Who should the Phillies hire as their next manager?

— -- The rebuilding Phillies announced there will be? a change?in the manager's seat in the Philadelphia dugout next season with Pete Mackanin not returning in the role.

Though the team's 64-95 record shows they still have much work ahead to return to the winning ways fans grew accustomed to at Citizen's Bank Park, there were also signs of improvement in Philly this season.?

So who should be tabbed the next skipper responsible for leading the Phillies back to the top of the National League East standings?

ESPN.com's Bradford Doolittle and Jerry Crasnick weigh in.?

Who are the best fits?

Crasnick:?The Phillies are well into their rebuilding phase and looking for someone who can grow with the team as it takes the final steps toward contending status.

Doolittle: Gabe Kapler remains my favorite managerial candidate overall, so by definition I like him for the Phillies' job. But I think Ron Gardenhire works here as a experienced hand to guide a team about to turn the corner.

Who are some under-the-radar names to watch?

Doolittle: Ibanez is going to get a shot at some point, and he might be worth a gamble. He'd be a hit with the young players and good with the media. But the lack of managerial experience is a concern. Brad Ausmus is a possibility too, I'd think.?

Crasnick: Klentak is a Dartmouth guy, so maybe he taps into that connection and considers fellow Big Green alumnus Ausmus, who will not be back with the Tigers in 2018. Ausmus has a 313-330 record in four seasons with Detroit, but he's 48 years old and still highly regarded enough that he's likely to be in the mix for other managerial gigs in the near future.

How far away are the Phillies from their next postseason appearance?

Doolittle: The lineup is almost there if, as a group, they can put together a full season. They need a veteran starter or two for next year and the market for those types is going be crowded. But surely they can cobble together enough arms to make a run by 2019 and by then, hopefully the arrival of another wave of pitching prospects will open up a pretty nice window of contention.

Crasnick:?It's a stretch to think the Phillies can ascend from 60-something victories to postseason contention next year, but they should be ready for a significant push in 2019.

The Phils need to add some starting pitching to help Aaron Nola, but a lot of teams wish they had a budding position player core with the potential of Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams, Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco, Aaron Altherr & Co. The Phils also have the resources to add some significant free agents in the next year or two.

If the Minnesota Twins could go from 59 wins to a wild card berth in a year, the Phillies can be a legitimate postseason threat by '19.