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Cleveland Indians: 3 external managerial options for when Terry Francona retires

By Aaron Gershon

OAKLAND, CA - JULY 03: Hitting coach James Rowson #82 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Oakland Athletics on July 3, 2019 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Twins defeated the Athletics 4-3. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JULY 03: Hitting coach James Rowson #82 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the Oakland Athletics on July 3, 2019 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California. The Twins defeated the Athletics 4-3. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) /
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JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 19: James Rowson #82 of the Miami Marlins poses for a photo during Photo Day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 19, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
JUPITER, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 19: James Rowson #82 of the Miami Marlins poses for a photo during Photo Day at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on February 19, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

James Rowson (44) 

Résumé

  • Minor League Outfielder, Seattle Mariners (1995-96)
  • Minor League Outfielder, New York Yankees (1997-98)
  • Minor League Hitting Coordinator, New York Yankees (2005-11)
  • Hitting Coach, Chicago Cubs (2012-13)
  • Minor League Hitting Coordinator, New York Yankees (2013-16)
  • Hitting Coach, Minnesota Twins (2017-19)
  • Bench Coach and Offensive Coordinator, Miami Marlins (2020-Present)

The Cleveland Indians must find a way to both develop and coach their hitters better. With a pitching staff that is set up to be among the best in baseball for several years to come, an offensive-minded manager such as James Rowson could be the perfect fit for the Indians.

After failing to reach the majors, Rowson spent two stints with the New York Yankees as their Minor League Hitting Coordinator and worked closely with future all-stars Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez.

In between, he had a brief stint as the Cubs hitting coach from 2012-13 and ended up back in the dugout as the Twins hitting coach from 2017-19.

While in Minnesota, Rowson’s offense set baseball’s single-season home run record in 2019 as young players such as Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco, Max Keppler and Mitch Graver began to breakout under Rowson’s wing.
After 2019, he was hired away from the Twins by the Miami Marlins, where he was named Bench Coach and Offensive Coordinator. He immediately helped improve Miami’s offense and watches as the Marlins ended their 17-year playoff drought and swept the Cubs in the 2020 Wild Card Series.

Every offense Rowson has touched as improved mightily and with experience learning from managers such as Roco Baldelli and Don Mattingly, he is ready to take over as a big-league manager and Cleveland would be the perfect fit to do just that.

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