Reds' rival offers cautionary tale against Skip Schumaker as David Bell's replacement

Skip Schumaker is currently the Miami Marlins manager, but reportedly requested to have the option-year removed from his contract in order to seek another job this offseason. Essentially, the 44-year-old will become a free agent after Sunday's finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Schumaker has already been tapped as one of the Cincinnati Reds' top candidates to replace David Bell as the team's manager. The Reds terminated Bell's contract on Sunday night with president of baseball operations Nick Krall citing philosophical differences.

Skip Schumaker is said to be on the Reds radar

Schumaker was the 2023 National League Manager of the Year, and was praised for leading the Marlins to the postseason last year. This year has been a struggle for the Marlins' skipper, though some of that can be attributed to Miami's roster construction and not so much Schumaker's influence as the manager.

While Schumaker is known to be on the Reds' radar, it's likely that he'll have other suitors as well. The Chicago White Sox and Seattle Mariners have openings to fill, and don't be shocked if the St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins join the fray. Schumaker might be able to name his price once the offseason truly begins.

But is that really the route Reds fans expect Cincinnati's front office and ownership to take? Furthermore, is it even wise? One of the Reds' chief rivals, the Chicago Cubs, spent top-dollar on the hottest managerial candidate last offseason, and it's didn't work out too well.

Former Brewers manager Craig Counsell was the hottest candidate last offseason

Craig Counsell betrayed his Wisconsin roots last fall and joined the Cubs. After becoming a free agent in his own right, Counsell flew the coop, spurning the Milwaukee Brewers for a chance to become the highest-paid manager in the game. The Cubs inked Counsell to a five-year, $40 million deal.

Counsell's first season in Chicago did not go as expected. In fact, his former team, is going back to the postseason despite Counsell not being at the helm. That wasn't how the 2024 season was supposed to unfold. However, it provides a cautionary tale for the Reds' management when it comes to targeting the biggest name on the open market.

But there are some stark differences between Counsell's long-tenured track record in Milwaukee and Schumaker's two-year stint in South Beach. During his time as the Brewers' manager, Counsell led Milwaukee to three NL Central titles and five postseason appearances. Counsell had six winning seasons with the Brewers.

As for Schumaker, he overachieved in 2023 and led the Marlins to the playoffs. However, he fell well short of the goal this season, and Miami will have more than 100 losses. Sounds familiar, doesn't it Reds fans?

None of this is to suggest that the Reds should totally abandon the idea of hiring Schumaker to replace Bell. If Cincinnati's ownership and front office believe that Schumaker is the right candidate to lead the Reds back to the postseason, by all means, they should spare no expense

But the Reds should be leery of getting into a bidding war for Schumaker's services, or at the very least temper expectations. It's going to take more than just new manager to turn things around in Cincinnati, and it's going to take more than just one year to get things right.

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