Everybody is talking about all the great free agents who will be up for grabs this postseason. Torri Hunter. Andruw Jones. A-rod.

But don’t forget about that other group of free agents: the managers. Joe Torre’s tenure as New York Yankees manager would seem to be over, following tonight’s loss to the Cleveland Indians. And that means he’ll be one of many qualified candidates looking for a new gig next season. Let’s look at some of the names that could be out there:

1. Charlie Manuel. His contract is up with the Phillies. The Phils say they want him back, but they seem reluctant to sign him to more than a one year contract, especially since GM Pat Gillick is only staying one more year. Manuel wants a two-year deal for himself and for each of his assistants. He may walk. And the Phillies may let him walk. Manuel isn’t a great in-game manager, but he’s a candidate for Manager of the Year and he kept the Phils playing hard down the stretch.

If Manuel doesn’t end up back in Philly, I’d love to see him go manage the Astros, where his former boss, Ed Wade, is the new GM. That would be fun.

2. Tony LaRussa. Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty has already been shown the door and reports are LaRussa is all but gone. Say what you will about Tony, but he’s a great baseball mind. And he wins. He’ll have a job somewhere next season. My money is on the Seattle Mariners, who collapsed at the end this year and need a change at the top.

3. Joe Girardi. The former manager of the year is doing play by play for the YES Network. He’s obviously biding his time for the right offer. Doesn’t look like he’ll get the Yankees job, but maybe St. Louis? The Pirates could use a guy like Girardi, who worked magic during his one-year in Florida. But would Girardi want to manage in Pittsburgh? Doubtful.

4. Joe Torre. He says he’s “not ready to move somewhere and not do anything.” In other words, he wants to manage next year. But where? My money is on St. Louis, but don’t discount the possibility of Torre sitting out a year and then taking over for the Mets. Or, if Manuel walks, Torre could go to Philly. I don’t see him in Houston, unless he’s really in the mood for a change of scenery.

These are some serious manager candidates. And we haven’t even mentioned guys like Terry Pendleton (maybe Kansas City?), Tony Pena (New York?), Bobby Valentine, Phil Garner or Jimy Williams (taking over for Manuel?). Those are some big names, and there are only so many jobs out there. This should be a fun offseason.

A recent AP article pointed out that there are fewer black players than ever before, and even fewer black managers.

Of the 30 MLB teams, only two have African-American managers — the Mets (Willie Randolph) and Rangers (Ron Washington). But if African-Americans think it’s tough getting a job as a major league manager, they should try being a former pitcher.

As Philadelphia Daily News columnist Paul Hagen today points out, former pitchers almost never get hired to be managers. In fact, he says, “in all the managerial changes that have been made since 1964, only 15 of the men hired were pitchers.” Padres manager Bud Black is currently the only former pitcher managing, and he’s the first to hold the job since 2001. Meanwhile, 10 current big-league skippers are ex-catchers.

How do Black and some other pitchers feel about that?

“I don’t know how it works,” said Padres future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux. “A pitcher shakes off a catcher’s signs 20 times a game. Ten years later, the catcher’s a manager and you’re not. Figure that one out.”

…

“There’s just a feeling that pitchers don’t know anything about baseball,” Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

…

“Guy gets pigeonholed, but ultimately should be judged as an individual,” Black said. “There have been many pitchers I’ve played with who have great baseball minds equal to position players, guys who absolutely see the whole baseball universe. Just like there are some position players who can’t see the whole game in front of them.”

I gotta say, I agree with Maddux, Black and Righetti. This pitcher-bias is crazy. It’s almost certainly the reason we’ve never seen baseball genius Danny Jackson in the dugout.

By the way, if you’re black former pitcher Dave Stewart and you’re wondering why you didn’t get considered for that vacant Toronto managing job a few years back, well — and I’m not saying this is cool — but do the math.