The Kansas City Royals have announced the hiring of Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro as manager, hoping that a coach based on a successful small-market team based on analytics brings that winning mentality from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest.
The Royals, following a 65-97 season, have shaken up the front office and on-the-field positions within the franchise, as owner John Sherman puts his stamp on the team. Mike Matheny was fired as manager hours after the season ended with a loss in Cleveland, finishing up Kansas City’s sixth straight losing season. Pitching coach Cal Eldred was also fired, as was long-time team executive Dayton Moore late in the season.
Quatraro will fit Sherman’s vision of a manager that will lean on advanced analytics, as the Rays have achieved five straight winning seasons while playing with the smallest payroll in the rugged AL East. General manager J.J. Picollo chose Quatraro over a field of candidates that included Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol (since hired as White Sox manager), third base coach Vance Wilson, and Triple-A Omaha manager Scott Thorman. The Royals also expressed interest in Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough and Red Sox bench coach Will Venable.
