Houston Astros start interviewing managerial candidates

Jeff Luhnow (AP Photo)

On Wednesday, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported the Houston Astros have already started talking to candidates on the phone about their vacancy at manager. According to the report, the Astros have reached out to at least five guys: Angels bench coach Dino Ebel, Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo, Rays bench coach Dave Martinez, and former managers A.J. Hinch and Don Wakamatsu.

Now, it appears current interim manager Tom Lawless will be next on the list. He told MLB.com that he will interview with general manager Jeff Luhnow on Saturday in New York for the full-time managerial position. Lawless has been managing the Astros since Bo Porter was dismissed and is now 10-11 since taking over September 1st.

Earlier in the week, The Houston Chronicle reported the Astros were doing research on A’s coach Chip Hale. Other names being mentioned are Manny Acta, Tim Bogar, Mike Maddux, Sandy Alomar Jr., and Jose Oquendo. There was also a report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale about the Astros wanting to talk to Phil Nevin.

Check out our slideshow to learn more about each candidate and let us know who you like the most.

Manny Acta, former manager, Washington Nationals and Cleveland Indians

Acta, 45, signed with the Astros when he was just 17-years-old and spent six season in the organization as a player, but never made the major league roster. He was recently the manager of the Nationals from 2007 to 2009 and the Indians from 2010 to 2012. For his career, he is 372–518 as a manager.

Sandy Alomar Jr., bench coach, Cleveland Indians 

Alomar, 48, played in the majors from 1988 to 2007 with seven different teams. He was an All-Star catcher for the Indians and spent a lot of time with the White Sox. Alomar served as the Indians interim manager in 2012 after they hired Manny Acta and before they hired Terry Francona.

Tim Bogar, interim manager, Texas Rangers

Bogar, 47, played for three different teams, including the Astros, during his nine-year career that ended in 2001. He made the NLDS with the 1999 Astros and has been a coach with the Rays, Red Sox, and Rangers since 2008. Bogar is currently serving as the Rangers interim manager and is 12-6 since taking over for Ron Washington.

Dino Ebel, bench coach, Los Angeles Angels

Ebel, 48, never made a big impact as a major league player, but has done a great job as a coach. He has been with the Angels since 2005 as a minor league manager, third base coach, and now bench coach under Mike Scioscia. Ebel has compiled a career coaching record of 531–496 in eight seasons in LA.

Chip Hale, bench coach, Oakland A’s

Hale, 49, played with the Twins and A’s from 1989 to 1997. He is most famous for hitting the fly ball in the minor leagues that lead Rodney McCray through a wall in a famous baseball blooper. Hale coached with the Mets from 2009 to 2011 and has been the A’s bench coach since then.

A.J. Hinch, former vice president of scouting for the San Diego Padres

Hinch, 40, played eight seasons (1998 to 2004) in MLB with the A’s, Tigers, Royals, and Phillies. In 2005, he became the Manager of Operations for the Padres’ minor league system and was eventually hired to replace Bob Melvin as one of the youngest managers in MLB history. He was 89-123 and fired in 2010, but served as the Padres’ Vice President of Professional Scouting from 2010 to 2014.

Torey Lovullo, bench coach, Boston Red Sox

Lovullo, 49, appeared in 303 MLB games and spent time with seven different teams. He had a very long minor league career and did a terrific job as a minor league manager (including winning Manager of the Year twice). Lovullo started with John Farrell in Toronto and then followed him to Boston to join the Red Sox, so the two have now been together since 2010.

Mike Maddux, pitching coach, Texas Rangers

Maddux, 53, had a 15-year baseball career where he compiled 39 wins, 564 strikeouts, and a 4.05 earned run average. He spent time with nearly 10 different teams from 1986 to 2000 and finished in career with the Astros. He started his coaching career as a pitching coach with the Round Rock Express, then spent six years with the Brewers, and has now been with the Rangers since 2008.

Dave Martinez, bench coach, Tampa Bay Rays

Martinez, 49, was an outfielder for several major league teams from 1986 to 2001. He has been the bench coach for the Rays since 2008 and works closely with manager Joe Maddon. I think Martinez is my favorite candidate so far because of his experience working under Maddon and the fact he has worked in a smart, analytical organization like Tampa Bay.

Phil Nevin, minor league manager, Reno Aces (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Nevin, 43, is a former No. 1 pick of the Astros and one of the youngest candidates. He played for seven teams in 12 seasons from 1995 to 2006 and made one All-Star Game appearance. Nevin started coaching in the Tigers system, but has been with Arizona Diamondback’s affiliate, the Reno Aces, this year. He is also expected to be a candidate for the Diamondbacks expected opening at manager.

Jose Oquendo, third-base coach, St. Louis Cardinals

Oquendo, 51, started with the Mets in 1983, but was quickly traded to St. Louis where he went on to spend the rest of his career as a player and now a coach. He retired in 1995 and re-joined the Cardinals two years later as a coach. He has been the third base coach in St. Louis since 2000 under Tony La Russa and now Mike Matheny.

Don Wakamatsu, bench coach, Kansas City Royals

Wakamatsu, 51, played one season with the Chicago White Sox in 1991 before moving to coaching. He served as the Rangers bench coach from 2003 to 2006 and was named the manager of the Seattle Mariners in 2008. He was fired in 2010 after going 127-147 in his two years there, but has since spent time as a bench coach in Toronto under John Farrell and now in Kansas City under Ned Yost.