Schumaker serves as ‘associate manager’ for Padres
Credit: Padres
Skip Schumaker will meet with the media each Thursday this spring and throughout the season, as the San Diego Padres lighten the load of first-time manager Jayce Tingler.
The San Diego Padres are doing things differently in 2020.
As the team gains a sense of relevancy, there will be adjustments to the philosophies of old. The game of baseball is ever-evolving, and to gain success, you must attempt to stay ahead of the proverbial curve. A.J. Preller and his staff are doing an excellent job of this as the team continues to grow.
The Padres announced that new manager Jayce Tingler will not speak to the media before games this spring and throughout the season on Thursday. There will still be communication after the game for the press and the first-year skipper, but he will hand his pre-game presser responsibilities to someone else.
In his place, the club will trust Skip Schumaker to convey the message for the rest of the coaching staff.
The Padres created a new coaching title this winter, as Schumaker is officially listed as the team’s associate manager. What all that title entails is unknown. As the season progresses, the responsibilities of Schumaker may become more clear. What we do know is that being an associate manager is a title with plenty of responsibilities. It is not just a title. Dealing with the media can be difficult at times, and anyone able to do it consistently is rare.
Schumaker is showing early indications of someone with aspirations of being a future big-league manager. The Padres want experienced coaches and a group of leaders at the helm. It takes several baseball minds to get the most out of a group of players.
Bobby Dickerson is the Padres’ new bench coach as the Padres lured him away from the Phillies this past winter. Both he and Schumaker will serve as advisors and help dictate responsibilities throughout the entire coaching staff. But Schumaker will serve on the front lines and communicate directly with the media. That we know for sure.
Skip Schumaker is well-respected in the industry and the Padres clubhouse. The first media scrum with the associated manager at the helm went smoothly as the coach already had a working relationship with many within the San Diego baseball media family. The 11-year major league veteran has been with the team since 2018, when his playing career came to an end. The transition is smooth.
The native Californian brings a lot of experience and also recent knowledge of the game that will assist Jayce Tingler this season. Schumaker is only a piece of the puzzle, as it takes several cooks to create a world-class meal, and the San Diego Padres are attempting to develop a five-star baseball restaurant in a starved city. There is still much work to be done.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
I may be wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time, but it’s my understanding that the Phillies had Bobby Dickerson under contract and wouldn’t let him go unless it was a promotion to bench coach. In truth, Skip Schumaker is the true bench coach.
He was the first base coach the last two years and knows all the returning players better than new hire Jayce Tingler. Skip has already referred to himself as “assistant to” the manager, while Bobby has taken over his former Phillies role as defensive infield coach, despite his bench coach title.
It’s aparent to me that the Padres wanted Dickerson to help Tatis jr. make more measured throws on routine plays, and help Profar make accurate throws to first. Jurickson has already begun working with Bobby before ST, and has spoken highly of the instruction.
Time will tell if Dickerson can get Tatis jr. to take more time on routine plays, but he also has impressed Hosmer, whose defense got ragged last season. Meanwhile, Schumaker is acting like the glue that holds returning players and the new coaches together. It should be interesting to watch.