ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Kurt Suzuki is taking over the Los Angeles Angels as a first-time manager with a monumental task before him — and perhaps a very limited amount of time to show progress.
Suzuki got just a one-year contract when he became the Angels’ sixth manager in the past eight seasons, general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday. Minasian also has one year left on his deal with the Angels, who are mired in a stretch of 10 straight losing seasons after finishing 72-90 last month.
“He’s tied in with me,” Minasian said of Suzuki, the longtime catcher who served as Minasian’s special assistant for the past three seasons after his retirement from a 16-year playing career.
Neither man expressed any worries about the brief window given to the 42-year-old Suzuki, who will be learning under unusual pressure. Suzuki’s contract appears to be another unique decision by Angels owner Arte Moreno, whose team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2014 or had a winning season since 2015.
Minasian and Suzuki both said they feel urgency to end the Angels’ decade-long drought, no matter how long their contracts might be.
“I make a joke of it, but I feel like I’ve been playing on one-year deals my whole career,” Suzuki said. “I feel like I had to prove myself every single year I played this game. … I’m here because I want to lead this team. I’m here because I want to help these players. I want to do good for this city and this organization.”
Suzuki teared up while thanking his wife and three children in the front row of his news conference at Angel Stadium, where he played his final two major league seasons before moving into Minasian’s front office.
Suzuki was chosen by Minasian from a field of candidates that included . Minasian wouldn’t say how negotiations broke down with the former Angels slugger, who also has never coached or managed in the majors.
At least Pujols has winter-ball experience in a dugout, but Minasian is confident Suzuki will pick up his new job swiftly because he’s already done large parts of it as a catcher.
“I never thought I would be comfortable hiring a manager who wasn’t a manager before, but this is a different person,” Minasian said. “I know he didn’t have a coaching title, but even when he played, he coached-slash-managed for different places. He managed a game for a long time. I believe he’s the right person for the job.”
Suzuki is used to achieving great things despite starting from a tough position.
After growing up on Maui, he walked on at Cal State Fullerton and grew into a freshman starter, a College World Series winner and a second-round draft pick by the Oakland Athletics.
He made one All-Star team and won a World Series ring during an accomplished major league career. His lively bat produced 143 homers, but he was even better known for his excellent defense, game management and relationships with his pitchers, including Shohei Ohtani.
“I feel like I was born to do this — to lead players, to help players get better,” Suzuki said. “That’s my personality. I feel like I’ve done it on a yearly basis with 29, 30 pitchers throughout a whole season, trying to understand how to get the best out of each player, and that’s what excites me. Obviously you play this game to win also, but what excites me is being able to help kids reach their potential.”
Suzuki , whose option year wasn’t picked up after two losing seasons. Brad Ausmus, Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin and interim Ray Montgomery have also briefly held this slippery job since Mike Scioscia wasn’t brought back in late 2018 after 19 years in charge.
Suzuki skirted questions about Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon, his teammate on the Washington Nationals’ championship team in 2019. Rendon, who didn’t play at all this season due to a hip injury, still has one season left on the catastrophic $245 million, seven-year contract Moreno gave him as a free agent after the World Series.
“I haven’t spoke to Perry about that whole situation,” Suzuki said of Rendon, who will make $38 million from the Angels next year.
___
AP MLB:
