Tags: bench, bobby valentine, Boston, manager, mlb, new york yankees, person, Red, Red Sox, replacement, Sox, Yahoo! Sports
Pena latest to interview for Boston manager’s job (Yahoo! Sports)
16 Oct
2012
2012
Scutaro has ‘good chance’ to play in Game 3 – Marco Scutaro | SF
16 Oct
2012
2012
Giambi to interview for Rockies’ manager job – Jason Giambi | COL
16 Oct
2012
2012
Yankees manager Girardi attends father’s funeral (Yahoo! Sports)
15 Oct
2012
2012
Reds extend manager Dusty Baker’s deal for 2 years (Yahoo! Sports)
15 Oct
2012
2012
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Reds owner Bob Castellini couldn't imagine Dusty Baker leaving.
Reds sign Dusty Baker to two-year extension – Joey Votto | CIN
15 Oct
2012
2012
Yankees manager Girardi attends father’s funeral (Yahoo! Sports)
15 Oct
2012
2012
Giants coach Roberto Kelly out with concussion until at least Game 3
14 Oct
2012
2012
SAN FRANCISCO — Giants first base coach Roberto Kelly stayed home Sunday because of a concussion and won't work until at least Game 3 of the NLCS, manager Bruce Bochy said. In his place, Joe Lefebrve, an assistant hitting coach who coached first base for the Giants during its 2002 World Series season, will do so again for Games 1 and 2.
Buster Posey hit Kelly, 48, in the head with a line drive during a team workout at AT&T Park. Kelly was knocked woozy and needed help leaving the field.
"Roberto will not be on the field. He's got a concussion," Bochy said. "I don't see him being out there at least these two games, if not longer. He's at home, he's resting well [but] he didn't sleep much last night. He hasn't come in yet. Dave Groeschner, our trainer, and I were hoping he could come in so they could check him out again."
[More MLB: Tigers pitching making quick work of impotent Yankees]
A first base coach is easier to replace than, say, a pitching coach, but it'll still take some getting used to for the Giants. And their minds, from time to time, will be on Kelly. But the players are familiar with Lefebvre (pronounced "Le FAY"), and he knows the job. One thing he'll have to remind base runners: That catcher Yadier Molina likes to throw the ball — even to first base.
"Joe, he's got some experience," Bochy said. "He's been coaching in the big leagues. He's been here all year."
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Jim Leyland says Jose Valverde won’t close Game 2, but remains an ‘important part’ of bullpen
14 Oct
2012
2012
Blog update: Tigers manager Jim Leyland said before Game 2 that Valverde will not close on Sunday, but that he still considers Valverde the team's closer. "Jose Valverde is going to be a very important part of this postseason," Leyland said.
* * *
The Detroit Tigers' 6-4 victory in 12 innings on Saturday night silenced some of the outrage that manager Jim Leyland would have faced and Derek Jeter's broken ankle pushed the controversy further down on the list of stories that came from Game 1 of the ALCS.
Still, there's a huge issue facing Tigers manager Jim Leyland as his Detroit squad comes back for Sunday afternoon Game 2 against the New York Yankees: Can closer Jose Valverde be trusted in any high-leverage situation — let alone a closing opportunity — the rest of the postseason?
That chorus of yowling "no!'s" you hear is coming from Motown because to say there's a problem with Valverde right now would be an understatement. The Big Potato surrendered two-run homers to both Ichiro and Raul Ibanez to blow a four-run ninth inning lead in Game 1. Couple that with his three-run meltdown against Oakland in ALDS Game 4 and Valverde has now given up the last seven runs surrendered by Tigers pitching over a span of 24 innings.
[More MLB: Ten stats that may make a difference in Giants vs. Cardinals]
Leyland acknowledged that Valverde currently isn't right and even admitted he didn't like what he saw when Valverde was on the mound (though why he didn't yank him immediately for Octavio Dotel is a question that remained unanswered).
Here's the first question that Leyland fielded in the postgame press conference (via ASAP Sports):
Q. We have to wade into the Valverde crisis pretty seriously. Were you close to pulling him at any point in the ninth? Can you trust him frankly in the closer role the remainder of the series?
JIM LEYLAND: First of all, I had Dotel up (int the bullpen) because there were things I didn't really like (with Valverde). And the last part of the question I wouldn't discuss. We are going to discuss this as a staff, and now is not the time to discuss it. We haven't really made any decisions. We really want to put our heads together and discuss it first, to be honest with you, and get together as coaching staff and talk about it. We are certainly going to talk about it, but I don't really have any final information on it yet. We haven't discussed it. It will be something we discuss.
Leyland promised an answer on Valverde by the time he holds his pregame press conference on Sunday. While he didn't necessarily guarantee an action, it seems likely he's going to do something. The Tigers already-taxed bullpen isn't exactly overfilling with closer candidates, but Jon Morosi of Fox Sports makes his case for Octavio Dotel here. And why not? At this point, he certainly can't do any worse than a closer who has exhausted his supply of trust over the span of two appearances.
Should Leyland go with Dotel as closer? Or maybe someone else? Let us know.
Make sure all your bases are covered this postseason ...
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Derek Jeter fractures left ankle in 12th inning, will miss rest of postseason
13 Oct
2012
2012
Derek Jeter will miss the rest of the postseason after fracturing his left ankle in the 12th inning of the New York Yankees' 6-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.
"His ankle fractured, he's out ... he's out," Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters after the game. "They talked about a three-month recovery period. It won't jeopardize his career, but he will not be playing any more for us this year."
Jeter suffered the injury after ranging to his left for an infield grounder hit by Jhonny Peralta. He stumbled and fell to the ground while screaming out in pain. He needed assistance off the field as a stunned Yankee Stadium crowd looked on in silence.
"If he's not getting up, something's wrong," Girardi said. "Because when we've seen what he's played through the last month and a half and the pain that he's been in ... "
[Slideshow: Derek Jeter breaks ankle in Yankees' loss to Tigers]
Girardi said that Jeter will be replaced on the ALCS roster by Eduardo Nunez and shook off a reporter's question asking if Alex Rodriguez might slide over from third and play short.
"It's been too long," Girardi said of A-Rod, whose last start at short came in 2003 with the Texas Rangers. "I wouldn't do that to him."
It goes without saying, but this is a huge loss for the Yankees and their chances. Jeter went 1 for 5 with two strikeouts on Saturday night, but he's been one of the few reliable options on the Yankees roster this postseason, hitting .364 against the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS.
Make sure all your bases are covered this postseason ...
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