Manager Sam Perlozzo was fired by the Orioles on Monday, the result of his inability to bring last-place Baltimore out of a lengthy funk culminated by an eight-game losing streak.
“We felt Sam was prepared. We felt the club was prepared to do battle every night,” executive vice president Mike Flanagan said. “For whatever reason, it just wasn’t working.”
Bullpen coach Dave Trembley will be the interim manager when the Orioles begin a six- game trip in San Diego today. One of the leading candidates to fill the position on a full-time basis is Joe Girardi, voted NL manager of the year in 2006 with the Florida Marlins after he was fired in a dispute with ownership.
On another front, the Orioles are negotiating with former Chicago Cubs president Andy MacPhail about becoming chief operating officer, a job left vacant since Joe Foss resigned this year.
Baltimore was 27-27 and in second place May 31 before losing 13-of-15 in June, including the last eight games of a 1-8 homestand that ended Sunday. Perlozzo finished 122-164, including 70-92 last season and 29-40 this year.
Yankees: Slugger Jason Giambi has until Thursday to agree to a meeting with steroids investigator George Mitchell or else face possible discipline from commissioner Bud Selig.
Lawyers from the players’ union and Major League Baseball resumed talks Monday after a weekend break to set rules for a Giambi-Mitchell meeting.
The deadline is only for an agreement to meet, not for the actual session to take place.
The Yankees acquired Kai Liu, a 19-year-old left-hander, and Zhenwang Zhang, a 19-year-old catcher, in what the team said was the first major-league signings of players from China with the approval of the country’s baseball association.
MLB: Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee and San Diego pitcher Chris Young were suspended for five games each following a bench-clearing brawl Saturday at Wrigley field. Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry was suspended for three games.
Philadelphia Phillies third-base coach Steve Smith was suspended for three games and catcher Carlos Ruiz for one following an argument in Sunday’s game against the Detroit Tigers. The players’ union appealed Ruiz’s suspension, meaning it can’t start until after the case is heard and decided.
Cardinals: Center fielder Jim Edmonds (back) and pitcher Braden Looper (shoulder) were placed on the 15-day disabled list, while outfielder Skip Schumaker and left-handed reliever Troy Cate were recalled from Triple-A Memphis (Tenn.).
Dodgers: Jason Schmidt is going back on the DL because of a right shoulder problem.
The pitcher was ineffective Saturday in his third start since missing 45 games because of bursitis in his shoulder. “I just haven’t felt like myself,” he said.
Giants: Infielder Rich Aurilia (neck) was placed on the DL, and Luis Figueroa was called up from Triple-A Fresno (Calif.) to serve in a utility role.
The Giants also moved catcher Eliezer Alfonzo to the 60-day DL. He will undergo arthroscopic knee surgery today.
Tigers: Left-hander Kenny Rogers, on the DL all season after having surgery March 30 to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder and repair arteries, is scheduled to make his first start of the season Friday against the Atlanta Braves.
