Astros make Cooper full-time manager
With Bud Selig’s blessing, the Houston Astros picked Cecil Cooper as their full-time manager.
The 57-year-old Cooper received a guaranteed contract through the 2009 season on Friday, a month after he was chosen as interim manager to replace the fired Phil Garner.
Owner Drayton McLane, new general manager Ed Wade and Cooper spoke with the commissioner on a conference call after Cooper was promoted. Cooper played for Milwaukee when Selig owned the Brewers from 1977-87.
“Commissioner Selig talked about what a tremendous guy he is and how proud he was of the selection,” said Wade, hired last week to replace the fired Tim Purpura. “That’s pretty high praise.”
Rollins makes history
Jimmy Rollins got his 706th at-bat to set the single-season major league record.
Rollins flied out off Tim Redding in the third inning of the Phillies’ game against Washington in Philadelphia. He broke the mark established in 1980 by Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals.
He also became the second player in team history to have 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in the same season, and is the first major leaguer to have 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 homers and 25 steals.
La Russa undecided
St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said he would take a few days after the season to decide whether or not to return to the team he has managed for the past 12 seasons.
La Russa said principle owner Bill DeWitt and general manager Walt Jocketty have indicated to him they want him back next season.
Soriano breaks record
Alfonso Soriano set a major league record when he led off the Chicago Cubs’ game in Cincinnati with a homer, extending his September tear.
It was his sixth leadoff homer in September, the most by any major league player in any month.
Clearing the bases
Boston rookie Clay Buchholz won’t pitch for the rest of the year and will miss the postseason because of shoulder fatigue. The 23-year-old right-hander pitched a no-hitter against Baltimore on Sept. 1 in his second major league start. … The Washington Nationals exercised the 2009 option on manager Manny Acta’s contract. … The commissioner’s office reversed course and revoked the three-game suspension assessed a day earlier to Milwaukee Brewers reliever Seth McClung for throwing at St. Louis’ Albert Pujols. A videotape of the pitch showed a hitch in his delivery – indicating bad mechanics rather than intent to throw at Pujols. … Hal Steinbrenner, one of George Steinbrenner’s sons, succeeded Stephen Swindal as chairman of Yankee Global Enterprises.