Posted October 12, 200519 yr The ??interim'' tag is gone: Sam Perlozzo is the new manager of the Baltimore Orioles. He was appointed interim manager after Lee Mazzilli was fired Aug. 4. The label will be dropped when the Orioles introduce him as their manager on Wednesday. Perlozzo went 23-32 after replacing Mazzilli. But he asked that he not be judged on wins or losses because he had to deal with the steroid suspension of first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, the termination of the contract of pitcher Sidney Ponson and injuries to outfielder Sammy Sosa and second baseman Brian Roberts. His promotion comes one day after the Orioles promoted Mike Flanagan to executive vice president of baseball operations, a move designed to help Baltimore end a run of eight straight losing seasons. The 54-year-old Perlozzo hoped to get the job two years ago, but the Orioles instead hired Mazzilli. Perlozzo has been preparing for this day since 1982, when he got his first managerial job with Little Falls, the New York Mets' affiliate in the New York-Penn League, following a nine-year career as a player that included 12 big league games with Minnesota and San Diego. He moved up in the Mets' organization, finishing in first place three times in five years before accepting the job as third base coach with New York in 1987. He took the same post with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 under manager Lou Piniella, then assumed an identical position with Seattle in 1993 when Piniella was hired as manager of the Mariners. Perlozzo found a home in Baltimore in 1996 when he became third base coach in Baltimore under Davey Johnson. After serving that role for five years, he was promoted to bench coach when Mike Hargrove arrived in Baltimore. In 2002, Perlozzo was a finalist for the Mariners' job. But Doug Melvin, a rookie manager whom Perlozzo once coached in the minors, was chosen instead. Melvin was dismissed after last season and replaced by, ironically, Hargrove. When Hargrove was fired in Baltimore, he emphatically recommended Perlozzo as his successor. ??I think Sammy would be perfect for the job,'' Hargrove said. Neither Hargrove nor Perlozzo got his wish. Mazzilli was chosen, but his tenure ended before he could finish his second season.
October 13, 200519 yr Let's see, the Orioles fired Lee because they fell a few games out of first due to injury. Under Perlozzo, the team plummeted to a worse record then they had last year. Mike Flanagan is horrible, put he is given control of the team. CAN SOMEBODY EAT PETER ANGELOS ALREADY!!!? :banghead
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