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Williams firing inevitable Tension between manager and GM hits boiling point
The rocky relationship between Boston Red Sox manager Jimy Williams and GM Dan Duquette finally came to an end Thursday when Duquette fired Williams. CNNSI.com spoke with Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci about the move and its ramifications. CNNSI.com: Being that it's late in the season and the Red Sox are just two games behind in the AL wild card race, how shocking is this move? Tom Verducci: The timing of it may seem surprising because we're so deep into the season and the team is in contention. But, obviously, the discontent with Jimy Williams has been there for a long time, so I don't think anybody should be shocked. CNNSI.com: The Red Sox have lost six of their last seven games and have fallen five games behind the Yankees in the AL East. Is that what led to this firing? Tom Verducci: I think Boston's recent troubles -- especially closing games in the last few weeks -- sealed the deal. Williams' firing was really only one slump away from happening at any point during the season because it's no secret that Dan Duquette has never been happy with Williams and there has been growing discontent among the players about Williams, specifically his constant shuffling of the lineup. But I think what might have finally been Williams' undoing was his use of the bullpen and the games blown lately by Derek Lowe and Rod Beck after Duquette went out and got Williams Ugueth Urbina. CNNSI.com: How will the players react to Williams being let go? Tom Verducci: I think the players will respond very favorably. I never got the sense that Red Sox players were on the same page as their manager, and I think this will really bring a new, fresh atmosphere to that clubhouse. Whether this means the team plays better, I don't know. But I think they're happy to have this issue resolved because it has been hanging over the team for a long time. CNNSI.com: Joe Kerrigan has been named manager through the 2003 season. Is this a good move for Boston? Tom Verducci: If Kerrigan is to be successful, he's going to have to buck the trend of pitching coaches making lousy managers. The track record is not good at all. In most cases, you weaken your team because the manager cannot devote as much time to working with the pitching staff, and clearly that is Kerrigan's strength. David Cone told me Kerrigan is the team's best advance scout, and you have to wonder how much time he can devote to that kind of work with the demands of being a manager. Look back at Larry Rothschild, Ray Miller, Marcel Lachemann, and so on. Pitching coaches have a history of being bad managers. CNNSI.com: Are you surprised Kerrigan signed a deal through 2003, especially with Felipe Alou unemployed? Tom Verducci: Everybody in Boston is working on an interim basis, regardless of their contract, because the team will be sold this winter and changes could follow. Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci covers the baseball beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com. Click here to send a question to his baseball mailbag.
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