Hyde on staying "patient and positive" as Orioles manager

Brandon Hyde was announced today as the Orioles' 20th manager following an "intensive, thorough" search, as described by executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. They met a few weeks ago, had dinner together and Elias was convinced that Hyde would be "a good fit."

The bonding process continued today while Hyde's wife and three children watched his 35-minute press conference from the front row inside the auxiliary clubhouse.

Elias said Hyde's name was the first one that he heard as the list of candidates, which grew to six, was compiled. Ownership wasn't involved in the interviews. Elias, as promised, made the decision.

"He's someone who's viewed as an up-and-coming star in our business," Elias said.

Hyde described himself as "an average to below-average minor league player" who had to work for everything he achieved. He noted how serving as manager Joe Maddon's bench coach with the Cubs helped to attract teams in search of a manager.

The Orioles were one of five teams to interview Hyde for the position, a number that he confirmed later, and they made the announcement on Friday. He understands the need to be patient as they embark on a rebuild, but it doesn't have to be cast in only negative tones.

"Patient and positive. Absolutely," Hyde said later while meeting with a smaller group of media in a corner of the clubhouse.

"We're going to be patient, we're going to be positive and we're going to be focusing on competing every single night. We're going to be focusing on getting better every single day. No promises made except that we're going to play really, really hard. We're going to play to win every single night."

The Cubs and Astros had similar trajectories while going from bottom-dwellers to World Series champions. Hyde came from the Cubs organization and Elias and assistant Sig Mejdal from the Astros.

"I think both teams got good a lot faster than people thought from the outside," Hyde said. "In '14 we weren't a very good club, but all of a sudden (Javier) Báez comes to the big leagues and Kyle Hendricks comes to the big leagues and Jorge Soler comes to the big leagues and Jake Arrieta starts being who Jake Arrieta became. Héctor Rondón was a Rule 5 pick from the year before and all of a sudden he's saving and closing 30 games. It can happen a lot faster than you think.

"Kris Bryant was in the minor leagues. All of a sudden you draft Kyle Schwarber. So, I think there's similarities. Houston did the similar kind of process. But all of a sudden we're in the championship series. I think there's similarities in that way between the Cubs and Astros. I want to believe there's going to be similarities here.

"I trust that those guys have been through it before, too," Hyde added. "That's what really attracted me. Those guys have done it before and put together that team that's in Houston right now, so I'm looking forward to that being done here."

The message will be delivered to the players that 115 loses won't define them or sentence them to a decade of hardship.

"Honestly, I want our players to focus on competing, to getting better every single day, to being a great teammate, to being held accountable, to hold others accountable," Hyde said. "Just going out and competing every single night. That's the biggest thing for me. I'll take that. And that's going to be our goal."

With Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson also having a front row seat for the presser, Hyde spoke about his knowledge of Elias and Mejdal before the interview process unfolded.

"I was aware of Mike and Sig before that, I heard their names," he said. "I have people that I'm close with in Houston. I knew some guys who were in St. Louis with them. I've been hearing their names for a while. I thought it was interesting when they got the job here and what they were going to bring here, hoping they would call. And so, yeah, they are obviously unbelievably bright and have a really nice track record."

Hyde checked out his new office at Camden Yards and saw framed photos of Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver and Cal Ripken Sr., credited with being the architect of the Oriole Way. He also knows and appreciates the impact of the man he's replacing.

"I have so much respect for Buck Showalter," he said. "As a young coach that was somebody I looked up to on TV was Buck Showalter, and listening to him when he was at ESPN. I was listening to him. I have so much respect.

"We also have very, very close friends that are, a couple of my close friends are close friends of his, as well, so there's some mutual respect there. And everybody just says great things about him. I'm going to be me, but I definitely have a ton of respect for who's been in that chair for the last eight or nine years."

Showalter arrived in Baltimore before executive vice president Dan Duquette, and the growing friction between them was known throughout the industry. Elias was hired a month before Hyde and bears the sole responsibility of choosing him as manager. Being on the same page is a priority.

"That was part of the process of me going through all these interviews after the season was I wasn't in a hurry to do anything," Hyde said. "I was really happy with what I was doing. Am I going to find the right fit? Am I going to be able to have that great relationship with the front office? That was the most important thing for me, and right away with Mike, I felt that. And here we are."

Elias and his staff will provide Hyde with the analytic data and expect him to make the best use of it while still maintaining the human element. Trusting his gut, going with his instincts, not operating like a robot.

"I understand a lot of it because I've done different things with the analytics," Hyde said. "I've had different roles and I've had to work with our R&D (research and development) department in different ways, so I have a pretty broad base of knowledge when it comes to analytics. And then last year even more so with Joe from game situations. So, I've done so many different things that I understand.

"The thing about analytics is it's changing all the time and they are coming up with great ideas. And these are super-smart dudes that are going to give you great stuff. So, you've got to be open for the information, and I'm looking forward to getting as much information as possible. Whatever kind of edge we can get on the other team is important."

The next order of business is completing a coaching staff. With his preference for "player development guys" who are good communicators, passionate and grinders, Hyde hasn't decided whether he wants a veteran bench coach with past managerial experience.

Hyde also is going to begin a crash course on learning the roster and minor league talent, gathering video to aid him. He intends to meet with some players during the offseason to allow them to get comfortable with him.

"I can't wait to get started on that," he said.

Hyde said he only knows pitcher Andrew Cashner from the Arizona Fall League.

Like Elias, Hyde couldn't offer a timeline on how quickly the Orioles will be contenders again.