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Does Bud Black Have a Future With the Padres?

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Manager Bud Black has done all he can for this lackluster Padres club, and there can’t be too many complaints about his body of work with San Diego. But the Padres have made a change in regime and with A.J. Preller now at the helm, he might seek to bring in his own manager to lead his product on the field. Possible candidates include former Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek and even Major League veteran Jason Giambi among others, but it remains a mystery whether the team will part ways with Black.

Competing in a strong National League West with the juggernaut Dodgers and Giants, nobody expected the Padres to compete, and so it wouldn’t be fair to blame the team’s struggles on him. His dismissal would be due more to politics, which are present in sports more times than we would like, and less to do with what Black has brought to the team. It’s a sad fact, but that would likely be the case.

The upcoming off-season will be the first of Preller’s tenure, and the young GM will likely be looking to make a splash with his new corps. Whether or not Preller’s ambition will push Bud Black out, is something that will  be a hot topic this off-season.