Strange, Slow Start to Free-Agent Season as GMs, Coaches Make the News
All the furor surrounding Theo Epstein’s departure from his post as GM of the Boston Red Sox only underscores how strange and slow-to-develop this year’s free-agent season is turning out to be. For sure, Boston’s battle of the board room is newsworthy. But a quick trip around the headlines of the last week illustrates just how organizationally upside-down the transactions have been so far, with most of the activities centering on management and coaches, and precious little on the players themselves.
Consider the following – drawn from the likes of such non-partisan agencies as SI and ESPN – as a representative sample:
Much has been written about the relative weakness of this year’s free-agent class, and perhaps it is true. Some notable players no doubt will change uniforms – Manny Ramirez? Billy Wagner? Jacque Jones? – but in a year in which the headlines are dominated by front-office moves and coaching transactions, one wonders just how long a winter we are in for.
Consider the following – drawn from the likes of such non-partisan agencies as SI and ESPN – as a representative sample:
- John Hart may interview with the Dodgers
- Robin Yount apparently will sign with the Brewers as bench coach
- Gerry Hunsicker is heading to the Devil Rays as No. 2 baseball guy
- Tony Pena will be the Yankees’ first-base coach, and Lee Mazzilli will rejoin team as bench coach
- Glenn Hoffman is becoming Padre third-base coach
- Roger McDowell is replacing Leo Mazzone (who moved to the Orioles) as Braves’ pitching coach
- The Indians rearranged their coaching staff, naming third-base coach Joel Skinner as new bench coach, moving first-base coach Jeff Datz to third, and promoting minor-league manager Luis Rivera to coach first.
Much has been written about the relative weakness of this year’s free-agent class, and perhaps it is true. Some notable players no doubt will change uniforms – Manny Ramirez? Billy Wagner? Jacque Jones? – but in a year in which the headlines are dominated by front-office moves and coaching transactions, one wonders just how long a winter we are in for.
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