The Padres have a new manager. And when we say a new manager we mean a REALLY new manager.
38-year-old Jayce Tingler got the job as the Friars new skipper. He's never managed at the Major League level and beat out Ron Washington, the winningest manager in Rangers history, for the gig.
Tingler comes over from Texas where he was serving as the Rangers Major League Player Development Field Coordinator. If that sounds like an interesting job title ... it is. The Rangers created the role just for Tingler, who has an interesting resume.
As a player Tingler spent four years in the minor leagues, reaching the Double-A level before retiring to pursue a coaching career at the age of 27. Texas hired him to coach in their Dominican Summer League program and was managing the club one year later, finishing in first place in 2008 and 2009.
He then took over the Rangers Arizona League club in 2010 and turned in another first place finish, which earned him a promotion to being the coordinator of instruction for both the franchise's Dominican and Arizona operations.
Tingler joined the Major League staff in Texas in 2015 as the field coordinator then jumped to the front office as an assistant general manager after the 2016 season. He interviewed for the Rangers managerial spot before the 2019 season and didn't get it but the club liked his versatility so much they made up the new role just for him.
He knows Padres general manager A.J. Preller from their time together in Texas. The two have a similar philosophy in believing a collaborative effort between the coaching staff and front office is the best way to win in the modern game of Major League Baseball.
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Tingler will now set out to hire his coaching staff. It is believed that at least Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley will be retained in the same capacity.
