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Boggs quits as Rays hitting coach

After one season back on the field, the former All-Star hitter cites family concerns in his letter of resignation sent to Hal McRae.

By KEVIN KELLY

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 26, 2001

ST. PETERSBURG -- Among the mail Hal McRae retrieved Wednesday was an envelope from Wade Boggs.

As soon as the Rays manager opened it and began reading the enclosed letter, the search for another coach had begun.

Boggs, the Rays hitting coach for one season, left it up to the mailman to deliver news of his resignation.

"I haven't talked with him," McRae said from his Bradenton home Thursday evening. "I tried to reach him yesterday and couldn't. I respect his wishes though. He cited family reasons for doing it."

In addition to Boggs' resignation, the Rays also announced that Jackie Brown was named pitching coach and minor-league coordinator Tom Foley was added as third-base coach.

"I'm in a point right now in my life, where my family needs me to be around much more than baseball allows me to be," Boggs said in a statement released by the Rays. "But I am going to leave the door open to return to the game sometime down the road."

Arguably the most recognizable player to don a Rays uniform in the franchise's four years, Boggs capped a sure Hall of Fame career when he got his 3,000th hit -- a home run -- on Aug. 7, 1999, at Tropicana Field.

The 12-time All-Star played in 2,440 regular-season games, mostly with the Red Sox and Yankees, before retiring and taking a front office job with the Rays in 1999.

Boggs, who could not be reached for comment, returned to the field last season as hitting coach but witnessed only marginal success. The Rays finished last in the American League in homers (121), runs (672) and RBI (645) and second to last in batting average (.258).

"I thought he did a good job," McRae said. "He was a hard worker and the players respected him a great deal."

McRae said he has a candidate in mind to fill the vacancy and that it shouldn't take long. An announcement isn't expected until after the World Series.

"I have a short list," McRae said. "Nothing has been finalized, but I know who I want. I would hope it will be a short process."

Brown fills the spot created when Bill Fischer was fired Oct. 7, and Foley replaces Terry Collins, let go Oct. 12.

The 58-year-old Brown worked in the Pittsburgh organization with McRae and later served as the White Sox pitching coach from 1992-95. He came to the Rays in 1996 as the minor-league pitching coordinator but left two years later.

"He'll relate well because he has a strong teaching background," McRae said. "That was the main focus when we made a change, to get someone with a strong teaching background."

Brown, who lives in Holdenville, Okla., inherits a pitching staff loaded with young arms that showed significant improvement in the second half last season.

"I went to Texas when the Devil Rays came into Arlington (last season) ... and I was very impressed with the arms," Brown said. "They hadn't had this the three previous years. I was very impressed with the talent as far as the ability."

The 42-year-old Foley played 13 seasons in the majors -- McRae was his batting coach in Montreal in 1990 -- and has been with the Rays since 1996.

He has served as the franchise's minor-league field coordinator the past season and director of minor-league operations from 1996-2000. The Palm Harbor resident is managing the Maryvale Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League. The team was 9-13 before Thursday's games.

"When things were talked about, I just thought it was the right time," Foley said. "Hal wanted me on his staff and I was going to come aboard. I'm looking forward to it."

Of the five coaches on the staff, only bench coach Billy Hatcher wasn't hired by McRae.

"It's a comfortable situation for me and I think we have a strong staff," McRae said. "Everyone is going to work to make this thing work."

MORE RAYS: Outfield prospect Carl Crawford was one of 24 players selected to the USA Baseball team that will compete in the World Cup Nov. 6-18 in Chinese Taipei.

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