|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Expect Francona to land on his feet
Terry Francona could wind up as the Phil Garner of this fall's managerial merry-go-round. Garner was fired last year after seven straight losing seasons in Milwaukee, then landed in a much better situation in Detroit. He even got a hefty pay raise. On Sunday, Francona got the ax after four straight losing seasons in Philadelphia, where his teams went a cumulative 78 games under .500. Yet he is scheduled to meet next week with the Diamondbacks, whose co-ace Curt Schilling has endorsed Francona, his former manager, as Buck Showalter's potential replacement. Pittsburgh, where Francona went to high school and star catcher Jason Kendall is a family friend, is another possibility. Like Garner, Francona is a forward-thinking, player-friendly type who fits well in today's big-money, big-ego setting. And as with Garner, all that losing gets explained away by the missteps of his front office.
More minority managers on the way?With a handful of dugout openings already, hope remains that baseball will keep making progress in the area of minority hiring. Yankees coaches Willie Randolph and Chris Chambliss figure to land interviews once again, as does Brewers bench coach Jerry Royster.Pirates hitting coach Lloyd McClendon has the support of several Pittsburgh players for the opening there. And reformed hothead Garry Templeton, now managing the Angels' Class AAA team, has joined McClendon among the managers being showcased in the Arizona Fall League. Former GM Bob Watson says he has heard nothing but good things about Templeton. "People say he's really matured into a fine leader," Watson told me, "and he definitely runs a game well.
Kennedy doubtful for Dodgers jobIt's uncertain whether Fox TV analyst Kevin Kennedy really wants to return to the dugout. But the former Red Sox and Rangers manager probably wrecked his chances at replacing Davey Johnson in Los Angeles with his silence in the wake of reports that Dodgers GM Kevin Malone had contacted him about that potential opening.One National League source I talked with said Dodgers chairman Bob Daly was not pleased. "The best thing for Kennedy to have done if he was interested was to deny the stories," the source told me. "He never did that. That really made him lose favor in Daly's eyes."
Once again, Clark on the blockLook for the Tigers to make first baseman Tony Clark available for trade this winter.Despite hitting 137 homers the past five seasons, the 28-year-old Clark has proven too injury-prone for Detroit's liking. He had just 208 at-bats this year. Likely offseason targets include free agents Todd Hundley, David Segui, Mark Grace and former Tigers farmhand Rico Brogna. Mike Berardino covers baseball for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
| ||||||||||||||||
