From Rays to Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays hired Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Charlie Montoyo as the Jays new manager:

The 53-year-old Montoyo, from Puerto Rico, managed the triple-A Durham Bulls from 2007-14 and spent three seasons as Tampa Bay’s third-base coach before becoming bench coach this year.

“We are thrilled to announce Charlie as the new manager of the Toronto Blue Jays,” general manager Ross Atkins said in a statement. “Charlie is a highly regarded leader by so many individuals in the game and we were thoroughly impressed by his experiences and approach as we learned more about him during the interview process.”

Montoyo becomes the 13th manager in Blue Jays history. He will be responsible for the development of top prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is expected to join the Blue Jays in April.

Before joining the parent club, Montoyo spent 18 seasons managing in the Rays’ minor league system. He won seven International League South Division titles and two Governors’ Cup championships (2009, 2013) with Durham. He also worked with the Puerto Rican team at the 2009 World Baseball Classic.

Unlike a number of recent first-time MLB managers, Montoyo has extensive managerial experience at the minor league level. Sometimes teams need a manager that fits their stage of development, and as the Jays rebuild, someone used to working with younger players is probably the right choice. He also comes from an innovative organization in Tampa Bay at a moment in baseball history where innovation is celebrated. The seems like a very good move for Toronto.

from baseballmusings.com https://ift.tt/2Jg6JSC