Posted October 11, 200519 yr Marlins to begin interviews By Joe Capozzi Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Tuesday, October 11, 2005 The Marlins will begin formal interviews today for managerial candidates to replace Jack McKeon, who resigned Oct. 2. Two third-base coaches, Atlanta's Fredi Gonzalez and Oakland's Ron Washington, will meet with Marlins General Manager Admin Beinfest at team owner Jeffrey Loria's office in New York. Gonzalez, who also has coached for the Marlins (1999-2001), interviewed for the Pittsburgh Pirates' manager vacancy last week. Washington has spent 10 years coaching for the Oakland A's. The Marlins also are setting up a follow-up interview with New York Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi and initial meetings with two coaches from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Tom Foley and Billy Hatcher. The Rays, who lost Lou Piniella as manager, also plan to interview Girardi. Girardi is considered the front-runner for the Marlins' job. He met with Loria on Thursday in New York for 90 minutes, but Beinfest was not present. Girardi was widely quoted during the weekend as saying that if he is hired anywhere as a manager, he would like Don Zimmer, a Devil Rays special adviser, as his bench coach. Zimmer was manager of the Chicago Cubs when Girardi broke into the majors with them and was a Yankees coach when Girardi played for New York. But Zimmer, 74, might not be interested in putting on a uniform again. He turned down Jim Leyland's request to be his bench coach in Detroit and said he wants to stay with Tampa Bay. Baltimore: Jim Beattie told people at a charity golf event that he won't return in 2006 as executive vice president of the Orioles, a move that could signify the beginning of wide-ranging shakeup in the wake of the team's eighth straight losing season. There was no word on the status of Vice President Mike Flanagan, who worked with Beattie in the Orioles' front office. It was also uncertain whether the Orioles would retain interim manager Sam Perlozzo, who took over for manager Lee Mazzilli on Aug. 4. Philadelphia: Ed Wade was fired as general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies after failing to get them into the playoffs during his eight years on the job. The Phillies went 88-74 this season and finished one game behind NL wild-card winner Houston, and attendance dropped by more than a half-million. Wade, 49, was very unpopular in Philadelphia, especially after he hired Charlie Manuel as manager to replace Admin Bowa. Link
October 11, 200519 yr I'm happy we're in the position we are (thanks in part to first round losses by the Yankees and Braves) that gives us a chance to pick up a terrific new manager from a great crop of candidates. Whether it's Washington, Girardi, Macha, Gonzalez, Foley or Hatcher, we're moving forward and once a selection is made we'll be ready to reshape the team for 2006. In years past, this type of decision would linger on until weeks before spring training (when the best candidates were hired elsewhere and already hard at work for some other team), but under this ownership we're out there now, with a willingness to make a move. I'm not going to second-guess whoever is picked. I have my personal favorite but I have enough confidence in the FO to match the best managerial candidate with the team we expect to put on the field in 2006.
October 11, 200519 yr I think Girardi goes to Tampa, Fredi comes here. Sternberg the new Tampa owner is a NY guy, and looking to spend money on his product, in a division that Girardi is familiar with, and in a town where he is familiar, where the Yanks spend their spring training. Zim being there doesn't hurt either. On the other hand, you could say Tampa has no shot ever of making the playoffs with the Sox and Yanks there, but they have an undeniable talent pool. We have an easier division, and proven major league playoff tested people, an ace and a near ace at the top of the rotation, and Cabrera and theoretically Delgado in the middle of the lineup.
October 11, 200519 yr Author Gonzalez to the Marlins and Girardi to the Rays would be a strong managerial group for South Florida teams. Either candidate would be good for us, however I'm now leaning towards Gonzalez after reading all the reports and looking at their backgrounds.
October 11, 200519 yr Gonzalez to the Marlins and Girardi to the Rays would be a strong managerial group for South Florida teams. Either candidate would be good for us, however I'm now leaning towards Gonzalez after reading all the reports and looking at their backgrounds. What about the reports and their backgrounds make you lean that way?
October 11, 200519 yr I just want a manager hired by the end of the week. I fear that the Marlins may be acting too passively, Girardi or Gonzalez are the 'chic' rookie managers, I'd hate to see us lose out on both of them.
October 11, 200519 yr Author Gonzalez to the Marlins and Girardi to the Rays would be a strong managerial group for South Florida teams. Either candidate would be good for us, however I'm now leaning towards Gonzalez after reading all the reports and looking at their backgrounds. What about the reports and their backgrounds make you lean that way? Pros for Gonzalez Very successful minor league manager Knows the National League East and Marlins well Experience in the Marlins organization Tutelage under Bobby Cox (a manager who knows how to develop young players) Hispanic background Overall more experience coaching and managing
October 11, 200519 yr Pros for Gonzalez Very successful minor league manager Knows the National League East and Marlins well Experience in the Marlins organization Tutelage under Bobby Cox (a manager who knows how to develop young players) Hispanic background Overall more experience coaching and managing Plus he seems to be friendly with Lowell and Cabrera...both of whom are kind of the moody clubhouse downers (or at least have been painted that way) so keeping them happy may go a long way to keeping the clubhouse tame...
October 11, 200519 yr I would like to see someone on board ASAP. no need to wait till the end of the playoffs
October 11, 200519 yr FWIW, Buster Olney reports that Girardi is more likely to be the Tampa Bay manager than the Marlins manager because of the new ownership group, and the stability of the Rays compared to the uncertainty of the Marlins stadium situation. Link
October 11, 200519 yr FWIW, Buster Olney reports that Girardi is more likely to be the Tampa Bay manager than the Marlins manager because of the new ownership group, and the stability of the Rays compared to the uncertainty of the Marlins stadium situation. Link He said, "my guess is," meaning he's just talking out of his ass. If Girardi goes to Tampa, fine by me. I prefer Fredi anyhow.
October 11, 200519 yr FWIW, Buster Olney reports that Girardi is more likely to be the Tampa Bay manager than the Marlins manager because of the new ownership group, and the stability of the Rays compared to the uncertainty of the Marlins stadium situation. Link He said, "my guess is," meaning he's just talking out of his ass. If Girardi goes to Tampa, fine by me. I prefer Fredi anyhow. Well, yeah, but Olney is a pretty reliable NY source.
October 12, 200519 yr MIAMI -- Marlins management spent more than six and a half hours on Tuesday interviewing two managerial candidates. Braves third-base coach Fredi Gonzalez interviewed from 10:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m. with owner Jeffrey Loria, general manager Admin Beinfest and assistant general manager Mike Hill. Then, later in the afternoon, A's third-base coach Ron Washington spent about three hours talking with team officials. The interviews took place at the New York Hilton in Manhattan. Gonzalez was back in his Marietta, Ga., home by early evening. "They wanted to know my background," said Gonzalez. "It was more of a feeling where they were getting to know me. We talked about some of my philosophies, and a wide range of questions." Next up could be Yankees bench coach Joe Girardi, who is expected to formally talk with the club as early as Wednesday in New York. Last Thursday, Girardi had an informal, 90-minute meeting with Loria. And on Monday, Beinfest had a meeting in South Florida with Billy Hatcher, the Devil Rays' first-base coach. The team also is likely to interview Tampa Bay third-base coach Tom Foley. http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla
October 12, 200519 yr To Moneyball and Swifty.What has happened in the last few days that has increased your interest in Gonzalez? I ask the question because I read as much stuff as anyone and I haven't seen "the" compelling argument made on his behalf...and you know I have no axe to grind here. I'm totally straddling the bench on this one and okay with virtually anyone they pick from Mickey Hatcher to Lou Pinella to Billy the Marlin. I have no favorite in the selection process. Clearly though something has moved you two to your statements above. What?????
October 12, 200519 yr To Moneyball and Swifty.What has happened in the last few days that has increased your interest in Gonzalez? I ask the question because I read as much stuff as anyone and I haven't seen "the" compelling argument made on his behalf...and you know I have no axe to grind here. I'm totally straddling the bench on this one and okay with virtually anyone they pick from Mickey Hatcher to Lou Pinella to Billy the Marlin. I have no favorite in the selection process. Clearly though something has moved you two to your statements above. What????? I really never took sides on this issue. But a few things are swaying me towards Gonzalez. The same arguments are that have been thrown around by other members, nothing groundbreaking. 1) Has watched the Marlins play 2) Latin
October 12, 200519 yr To Moneyball and Swifty.What has happened in the last few days that has increased your interest in Gonzalez? I ask the question because I read as much stuff as anyone and I haven't seen "the" compelling argument made on his behalf...and you know I have no axe to grind here. I'm totally straddling the bench on this one and okay with virtually anyone they pick from Mickey Hatcher to Lou Pinella to Billy the Marlin. I have no favorite in the selection process. Clearly though something has moved you two to your statements above. What????? If we're going with a rookie manager, go with the guy in the NL Girardi just seems a little too confident in himself (I mean, naming your staff before you even get hired...come on), and he only has one year of "on bench" experience, with an AL team...sure he was a backup for a few NL clubs, but he's an AL guy...if players have an adjustment period when switching leagues, surely managers feel a little difference, especially going from the AL to the NL where "managing" is so much more important. Gonzalez seems to have a repoire with Lowell and Cabrera, both of whom will likely be with the team next season, and both of whom see to be the "chief inmates" in our asylum that is a club-house, keeping those two pacified may go a long way towards building "chemistry." Macha's still my #1, but of the front-running rookies, Gonzalez is ahead of Girardi, at least to me.
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