Heyman: Internal candidates for SF Giants gig include farm director, 3rd base coach

The SF Giants plan to interview a couple of internal candidates for the managerial vacancy. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, those internal candidates could include senior director of player development Kyle Haines and third base coach Mark Hallberg.

Heyman: Internal candidates for SF Giants gig include farm director, 3rd base coach

Heyman does leave some room for doubt as he uses the word "may" before identifying the candidates, so it is likely informed speculation more than a confirmation. That said, it is fair to question the source given his Arson Judge flub from last year. It is going to take some time for Giants fans to regain trust in Heyman, but the columnist is still well-connected throughout baseball.

Of course, if Heyman is to be taken at his word, it means that Ron Wotus will not be a candidate for the role. Wotus had served as a coach on the Giants staff beginning in 1998 and remained as a coach until his retirement after the 2021 season.

The longtime Giants coach has not veered away from the game as he still works as a special assistant for the organization. It was only a couple of days ago when he was hitting ground balls to Brandon Crawford as he had done thousands of times prior:

It goes without saying that Wotus is well-respected throughout the organization and continues to be a regular presence before games as he works with infielders. It is a shame if he is not considered for the role, but the front office has different candidates in mind.

Hallberg served as a coach and manager for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes when they were still the Giants' short-season afffiliate. He was hired as an assistant coach to Gabe Kapler's staff in 2020 and was elevated to third base coach following Wotus' retirement.

Hallberg probably does not have this on his résumé, but he was teammates with Buster Posey at Florida State University before he was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2007 draft. Posey would follow by being drafted in the 2008 draft.

On the other hand, Kyle Haines has worn a few different hats with the organization over the years. This includes a stint as a player where he spent the first eight years as a pro. Upon retirement, he managed a Richmond Flying Squirrels team in 2017 that went 63-77. Despite the poor results, Haines was thought to have the potential of a future manager.

Over the past several seasons, he has been working in player development, which included a promotion to senior director of player development in 2022. The farm system has seen some notable improvements during his tenure, so the Giants appear to be interested in his experience on the development side.

They will likely have a more extensive list over the next few days. The front office indicated that the plan was to begin interviewing internal candidates shortly. And, if all goes right, they hope to have a new manager in place by the time free agency begins.