Brenly fired with team failing badly
The Arizona Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Brenly on Friday in the midst of their worst season since their expansion campaign of 1998.
Third-base coach Al Pedrique, a former Spokane Indians’ manager, was named manager for the remainder of the season.
Hall of Famer Robin Yount, the team’s bench coach, resigned out of loyalty to Brenly, general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. Pitching coach Chuck Kniffin also was fired.
Pedrique, who played parts of three seasons with the New York Mets, Pittsburgh and Detroit, was a manager in the minors for eight seasons. He managed Arizona’s Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders in 2002 and ‘03.
He led the Spokane Indians to a 36-40 record in 1995.
“I have mixed feelings about the whole situation,” Pedrique said, “because definitely I wanted to manage in the major leagues. But it never crossed my mind that it would be like this.”
Pedrique joins Ozzie Guillen of the Chicago White Sox as the only Venezuelans to manage in the majors. Pedrique said the only immediate change would be to reinstall Alex Cintron as the everyday shortstop.
“I’m not going to make a lot of changes,” Pedrique said. “I think we have enough personnel that we can play better and win more games.”
In a coaching shuffle, Mark Davis moves from bullpen coach to pitching coach, and Glen Sherlock from first base to third. Tommy Jones, the organization’s director of player development, takes over as first-base coach.
Lorenzo Bundy, the hitting coach for Tucson, will become bench coach. Dennis Lewallyn, former minor league roving pitching instructor, will be bullpen coach.
Rolen plans to get MRI on sore knee
Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen expects to have an MRI on his sore left knee in the next few days.
The minor injury has bothered him for several weeks, though it hasn’t hampered him too much — he leads the major leagues with 76 RBIs.
“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” Rolen said. “I’ll get checked by the doctor. I’ll probably get an MRI just to see if it’s a problem.”
Miller has fraying in rotator cuff
Astros pitcher Wade Miller has a frayed right rotator cuff and expects to return after resting it for two weeks.
Miller, placed on the 15-day D.L. on Wednesday, had an MRI Thursday that confirmed the diagnosis. He was placed on the disabled list after feeling soreness in his shoulder while playing catch before Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Rhodes goes on D.L. with strained back
The Oakland Athletics placed lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes on the 15-day disabled list with a strained back that has kept him from pitching since June 22.
Rhodes becomes the sixth A’s player currently on the D.L. Oakland has used the disabled list eight times this season after needing it only six times in all of 2003.
GM says new deal for Ordonez possible
Chicago White Sox general manager Ken Williams is hopeful of agreeing to a contract extension with injured star right fielder Magglio Ordonez.
Ordonez, the subject of trade rumors, is in the final season of a $29.5 million, three-year deal that is paying him $14 million this season.
Clearing the bases
Florida Marlins ace Josh Beckett will return from the disabled list and start Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates… . Colorado Rockies left-hander Denny Neagle had shoulder surgery, his second operation in less than a year… . First baseman Carlos Delgado will probably miss the weekend series against Montreal in his native Puerto Rico while he continues to recover from a rib injury… . Outfielder Ruben Mateo was traded by Pittsburgh to Kansas City.