There are only a handful of major league managers who are under contract through the 2012 season, and one of them is someone who, until Friday night, had never managed or coached at any level in professional baseball: A.J. Hinch, who has replaced Bob Melvin as the Diamondbacks' manager. It is an odd pick, in the eyes of Dan Bickley. Ken Kendrick strongly defended the move, while Melvin, as always, was gracious and professional about his departure; it turns out that Melvin was essentially let go before Arizona played its game in San Diego on Tuesday.
Fancy words
don't explain the move, writes Scott Bordow.
Josh Byrnes, Arizona's general manager, is known among his peers as someone who is smart and thorough, and whatever potential pitfall that this hiring might lead to is something he probably considered weeks ago. He already has thought about the fact Hinch is going to have some challenging moments dealing with stuff he's never dealt with before, and he's already thought of the possibility that Hinch might have to earn some respect from the players in the clubhouse before he might ever be embraced.
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Buster Olney
