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Hershiser interested in Tribe job
Posted: Wednesday October 20, 1999 11:55 AM
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Orel Hershiser could be coming back to the Indians after all. Hershiser, who came to spring training with Cleveland earlier this year but didn't fit into the teams' pitching plans, said Tuesday he has talked with Indians general manager John Hart about becoming the club's next manager. "We've had a couple of brief conversations," Hershiser said at Turner Field in Atlanta before the New York Mets played the Braves in Game 6 of the NL championship series. Hershiser pitched for the Indians from 1995-97 and is well liked and respected by Hart, who in the past said he would love to have Hershiser back in Cleveland. "I think when this part is over, that is something I would be interested in, interested in talking to John about," Hershiser said. "We agreed it's not fair to me to talk about it now," Hershiser said. "We'll talk when this thing is over." Meanwhile, Charlie Manuel, Cleveland's hitting instructor, is the leading candidate to become the next manager of the Indians, who fired Mike Hargrove last week after the club's playoff collapse. "Charlie has to be," Cleveland assistant general manager Mark Shapiro said. "He's the guy who we know the best. Someone is going to have to come in here and be pretty impressive." Manuel, a former minor league manager who has been in the Indians organization since 1993, is expected to interview for the job later this week. Shapiro, though, said that doesn't mean anyone should rush to any conclusions and said the club is in no hurry to fill the vacancy. Hart said last week the Indians might consider those with no managerial experience. "We're not going to put any time frame on it," Shapiro said. "We've got two lists, one long one with 20-25 names, the other has five or six." New names have been popping up on a daily basis as the club begins its search to replace Hargrove, fired last Friday just days after the Indians blew a 2-0 lead in the AL division series against Boston. On Tuesday, Hall of Famer George Brett said he was contacted last week by former Kansas City Royals teammate Bud Black, now a scout and roving pitching instructor for Cleveland, about the Indians' job. However, Shapiro said there have been no formal talks between the Indians and Brett, currently a vice president with Kansas City. "We have not contacted George Brett about the manager's job," Shapiro said. "Bud Black and George are good friends, and Bud has talked with him but that's another issue. We have not. He's not on our short list. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't be interested in talking to him." Others thought to be on Cleveland's list include Atlanta hitting instructor Don Baylor, New York Yankees coaches Chris Chambliss and Willie Randolph, and Indians scout Ted Simmons.
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