05 August 2007

The news a couple days ago that Royals manager Buddy Bell would be resigning at the end of the season, immediately brought speculation with it. With Dayton Moore, the former Braves assistant GM heading up the search, that speculation turned immediately to Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton. After trading for both Tony Pena Jr. and Kyle Davies in his first year at the helm of the Royals, it has become obvious that his knowledge of the Braves organization is a big factor to him. Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star wrote about much the same thing.

Even so, speculation already points to Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton, who concluded his 15-year career by playing in 1998 for the Royals, as a leading contender. Pendleton has long been viewed as a prime managerial candidate and has spent six years in training as a member of Bobby Cox’s staff. “That’s the obvious starting point,” one high-ranking rival club official said. “Look at Dayton’s track record since he got there, and all the people he’s brought in. Everything always seems to lead back to Atlanta. That’s his comfort zone, and that’s natural. “The other thing is this: TP is a great candidate. Everybody thinks that. He’s going to be a manager somewhere, and soon. It certainly makes sense that it would be in Kansas City. It could be a great fit.”

The Braves have two members of their coaching staff in Pendleton and bullpen coach Eddie Perez, who are considered by many to be future managers in the major leagues, and lost third base coach Fredi Gonzalez to the Florida Marlins as the replacement to manager Joe Girardi this past season. Pendleton has had success with the Braves in his time serving as the hitting coach and a player. He won the 1991 NL MVP as a member of the worst to first Braves and is recognized as the reason for Andruw Jones' power breakthrough a couple seasons ago.