By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) – New baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred understands why the Milwaukee Brewers and Miami Marlins did not interview any minority candidates when they hired new managers this month.
Speaking at a news conference Thursday after his first owners’ meeting as the sport’s head, Manfred said “if a club has an internal candidate that they’re so sure about that they’re willing to forego the opportunity to interview anyone, forcing people through an interview process doesn’t really make a lot of sense.”
Milwaukee replaced Ron Roenicke with Craig Counsell and Miami general manager Dan Jennings took over from Mike Redmond.
Then-Commissioner Bud Selig told teams in April 1999 they had to consider minority candidates when hiring a manager, GM, assistant GM, director of player development or director of scouting.
MLB managers identifying as a racial minority dropped from five in 2014 to two this year.
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