Peninsula Daily News and KOMO
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners, mired in a terrible season, have cleaned house among the managerial ranks.
Manager Don Wakamatsu has been fired, along with bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair, general manager Jack Zduriencik announced.
Daren Brown, who has managed the Tacoma Rainiers for the past four years, will take over as manager for the rest of the season. Roger Hansen has been named interim bench coach while Carl Willis has been named pitching coach.
Hansen has been the team’s minor league catching coordinator while Willis was the team’s minor league pitching coordinator.
The Mariners have been a disappointment of high expectations so far this year, stumbling to a 42-70 record and on pace for their second 100-loss season in the past three years.
Wakamatsu has been the M’s manager since the start of the 2009 season and compiled a 127-147 record.
The team has announced a 2 p.m. news conference at Safeco Field.
Here is the official Seattle Mariners news release ( www.mariners.com ):
Seattle Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu relieved of his duties; Bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rich Adair also let go
SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced today that Don Wakamatsu has been relieved of his duties as manager. Zduriencik met with Wakamatsu this morning and informed him of the decision. In addition, Zduriencik has replaced bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair, and released performance coach Steve Hecht from his contract.
“I have concluded that these changes needed to be made now and that they are in the best interest of the Mariners as we move forward,” Zduriencik said. “Don, Ty and Rick are all good baseball men and they have done their very best. But we are where we are. I no longer have confidence that Don, Ty and Rick are the right long-term fit for our organization. New leadership is needed and it is needed now.”
Daren Brown, who has managed the Mariners AAA Tacoma Rainiers affiliate in the Pacific Coast League for the past four seasons, has been named interim manager for the remainder of the 2010 season. Roger Hansen, who had been the Mariners minor league catching coordinator, takes over as the bench coach. Carl Willis, who was the Mariners minor league pitching coordinator, takes on the responsibility of big league pitching coach.
“Daren is an experienced manager with over a decade of minor league managing experience. He is intimately familiar with our club; he was with the club in Spring Training and managed many of the players on our current roster in the minors. I believe he will do a fine job,” Zduriencik said.
Brown, 43, spent the past three Septembers as a coach with the Mariners. He has extensive minor league managing experience, with a career mark of 794-691 (.535). The Rainiers are currently atop the PCL North Division with a 61-54 mark. Tacoma also won the PCL North Division Title in 2009. Brown has managed in the Mariners system since 2001: at Tacoma (2007-2010), AA San Antonio (2006), High A Inland Empire (2004-2005), A Wisconsin (2003) and High A San Bernardino (2001-2002). Brown spent the 1994-2000 seasons with the independent league Amarillo (TX) Dillas. He was the team’s manager from 1998-2000, compiling a 203-77 (.725) record, and won the Texas-Louisiana League Title in 1999. Brown was the pitching coach from 1994-97, and pitched for the team from 1994-1999, compiling a 60-24 record as a starting pitcher.
Brown spent five seasons (1989-1993) pitching in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, reaching AA in his final two years. He finished his minor league career with a 90-49 mark. Brown graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State in 1994. His father, Paul, pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1961-63 and 1967.
New bench coach Roger Hansen spent the past eight seasons as the Mariners minor league catching coordinator. He was the Mariners bullpen coach in 1992 and, at the time, was the youngest coach in the Majors. He also spent two seasons as a roving catching instructor with the Orix Blue Wave in Japan. Hansen spent 10 seasons in the minors as a player, including three years (1987-89) bouncing between AA and AAA in the Seattle system.
New pitching coach Carl Willis was in his first season as the Mariners minor league pitching coordinator. He spent the last seven seasons (2003-2009) as the Cleveland Indians Major League pitching coach. During his tenure, the Indians staff consistently ranked among the best in the American League, including ranking in the top-six in starters ERA in six seasons. He was pitching coach for CC Sabathia (2007) and Cliff Lee (2008) during their back-to-back Cy Young Award seasons. Willis pitched the Majors during parts of 12 seasons with Detroit (1983-84), Cincinnati (1984-87), Chicago (AL, 1988-91) and Minnesota (1992-95). He was a member of two World Series winners, with the Tigers in 1984 and the Twins in 1991.
Wakamatsu, 47, was named manager of the Mariners on Nov. 19, 2008. He posted an 85-77 mark during the 2009 season. The Mariners are 42-70 this year. Van Burkleo and Adair were part of his original staff in 2009.
“We want to thank Don, Ty and Rick for their service,” Zduriencik added. “We appreciate their efforts and wish them all the best in the future.”
