The Cleveland Guardians dugout will have a different look next season.

Terry Francona, 64, has retired after serving 11 seasons as the skipper of the Cleveland franchise.

Francona served 23 years as a manager. He began with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1997, serving four years with the Phillies.

Francona spent eight years managing the Boston Red Sox. His Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, and 2007.

Francona was named manager of the Cleveland Indians in 2013.

A likely Hall of Famer, Francona was named American League Manager of the Year in 2013, 2016, and 2022, all with Cleveland.

As is the case when any managerial position comes available, there is great speculation about a potential successor.

To this observer, there are three groups of candidates.

The first group includes internal Cleveland Guardians personnel.

The second group includes experienced former big league managers.

The third group includes a list of “managers in waiting” from other big league clubs. Those are coaches on the cusp of gaining their own dugout.

To this scout, the most viable internal candidates include:

Mike Sarbaugh-third base coach

DeMarlo Hale-bench coach

Andy Tracy-Columbus Clippers Triple-A manager

This writer feels the club will go outside the organization to replace Francona.

While the personnel above are competent, the Guardians may seek a new voice; someone with new ideas, new concepts, and a totally fresh look.

Two former major league managers intrigue this writer.

However, it seems unlikely the Guardians would select a veteran manager. Age and/or salary considerations may work against them.

-Don Mattingly-Age 62-currently Toronto Blue Jays bench coach

A former All Star first baseman, Mattingly has managed the Los Angeles Dodgers for five years, and the Miami Marlins for seven years. He has managed 1,839 games.

A student of the game, Mattingly would thrive in the supportive front office environment of the Guardians.

This writer views Mattingly to be similar to Terry Francona, when Francona was hired by the Red Sox.

Mattingly’s experience managing a big league club could be invaluable to a young roster still learning the components of the game.

-Joe Maddon-Age 69-Currently not managing

Joe Maddon may be an ideal manager for a young team like the Guardians.

Maddon began managing with the California Angels in 1996. He served two years with Los Angeles, and didn’t manage again until 2006, when he signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was the Rays manager for nine years, before moving to the Chicago Cubs from 2015-2019.

Maddon returned to the Angels in 2020, where he served until he was relieved of the role at mid-season in 2022.

Maddon keeps his clubhouse loose and lively. He is deemed a “players manager” because of his close relationship with his players.

In short, both Mattingly and Maddon may not fit the profile the Guardians seek. But to this writer, both would thrive in Cleveland.

This scout’s list of potential baseball personnel waiting for their chance to manage is as follows:

-Will Venable-Age 40-Bench Coach for the Texas Rangers

A former player, Venable has been steeped in managerial information and data while working with both the San Francisco Giants and Texas Rangers staffs.

Articulate and intelligent, Venable has all the qualities the Guardians can use to help take their team to the next level.

Most recently, Venable has been at the side of Bruce Bochy, an excellent role model for a potential big league skipper.

-Tony Mansolino-Age 41-Baltimore Orioles third base coach

With a history coaching for Cleveland, Mansolino is familiar to the Guardians, and has all the attributes of a solid manager.

He is now working with a young, and consistently improving Baltimore club that is contending in the MLB playoffs.

Mansolino is known to be skilled at teaching baseball fundamentals.

With their similarities to the Orioles, Cleveland would be well served by a manager familiar with the Guardians system, and experiencing now what the Guardians hope to achieve.

-Joe Espada-48- Bench Coach for the Houston Astros

Serving as Dusty Baker’s bench coach, Joe Espada has been on MLB managerial short lists for some time.

Espada has played the game as a middle infielder, and is well prepared to take on his own dugout.

Watching Dusty Baker manage the Astros has given Espada a close look at one of the most successful managers in the game

-Clayton McCullough-Age 43-First Base Coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers

McCullough was a former minor league catcher in the Cleveland Indians organization,

McCullough did, however, learn to handle pitchers using the highly touted Cleveland pitching methodology. He is known to the front office in Cleveland, and is a highly respected coach for the Dodgers very successful organization.

-George Lombard-Age 48-Bench Coach of the Detroit Tigers

George Lombard is the top assistant to highly regarded Tigers manager, A J Hinch. Hinch has long been a student of the game, and a manager that makes the most of metrics in baseball.

Lombard fits the profile of a potential manager capable of using all the available statistical tools in baseball.

-Craig Albernez-Age 40-Bullpen and Catching Coach for San Francisco Giants

The Giants have given the Guardians permission to interview their bullpen and catching coach, Craig Albernez.

Albernez was the 2018 Midwest Manager of the Year when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays Class-A Bowling Green club.

Albernez, and former catcher Stephen Vogt have been widely discussed as managerial candidates.

The Cleveland Guardians have likely compiled a long list of potential managerial candidates to replace Terry Francona. Most are probably not included above.

Comfort in using baseball related statistical metrics will probably be very important to the Guardians front office.

For this writer, any of those listed above would be credible additions to a franchise that values baseball acumen, intelligence, communication skills, and integrity in their organization.

For now however, the process of finding a new manager has just begun for the Cleveland Guardians. Speculation will continue.