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Buster Olney: The Marlins should hire A-Rod to be their next manager

Alex Rodriguez

New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez gestures at the batting cage prior to a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, May 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

AP

Sometimes I think I’m the most masterful troller in the known universe. But then I remember that, sometimes, I’m just playing checkers when others are playing chess. Buster Olney:

Eventually, Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria will grow tired of the Dan Jennings experiment, of having a manager who hadn’t managed before last week . . . The next time Loria considers a change, assuming that conversation doesn’t take place until after the 2015 season, here’s a name he ought to seriously think about: Alex Rodriguez.

I see that and all I can do is say:

Toast

But it’s not crazy! Buster makes a pretty good argument that A-Rod would make a good manager and why, more importantly, he may want to manage. And I’m inclined to agree.

He has an amazingly high baseball IQ, he has shown his willingness and ability to help younger players in the past and, given that he’s something of a pariah concerned with his image and legacy, he may take a lifeline, even one before his contract with the Yankees is up, in order to ensure his future in the game after his playing days. Miami is about the only team that would make sense for him and may, perhaps, be the only place that might give him a chance.

Now, this is by no means a perfect scenario. For one thing A-Rod is still under contract and likely has little incentive to retire in order to manage. And, if the Yankees have the sort of hard feelings toward A-Rod as they seem to have on the surface, they’re not going to gladly and eagerly agree to some buyout scenario where they would still pay A-Rod a ton of money in order to manage elsewhere. If your’e Hal Steinbrenner, you likely take the position that, if A-Rod stops playing, we stop paying. Especially now that he’s shown that he can still play a little bit. And, above all of that, Jeff Loria is cheap and he’s not likely to pay A-Rod big money as an incentive to step away from his deal. Heck, the hiring of Dan Jennings likely has a lot to do with Loria not wanting to add payroll to add a manager.

But it’s a fun bit of speculation and fantasizing, right? I mean, what else were you doing today? At least what better than imagining A-Rod in a Marlins uniform signaling to the pen for a pitching change?