Baseball

Tracy, Trammell out as managers

By wire services
Published October 4, 2005

Jim Tracy's tenure as manager of the Dodgers is over, one day after he finished his first losing season in five years with the team. And soon after Alan Trammell was fired Monday morning as manager of the Tigers, Jim Leyland was en route to the Motor City as the leading candidate to replace him.

The Dodgers announced Monday that Tracy and the team "mutually agreed to part ways." Last year, Tracy guided the team to its first division championship since 1995, but the Dodgers finished 71-91 this season. It was the franchise's second-worst season since moving from Brooklyn in 1958.

The 49-year-old Tracy signed a two-year contract in November that included a clause allowing him to opt out of the second year during a seven-day period that began Monday. He made it clear to general manager Paul DePodesta that he wanted to return, and asked for an extension last month. His current deal would have run through the 2006 season. Owner Frank McCourt said any decision on Tracy's future would be left to DePodesta.

In Detroit, president and general manager Dave Dombrowski planned to have interviewed Juan Samuel and Bruce Fields, both from Trammell's staff, before discussing the opening with Leyland about 24 hours after the regular season ended.

"I am driven to move quickly because I think there could be a lot of interest in Jim Leyland," said Dombrowski, adding his search could end as soon as today.

Trammell was fired after three seasons in which he failed to turn around a franchise without a winning record since 1993. The Tigers were expected to be close to .500, if not better, but fell short with a collapse toward the end of the season and finished 71-91.

"I thought we responded to everything well except for this last month," Trammell said last week. "I think, looking back, it is fair to say that we hit a wall."

The Tigers were 186-300 in three seasons under Trammell. The MVP of the 1984 World Series, who had one year left on his contract, did not return a message seeking comment Monday.

Leyland, a former Florida, Pittsburgh and Colorado manager, told the Associated Press that the Tigers called him to set up an interview Monday evening. "It's well known that I interviewed with Philadelphia last winter, and I'd like to manage again," the 60-year-old Leyland said last month.

Tracy had a 427-383 record in five seasons. The Dodgers began this season 12-2, but then losses and injuries started to add up.

Last year's NL West championship was the Dodgers' first in nine years, and they earned their first postseason victory since winning the '88 World Series.

Tracy's tenure tied him for the fourth longest among current NL managers, behind Atlanta's Bobby Cox, St. Louis' Tony La Russa and San Diego's Bruce Bochy.

ATHLETICS: The team offered a new contract to manager Ken Macha, though it's unclear whether he wants to return for a fourth season. Dave Hudgens said he will not return as hitting coach.

RANGERS: Plant City's Kenny Rogers, 40, will not return as the team cuts ties with the pitcher best remembered this year for throwing a tantrum and shoving two TV cameramen.

OBITUARY: Former All-Star outfielder Pat Kelly, who played for five different teams during a 15-year major-league career, died of a heart attack. He was 61.

[Last modified October 4, 2005, 02:15:30]