Brad Ausmus to interview with Red Sox

The Boston Globe is reporting that former Astros catcher Brad Ausmus will interview for the Boston Red Sox managerial job. The opening was created when Bobby Valentine was fired after one miserable season at the helm in Boston. Ausmus joins Tim Wallach and John Farrell on Boston’s short list of candidates.

Red Sox G.M. Ben Cherington hopes to do a better job hiring his next manager. The decision to hire Bobby Valentine for the 2012 season didn’t work out. (Justin Neohoff-US PRESSWIRE)

Last month Ausmus took himself out of the running to become the Astros new skipper. At the time, Brad was busy managing Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic qualifier. Now that the qualifier is over and Team Israel didn’t advance, Ausmus is free to pursue the opportunity to manage the big league team that hails from his home region. Ausmus grew up in Connecticut and attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

After Ausmus withdrew himself from consideration for the Astros job, speculation began to circulate that he could end up in Boston. Valentine had yet to be fired but that was merely a formality. The Sox could afford to take their time and “slow-play” their hand, especially since no other teams were in the market for a new skipper and Terry Francona was likely to be the next guy hired when someone started looking. Obviously the Red Sox wouldn’t be interested in Francona, who they had fired a year ago.

A month later the Cleveland Indians have hired Francona and Ausmus is more available than ever. Ausmus is rumored to be enamored with the possibility of managing in Boston, but the Sox reportedly would prefer to hire John Farrell. Currently managing in Toronto for the Blue Jays, Farrell also has ties with the Red Sox. He was their pitching coach, under Francona, from 2007 through 2010.

Whoever gets the job in Boston will inherit a tough situation working in a city with a blood-thirsty media and a rabid fan base.