Jeter plots major shakeup of Marlins

Derek Jeter doesn’t even own the Marlins yet, but he already has informed the team that he plans to fire two special assistants who are in baseball’s hall of fame (Andre Dawson and Tony Perez), the manager who led them to the 2003 World Series championship (Jack McKeon) and the player known as Mr. Marlin (Jeff Conine), according to two MLB sources.

And here’s the twist: Jeter asked Marlins president David Samson to fire those four Marlins luminaries for him, because Jeter didn’t want to do it.

Even more strange, Jeter made the request after telling Samson what he already knew: that Samson would not be returning as team president.

Dawson, Perez, McKeon and Conine all have been serving as special assistants to Samson or owner Jeffrey Loria.

MLB has scheduled a conference call during the first week of October for owners to vote on the Marlins sale, with three-quarters needed for approval. But Jeter and co-owner Bruce Sherman are so confident that they will be approved that Jeter called Samson on Wednesday to initiate several firings.

Jeter also is expected to fire some people on the baseball side of the operation, though it’s believed president/baseball operations Michael Hill will be retained, at least indefinitely if not permanently.

“Sure, I’m sad,” McKeon said by phone Friday night after Samson informed him Friday of Jeter’s orders to fire him. “No question you’re sad. I’m disappointed, but you understand. A new regime is coming in and they want their new people in there. You can’t fault them with that.”

In 2003, McKeon replaced Jeff Torborg as Marlins manager on May 11 when the team was 16-26. McKeon went on to guide them to a 75-49 record and a World Series title, which marked the team’s second championship but also represents their most recent playoff appearance — the second-longest post-season drought in baseball behind the Seattle Mariners. McKeon then managed the team to an 83-79 record each of the next two seasons before Loria made him a special assistant to the owner after the 2005 season.

McKeon returned to the field for 90 games in 2011, taking over for ousted Edwin Rodriguez and managing the team to a 40-50 record.

Since then, McKeon’s duties have included scouting several of the Marlins’ minor league teams, among other assignments.

Conine, Dawson and Perez have been serving as a special assistant to Samson, Dawson since 2000 and Conine since 2008. Perez initially joined the Marlins in July of1993, the team’s first season, and first served as a special assistant to the general manager before becoming a special assistant to the president.

Conine, Dawson and Perez all served as community ambassadors, helping players with coaching tips, among other assignments.