Padres hire Angels’ Black as manager

Bud Black got his dream job on Wednesday.

After turning down one managerial job and interviews for two others during his seven years as the Angels’ pitching coach, Black struck gold. The San Diego Padres hired him as their manager, so he got a promotion without having to uproot his family from its San Diego County home.

“He’s a great communicator with a great baseball mind,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He’ll be very successful with that opportunity.”

Charles Nagy, the Angels’ triple-A pitching coach, is the leading candidate to replace Black. The Angels also are expected to consider Dave Wallace, the former pitching coach for the Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.

San Diego selected Black, who has not managed at any level, over three-time National League Manager of the Year Dusty Baker. The Padres asked Black not to comment before they introduced him today.

In a conference call Wednesday, Padres General Manager Kevin Towers cited Black’s experience as a pitching coach with the Angels -- “Pitching wins at Petco [Park],” Towers said -- a front office executive with the Cleveland Indians and a two-time World Series champion, with the Kansas City Royals as a player in 1985 and with the Angels as a coach in 2002.

“He’s a winner,” Towers said. “This guy wins at everything he does.”

The Angels hired Nagy last year, in part on Black’s recommendation. Black is expected to retain San Diego pitching coach Darren Balsley but could ask the Angels about Nagy, a three-time All-Star with Cleveland.

Wallace, who coached with Scioscia on the Dodgers’ 1997 staff, said he would be interested in replacing Black but has not been contacted.

The Angels had groomed former major leaguer Mike Butcher to replace Black, but the Tampa Bay Devil Rays hired Butcher as pitching coach last year. The Angels would need permission from Tampa Bay to talk with Butcher. General Manager Bill Stoneman said Wednesday night he has not asked for permission to speak with anyone employed by another organization but would not rule out doing so.

Although many coaches jump at a first managerial opportunity for fear there might not be another, Black turned down the Indians’ job in 2002 and spurned interviews with the Red Sox in 2003 and the Dodgers last year.

Black’s managerial inexperience should not be a problem, Angels pitcher Brendan Donnelly said.

“I think he’ll be fine,” Donnelly said, “because he will listen and take other people’s opinions into account.”

Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna contributed to this report.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com