Rays closing in on a select few

Managerial cuts planned for today. Decision near on Hunsicker hiring.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published November 1, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays will be closer to hiring a manager today with plans to cut the field of candidates to two or three. And they may be closing in on hiring former Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker for a senior position in their front office, though that effort may be impacted by decisions made in Philadelphia, Boston and Los Angeles.

The Rays notified managerial candidates they will receive calls today apprising them of their status. Given that interviews began three weeks ago, any news would be welcomed by the nine candidates. Most likely to make the cut appear to be Angels bench coach Joe Maddon, current bench coach John McLaren and possibly former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

The Rays have been talking informally for weeks with Hunsicker about a position where he would work with Andrew Friedman, the 28-year-old baseball operations chief, and there were indications Monday they were optimistic they would land him. One was that they delayed plans to seek permission to interview additional candidates.

Hunsicker is one of the top two candidates for the Phillies GM job, and there was speculation in Philadelphia Monday night that a decision was imminent. If that job goes, as some reports suggest, to Pat Gillick, then Hunsicker would appear headed to the Rays - unless he gets involved with the sudden openings in Los Angeles, where Gillick was considered a top choice to replace Paul DePodesta, or Boston, where Theo Epstein unexpectedly resigned Monday.

Conversely, it is possible, though unlikely, the Rays could consider Epstein for their opening.

"We're closely monitoring all the different teams and their situations," Rays president Matt Silverman said. "It obviously opens up another GM position and in theory puts Theo in the pool of potential GMs and executives. It makes what was a wide open field even more wide open than it was for all teams searching for an executive."

Also Monday, the Rays, as expected, exercised their 2006 options on All-Star closer Danys Baez ($4-million) and shortstop Julio Lugo ($4.95-million).

It was a particularly good day for Baez, who also had power restored to his Miami area home for the first time since Hurricane Wilma hit.

"I'm very happy about them picking up the option," Baez said. "But it doesn't mean that I'm going to be in Tampa, just that I have my contract guaranteed. They could still trade me. ... I'd love to sit down and start talking about an extension."

The Rays were also talking Monday with pitcher Casey Fossum, with whom they have to act today on their half a $1.4-million mutual option.

[Last modified November 1, 2005, 02:15:27]