There are rumors going around that Astros bench coach and 3B coach are being considered for the Red Sox coaching position. Here is an article from the Chronicle concerning it. http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bb/1288350 Astros won't block Pea's opportunity By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Although multiple sources confirmed Friday that the Astros denied the Red Sox permission to interview bench coach Tony Peña for their managerial post, Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker promises to grant permission if Boston officials show "serious" interest. "If the Boston Red Sox ask for permission on Tony Peña or any other candidate for that matter," Hunsicker said, "and tell us that they're a serious candidate for their managerial position, we will grant permission." Out of respect for the Red Sox, Astros officials have refused to say if Boston requested permission to interview any of their coaches. Peña and third base coach Gene Lamont have been mentioned as potential candidates this week. Interim Red Sox general manager Mike Port said two teams have denied him permission to interview their employees. The Oakland Athletics denied bench coach Gene Macha permission. Without specifically discussing the Red Sox's search, Astros owner Drayton McLane Jr. took pride in having highly regarded coaches like Peña and Lamont on manager Jimy Williams' staff. "There's nobody I'm higher on than Tony. ... We would hate to lose either one of them," McLane said. "They're great people to be around. Tony is certainly a proven quality with what he did last year, leading (Class AAA) New Orleans to the title. And Tony will continue to get better under Jimy Williams. "Gene Lamont has been a major-league manager with the Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh. Those are two just high potential managerial (candidates). We have other great coaches, too. If I get a call, I wouldn't be surprised at all." Peña could not be reached for comment late Friday. Earlier, he said nobody had told him if the Red Sox requested permission to interview him. Lamont also said he had not been contacted. Peña, a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner in an 18-year playing career, spent the last three years at New Orleans and interviewed for the Astros' managerial position last October. Sounds like Hunsicker is doing what he can to prevent Pena or Lamont leaving, but if the Red Sox get serious about it, one of them might be gone. The worst I think would be losing Pena, who I really wanted to become the manager instead of Jim(m)ah Williams. How much would it suck for the Astros to hire Williams, who I don't think will be the kind of manager we want, and then to lose a potentially great manager in Pena to a crappy organization like the BoSox? I would be quite bitter.
Yes, but the odds of the Red Sox letting him go if he turns out to be good are pretty slim, I would think. I would much rather him just get his major league experience in Houston.
Hey, hey, hey...the BoSox is not a crappy organization, just a little misguided from time to time. However with Duquette gone, that should hopefully change. From what I read, I would think that Tony Pena would only get the job if Grady Little doesn't want it. And I think that Grady wants that job.
The funny thing is, Mike Port has been accussed of the same things Duquette was(lack of personal contact, treating players like numbers instead of people) when he was at Anaheim. . . .
Just read this on ESPN...here's an excerpt: Those with big league managing experience, Port said, do not necessarily have advantages over candidates like Little and Cubbage, who have just minor league managing experience. "There may be other factors that will balance things out," he said. "One thing may weigh off against another." Two teams denied Boston permission to speak to their bench coaches -- Oakland's Ken Macha and Houston's Tony Pena. Here's the full link...wish they would hurry up and hire someone.
