Jonny Gomes has an idea for retirement.
No, the energetic major league outfielder isn’t planning a transition into show business. And he doesn’t intend to trade his baseball glove for pom-poms despite being an entertaining vocal supporter. Instead, the 34-year-old believes a managerial career could be in the cards once he hangs up the spikes.
Gomes recently told The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo following the Kansas City Royals’ World Series triumph over the New York Mets that he hopes to someday become an MLB manager. The 13-year veteran played in just 12 regular-season games with the Royals and didn’t crack any of Kansas City’s playoff rosters, yet he still was front and center, helping his teammates in any way he could.
“I was able to contribute behind the scenes. I helped a lot with the game-planning and the pregame discussions,” Gomes told Cafardo. “I wanted to play, don’t get me wrong, but it gave me a glimpse of what I want to do when I’m done playing.”
Gomes hit just .213 with seven home runs and 26 RBIs in 262 plate appearances spanning 95 games split between the Royals and Atlanta Braves in 2015, so it’s reasonable to wonder how many more chances he’ll receive at the big league level. Gomes isn’t ready to close the book on his playing career, though. His managerial aspirations are clear, but he’s just not ready for that chapter of his life.
“They’ll have to rip the jersey off my back,” Gomes told Cafardo.
Of course, Gomes will need another jersey at some point if he does become a manager.
Thumbnail photo via John Rieger/USA TODAY Sports Images
