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Hurdle likely will find All-Star sub for Randolph

By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 17, 2008 at 12:32 p.m.

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National League manager Clint Hurdle of the Rockies likely will add another coach to his All-Star staff after the New York Mets’ firing of Willie Randolph early Tuesday.

Hurdle had asked Randolph and San Diego manager Bud Black to be on his coaching staff for the July 15 All-Star Game in the final season at Yankee Stadium. Randolph grew up in Brooklyn, played and coached for the Yankees and managed the Mets.

“It’s Clint’s decision, but he will talk with us before he extends an invitation to someone,” said Katy Feeney, senior vice president of scheduling and club relations for Major League Baseball. “But since this just happened, we’d like to be able to think about it for a day or two.”

Feeney said she wanted to talk with Randolph but “would let him take a breath and get home.” He was fired shortly after midnight PDT Tuesday in Anaheim, Calif., where the Mets had opened a western trip with a 9-6 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.

That six-game trip concludes with three games at Coors Field, beginning Friday.

Asked whether it was possible Randolph would remain on Hurdle’s staff even though he was not working, Feeney said, “I seriously doubt that would happen.”

By late Tuesday afternoon, Hurdle said he had spoken to Feeney but he and the league still had not reached a decision on how to handle the situation.

“I’ve been in contact with the league office,” Hurdle said. “This is obviously an unprecedented situation. I think to be sensitive to everybody’s best interests…I’ve talked to Katy, and we’re going to give this a little time and work our way through it.

“I have a lot of personal good thoughts about Willie. I want to be respectful of his thoughts on the conversations.”

Feeney said this is the first instance of a manager who was scheduled to be an All-Star coach being fired before the game. She cited two recent examples of managers who were All-Star coaches being fired soon after the game.

Houston manager Jimy Williams was a National League coach when the game was played at Houston’s Minute Maid Park in 2004. The Astros fired Williams the day after the game. Two days after the 2002 All-Star Game in Milwaukee, the Cleveland Indians fired manager Charlie Manuel, who had been an American League coach.

Pat Rooney contributed to this report

Comments

  • June 17, 2008

    12:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SeaBass writes:

    Hurdle should be worrying about who may be filling his spot soon.

  • June 17, 2008

    2:55 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    notyouravg writes:

    Right on the money SeaBass, it should be Clint's spot the league is scurrying to fill. Hurdle is a joke at best when it comes to handling a pitching staff. The only way him or Bob Apodoca should be allowed in the "House that Ruth built" is with a ticket.
    I noticed a trend towards the second half of the '06 season. Win or lose, most nights the ROX seem like they are on auto-pilot or lately, no one at the wheel. Clint, your job does not end once you make out the line up card!

  • June 18, 2008

    8:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    shoulder2shoulder writes:

    should pick Joe Torre, how cool would that be to have him coach in the all-star game in NYC?!?!?!