Armed with the best farm system in baseball, an exciting core of Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Chris Paddack, and aggressive ownership willing to spend, the next manager of the Padres is walking into a situation as appealing as life in San Diego itself.

Whoever takes the reins of the Phillies this winter will undoubtedly have one of the better rosters in the majors at their disposal. However, the expectations will also be monumental right away after the additions of Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto last year. Scrutiny will be abundant, especially if the new skipper fails to reach the playoffs.

The Cubs could be entering the cusp of a transitional phase after a second consecutive disappointing season. The roster still oozes with talent, though, and if the new manager can get Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, and Anthony Rizzo back on track, then it's an extremely appealing job to take on - even if Joe Maddon's shoes are tough to fill.

If the talent on the Mets' roster wasn't a factor, their job would be the least appealing. But, it has to be said, joining a team led by Jacob deGrom and Pete Alonso is a remarkable opportunity. The circus of New York and the incessant meddling from ownership aside, turning the Mets into a contender would be quite the accomplishment.

Bruce Bochy is a living legend, and being his successor is going to be difficult - particularly amidst a bit of a rebuild. The good news is, the Giants seemed to do a good chunk of the legwork this past year, discovering Mike Yastrzemski and continuing to bolster the farm system with top recruit Hunter Bishop. It's a long-term project in the Bay.

The Royals are about to have a new ownership group, so their direction is a bit up in the air, though staying the course seems probable. They've got years to go in this rebuild, and the eventual big-league arrival of top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. seems like the highlight right now.

The Pirates were an absolute quagmire, with fights happening in the clubhouse and the team finishing in dead last. Even worse, ownership is notoriously cheap, so the likelihood of getting paid well or having good players other than Josh Bell or Starling Marte on the roster in the foreseeable future seems remote.