azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Ed Price, Tribune
Monday's interview for the Diamondbacks’ managerial opening was not a get-to-know-you session.
Arizona's front office was already well-acquainted with Bob Melvin, the former D-Backs bench coach who most recently was Seattle Mariners manager.
Manny Acta, Montreal Expos third-base coach the last three seasons, has been confirmed as another candidate for the job, completing the Diamondbacks’ field of eight they currently plan to consider.
The interviews may be completed by the end of this week.
Mark Grace, the former Diamondbacks player and current broadcaster, and Al Pedrique, who managed Arizona the final three months, interviewed last week.
Other candidates include Wally Backman, who managed the D-Backs’ Class A Lancaster team this year; Texas first-base coach DeMarlo Hale; Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon; and Colorado bench coach Jamie Quirk.
Acta is a Dominican who, like Pedrique, managed in the Houston Astros organization (1993-2000). Acta, 35, had a 419-432 record as a minor league manager, winning the Class A Florida State League championship in 1999, and spent 2001 as a coach at Class AAA New Orleans.
Melvin called his “a very nice interview.
“They were well prepared, which I knew they'd be. You're much more comfortable when you know all parties involved.”
The session lasted about 2 1/2 hours.
“He was really good,” said general manager Joe Garagiola Jr., who was in the interview along with team president Rich Dozer, senior assistant GM Sandy Johnson and assistant GM Bob Miller.
“What we heard from him was what he learned about managing from managing. It was considerable.”
Melvin, who turns 43 on Oct. 28, was Diamondbacks bench coach under Bob Brenly in 2001-02. He left the next year for Seattle, where he went 93-69 in 2003. But after the Mariners went 63-99 this season (and picked up Melvin's 2005 option in May), he was fired.
Besides his previous ties to the organization, Melvin has another advantage — he knows incoming CEO Jeff Moorad well. Melvin became friends with reliever Gregg Olson when they were teammates in Baltimore in 1989-91, and Moorad and Olson are brothers-in-law.
Melvin said he has not talked to Moorad since the current process began.
Although Melvin has been away from the Diamondbacks for only two years, only four players who were on the 2002 team with him are under contract or control for Arizona for next year (Luis Gonzalez, Alex Cintron, Randy Johnson and Mike Koplove).
ROSTER MOVES
Catcher Juan Brito, right-hander Chad Durbin and first baseman/catcher Alan Zinter have been outrighted, removing them from Arizona's 40-man roster.
Zinter, who hit .206 in 28 games, has agreed to a 2005 minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training.
Brito led the Diamondbacks with 53 starts at catcher, batting .205. Durbin was 1-1 with an 8.68 ERA in seven games after being claimed on waivers from Cleveland. Both have the option of becoming a free agent.
Not including 11 potential free agents, Arizona has 35 players on its 40-man roster.
BRUBAKER RESIGNS
Scott Brubaker on Monday resigned as the Diamondbacks’ senior vice president of sales and marketing, effective Oct. 29, to join Young Life, Arizona, a faith-based organization for students.
Brubaker, a son-in-law of former CEO Jerry Colangelo, has been with the team since 1995. Mark Fernandez, vice president of corporate sales, will take over Brubaker's duties until the marketing department is restructured.
“I . . . want to make it abundantly clear that this was my decision,” Brubaker said in a statement. “The new ownership group went out of their way to encourage me to stay, but at the end of the day, trying something new and different was the best decision for me.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=29570
Monday's interview for the Diamondbacks’ managerial opening was not a get-to-know-you session.
Arizona's front office was already well-acquainted with Bob Melvin, the former D-Backs bench coach who most recently was Seattle Mariners manager.
Manny Acta, Montreal Expos third-base coach the last three seasons, has been confirmed as another candidate for the job, completing the Diamondbacks’ field of eight they currently plan to consider.
The interviews may be completed by the end of this week.
Mark Grace, the former Diamondbacks player and current broadcaster, and Al Pedrique, who managed Arizona the final three months, interviewed last week.
Other candidates include Wally Backman, who managed the D-Backs’ Class A Lancaster team this year; Texas first-base coach DeMarlo Hale; Anaheim bench coach Joe Maddon; and Colorado bench coach Jamie Quirk.
Acta is a Dominican who, like Pedrique, managed in the Houston Astros organization (1993-2000). Acta, 35, had a 419-432 record as a minor league manager, winning the Class A Florida State League championship in 1999, and spent 2001 as a coach at Class AAA New Orleans.
Melvin called his “a very nice interview.
“They were well prepared, which I knew they'd be. You're much more comfortable when you know all parties involved.”
The session lasted about 2 1/2 hours.
“He was really good,” said general manager Joe Garagiola Jr., who was in the interview along with team president Rich Dozer, senior assistant GM Sandy Johnson and assistant GM Bob Miller.
“What we heard from him was what he learned about managing from managing. It was considerable.”
Melvin, who turns 43 on Oct. 28, was Diamondbacks bench coach under Bob Brenly in 2001-02. He left the next year for Seattle, where he went 93-69 in 2003. But after the Mariners went 63-99 this season (and picked up Melvin's 2005 option in May), he was fired.
Besides his previous ties to the organization, Melvin has another advantage — he knows incoming CEO Jeff Moorad well. Melvin became friends with reliever Gregg Olson when they were teammates in Baltimore in 1989-91, and Moorad and Olson are brothers-in-law.
Melvin said he has not talked to Moorad since the current process began.
Although Melvin has been away from the Diamondbacks for only two years, only four players who were on the 2002 team with him are under contract or control for Arizona for next year (Luis Gonzalez, Alex Cintron, Randy Johnson and Mike Koplove).
ROSTER MOVES
Catcher Juan Brito, right-hander Chad Durbin and first baseman/catcher Alan Zinter have been outrighted, removing them from Arizona's 40-man roster.
Zinter, who hit .206 in 28 games, has agreed to a 2005 minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training.
Brito led the Diamondbacks with 53 starts at catcher, batting .205. Durbin was 1-1 with an 8.68 ERA in seven games after being claimed on waivers from Cleveland. Both have the option of becoming a free agent.
Not including 11 potential free agents, Arizona has 35 players on its 40-man roster.
BRUBAKER RESIGNS
Scott Brubaker on Monday resigned as the Diamondbacks’ senior vice president of sales and marketing, effective Oct. 29, to join Young Life, Arizona, a faith-based organization for students.
Brubaker, a son-in-law of former CEO Jerry Colangelo, has been with the team since 1995. Mark Fernandez, vice president of corporate sales, will take over Brubaker's duties until the marketing department is restructured.
“I . . . want to make it abundantly clear that this was my decision,” Brubaker said in a statement. “The new ownership group went out of their way to encourage me to stay, but at the end of the day, trying something new and different was the best decision for me.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=29570
