Report: Pittsburgh Pirates To Interview Stubby Clapp

The Pittsburgh Pirates will be interviewing a coach from a divisional rival for their managerial opening

It seems that with each day there is more news about the Pittsburgh Pirates search for a new manager. Minnesota Twins’ bench coach Derek Shelton, Pirate FO assistant Jeff Bannister, Oakland A’s quality control coach Mark Kotsay, Arizona Diamondbacks’ vice president of player development Mike Bell, and A’s bench coach Ryan Christenson have all been tied to the job.

Shelton has already interviewed for the position, and could be emerging as the favorite. Christenson is expected to interview this week. Now, we know of another interview that will occur.

According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Stubby Clapp will interview with the Pirates. Clapp currently serves as the first base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Clapp is a new name to the board, but, like many of the other names connected to the Pirates, would be a strong hire. The 46-year-old Clapp is a baseball lifer and a bit of a cult hero among Canadian baseball fans.

After retiring from professional baseball in 2006 Clapp spent a year as a manager in the Texas Rangers minor league system. In 2008 he coached Team Canada in the Olympics, and returned to coach Team Canada in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Clapp would then spend three seasons three seasons coaching in the Houston Astros’ minor league system, and two in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system. Clapp also managed the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate – the Memphis Red Birds – to consecutive Pacific Coast League Championships in 2017 and 2018.

As insufferable as the Cardinals can be, there is no denying that they are one of the best run organizations not just in baseball but in all of professional sports. Hiring someone from the Cardinals to be the team’s next manager, especially someone with Clapp’s pedigree, would appear to be a strong hire by the Pirates. With an interview lined up, Clapp is certainly a name worth monitoring moving forward.