Now that it has been confirmed (by Pirates’ President Frank Coonelly) that Andy Van Slyke has not been interviewed for the open manager position, there has been some other reports of potential candidates.

The Pittsburgh-Post Gazette is reporting these potential candidates:

·         Baltimore Orioles coach and interim manager Juan Samuel –He told the Baltimore Sun that he is likely to interview soon with the Pirates’ and Brewers’.

·         Ted Simmons –who was the Pirates’ General Manager from 1992-1993 and served as the Padres bench coach said:

“I made myself clear, I would hope to manage in the 2011 season. I would go and manage anywhere”

·         John Farrell, the Red Sox pitching coach said:

“No official contact has been made — [and] any further comment regarding their position should come from the Pirates themselves.”

·         Ken Macha, who will not return to the Brewers as Manager in 2011 said:

“The last time this job was open, I was home [and out of work in 2007]. My policy is, I’m not really going to politick in the paper. Let it all play out at their end. I respect what they’re going to do.” There was contact between he and the Pirates in ’05, but not ’07.

·         Phil Garner, who was the member of the 1979 Pirates’ World Championship team and has also managed the Brewers, Tigers and most recently the Astros (2004-07) said on MLB Network radio that the Pirates have not called him but:

“I’d like to sit down with the owner and the GM and say, ‘OK, boys, how’s that [current approach] working for us? Let’s do something totally different. And I mean different training.’ I’ve got some ideas I don’t even want to talk about, because I don’t want anybody else to hear them.”