Let the guessing games begin: Who’s the Pirates’ next manager?

Today Rob Biertempfel at The Athletic posted a piece listing his seven candidates for the Pirates’ newly open position of field manager.

Jeff Bannister

Age: 55

Currently: Pirates Special Assistant

Formerly: Award winning manager of the Texas Ranger, winning two division titles; Pirates’ bench coach under Hurdle after being runner up for the position; briefly a Pirates’ player.

John Wehner

Age: 52

Currently: Pirates’ color commentator for 15 years

Formerly: Three seasons as hitting coach at Double-A Altoona after a being a utility player for the Pirates and Marlins (always under Jim Leyland)

Joe McEwing

Age: 46

Currently: Three seasons as White Sox bench coach.

Formerly: White Sox third base coach and minor league manager, twice winning Manager of the Year at Double-A; Eight seasons in majors as a utility player

Derek Shelton

Age: 49

Currently: Two years as Twins’ bench coach

Formerly: Blue Jays quality control coach, twelve seasons as a hitting coach with Indians and Rays

Dusty Wathan

Age: 46

Currently: Two years as Phillies’ third base coach

Formerly: Ten years as a minor league manager; Among finalists for Phillies managerial job in 2018, embraces analytics

Omar Vizquel

Age: 52

Currently: Manager of Whits Sox’ Double-A team

Formerly: Tigers’ first base coach from 2014-2017, after a 24 year career as a super fielding shortstop

Sam Fuld

Age: 37

Currently: Phillies’ major league player information coordinator

Formerly: Eight years as a utility outfielder; Stat wonk with an economics degree from Stanford