Joe McEwing's managerial influences

Joe McEwing has been the
White Sox third base coach for
the past three seasons.

"Super Joe" McEwing, third base coach for the Chicago White Sox, was added to the list of Twins managerial candidates last week and reportedly interviewed during the weekend.

He's 41, not quite the youngest of the known candidates (Doug Mientkiewicz is a bit younger), and had a nine-year major league career as a utility man with four teams.

His major league managers:

1998-99 (St. Louis): Tony LaRussa (1999 was the one season in which McEwing saw something close to everyday playing time.)
2000-02 (Mets): Bobby Valentine
2003-04 (Mets): Art Howe
2005 (Kansas City): Tony Pena (33 games), Bob Schaefer (17 games), Buddy Bell (112 games)
2006 (Houston): Phil Garner

McEwing spent the 2007 season at Triple A for the Red Sox, so he was probably exposed to Terry Francona during spring training.

His major league coaching career has been entirely on the staff of Robin Ventura, a teammate of his for a while with the New York Mets.

What strikes me about McEwing's list is that I can't recall LaRussa being on any other candidate's list. Considering LaRussa's longevity and his stature in the profession, that surprises me. I would have thought that a good list of managerial prospects -- and I believe the Twins have compiled a pretty good one -- would bear more LaRussa fingerprints.