Cubs to talk with Hickey today
The Cubs are moving quickly to arrange a reunion between manager Joe Maddon and out- of- work pitching coach Jim Hickey.
After firing highly regarded pitching coach Chris Bosio on Friday, the Cubs are scheduled to interview Hickey for the job on Monday in Chicago.
Hickey, a former White Sox draft pick, was rumored to be a target of Maddon and the Cubs as soon as the Rays fired him this month. Maddon, however, denied there was any substance to the rumors when he was asked Wednesday.
‘‘ I have talked to Hick,’’ Maddon said then. ‘‘ Just wanted to know how he’s doing, purely, because [ his firing] kind of surprised me. It surprised a lot of us.’’
Asked whether Hickey would be on the Cubs’ coaching staff next season, Maddon said: ‘‘ No. I called him to console a friend.’’
Hickey, 56, spent eight seasons as Maddon’s pitching coach with the Rays, who went from last in the American League in ERA in his first season to second — with a World Series appearance in 2008 — in his second season.
The Cubs fired Bosio after six seasons that started with an organizational overhaul and culminated with three consecutive trips to the National League Championship Series, thanks largely to the strength of Bosio’s pitching staffs.
About an hour before the move, team president Theo Epstein said during a news conference: ‘‘ Rest assured, every coach that [ Joe] wants back, he will have back.’’
Hickey also has interviewed for the Cardinals’ pitching- coach vacancy. With Hickey presumably out of the running for that job, the Cardinals are expected to consider Bosio for the vacancy.
Bosox hire Alex Cora as manager
The Red Sox hired Astros bench coach Alex Cora to be their manager, turning to a player from their World Series championship roster in 2007 to help them out of their playoff slump. The Red Sox announced the hire a day after the Astros eliminated the Yankees in the AL Championship Series on Saturday.
Cora — who will be the team’s first Hispanic manager — replaces John Farrell, who led the Red Sox to the World Series title in 2013 and to back- to- back AL East championships the last two seasons. But the Red Sox also finished last in 2014 and 2015 and have won only one playoff game since 2013.
Reports: Mets pick new skipper
Multiple outlets reported the Mets agreed to terms with Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway on a three- year contract to become their manager. No announcement wasmade, but the Mets are expected to introduce Callaway at a news conference in the next few days.
Callaway, who never has managed at any professional level, replaces Terry Collins, who stepped down after seven seasons as the Mets’ manager and accepted a position as a special assistant to general manager Sandy Alderson.