HOUSTON — The Astros will interview 10 candidates, including former skipper Phil Garner, over the next week to find the team’s next manager.
Houston fired manager Cecil Cooper on Sept. 21. Third-base coach Dave Clark was promoted to interim manager, and the team said Monday that Clark will be the first man interviewed for the position.
The other candidates include: minor-league coordinator Al Pedrique, who became third-base coach when Clark was promoted; former Brewers manager Ned Yost; San Diego hitting coach Randy Ready; former Arizona manager Bob Melvin; former Washington manager Manny Acta; and current Boston Red Sox coaches Brad Mills and Tim Bogar. The Astros have also been granted permission to interview Philadelphia bench coach Pete Mackanin when the Phillies complete postseason play.
Yankees expect road to get tougher
MINNEAPOLIS — CC Sabathia was superb, A.J. Burnett followed suit and Andy Pettitte added to his resume of postseason success.
While everyone was talking about Alex Rodriguez’s breakthrough playoff performance, the New York Yankees got three strong starts in a row during their first-round sweep of Minnesota. And that sort of pitching is probably the key to building a run through October.
“We’re good enough to get through this first round,” Derek Jeter said. “But it’s only going to get more difficult.”
The Yankees will host the Los Angeles Angels in Game 1 on Friday night, sending a well-rested Sabathia to the mound.
Footnotes.
The Chicago Cubs filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a step that will allow their owner to sell the baseball team in an $845 million deal. The Cubs’ filing is part of the Tribune Co.’s plans to sell the team, Wrigley Field and related properties to the family of billionaire Joe Ricketts, the founder of TD Ameritrade.
• Larry Jansen, the winning pitcher for the New York Giants in the 1951 playoff game decided by Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” has died at his home in Verboort, Ore., west of Portland. He was 89.
The Associated Press
