Pirates continue shakeup, fire Tracy and three executives

October 06, 2007|Associated Press

Jim Tracy was ousted as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates yesterday after two years filled with long losing streaks and little discernible progress by a team that has had 15 consecutive losing seasons, one short of the major league record.

The Pirates also fired three other baseball operations executives during an ongoing shakeup that began last month with general manager Dave Littlefield’s firing.

"Jim and I worked very hard over the last week to try and see if we could make it work and to try to see how we could work going forward," said new general manager Neal Huntington, who took over with only six days left in the season. ‘‘But at the end of the day, it was decided it was probably better to part ways.’’

Also fired were senior director of player development Brian Graham, who once worked with Huntington in Cleveland; scouting director Ed Creech, and director of baseball operations Jon Mercurio. Huntington hinted the Pirates’ inability to draft and develop prospects, and evaluate players at all levels, created the shakeup.

Coaches Jim Lett, Jim Colborn, Jeff Manto, Jeff Cox, John Shelby, and Bobby Cuellar, all under contract until the end of this month, were encouraged to seek other jobs.

Glavine takes a pass

Mets pitcher Tom Glavine declined his $13 million option with New York, making himself eligible for free agency. The 41-year-old lefty, who got his 300th win this year, gets a $3 million buyout in addition to his $7.5 million salary this year ... Mariners manager John McLaren will have an almost completely new coaching staff next season. The Mariners announced that third base coach Carlos Garcia, pitching coach Rafael Chaves, bench coach Mike Goff, and bullpen coach Jim Slaton will not return. Additionally, first base coach Gary Thurman will return to the Mariners minor-league staff. Hitting coach Jeff Pentland has been invited to return to McLaren’s staff ... Orioles vice president of baseball operations Jim Duquette resigned after two seasons with the struggling franchise. Duquette’s responsibilities diminished greatly when the Orioles hired Andy MacPhail as president of baseball operations in June ... The White Sox shuffled their coaching staff, letting third base coach Razor Shines go and reassigning bullpen coach Art Kusnyer ... Padres outfielder Milton Bradley was fined but not suspended for his confrontation last month with umpire Mike Winters, an incident that got Winters suspended for inciting Bradley. Bradley tried to get at Winters, but was spun to the ground by manager Bud Black. Bradley injured his knee and missed the rest of the season ... Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez will have back surgery next week and is expected to be ready by spring training.