 as the Rays' third base coach after four seasons as the Indians' assistant hitting coach.
The Indians ranked fifth in MLB in runs per game (4.6) during his time in Cleveland and fifth in on-base percentage (.327). The Giants ranked 28th in the majors last season in total runs scored (678) and in on-base percentage (.302).
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Though Quatraro doesn't have managing experience in the big leagues, he has managed in the minors. He managed two seasons in Short-Season Class A Hudson Valley (2006-07), one season for Class A Columbus (2008) and one season for Class A Bowling Green (2009).
Quatraro has experience in multiple roles on winning teams. As Zaidi hones in on who should lead the Giants, it makes plenty of sense why Quatraro is a finalist.