Red Sox take 1st step with Roenicke
It took Ron Roenicke almost five years to get another chance as a major league manager.
He’ll need to wait at least until next week for “permanency.”
The Red Sox made Roenicke their interim manager Tuesday, promoting the former Brewers skipper to replace Alex Cora on the day Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported for the start of spring training.
Although there’s no expiration date on Roenicke’s tenure, the interim tag will stay until Major League Baseball completes its investigation into whether the Red Sox engaged in illegal sign-stealing during their 2018 World Series championship season. If the probe clears Roenicke, who has denied being part of any rules violations, he’s expected to stay.
“We felt that naming Ron our interim manager was the best way to respect the investigation that’s ongoing into our 2018 club. But we feel very strongly about Ron’s ability to lead this group and how well-suited he is for this task,” Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom said in a news conference on the eve of the team’s first formal workout.
“Wehave no reason to think that there is anything that would cause an adverse result for Ron in this investigation,” Bloom said. “We’re going to respect the ongoing investigation and we’ll address permanency once it’s complete.”
Just one year after winning the World Series in his first season with the Red Sox, Cora was let go when Commissioner Rob Manfred named him as a ringleader behind the Astros’ 2017 illegal sign-stealing. The Red Sox have maintained that there was no similar scheme after Cora took over in Boston the next year
Manfred said last week that he hoped to have the Red Sox investigation completed before the start of spring training. But The AP reported Tuesday that the investigation will continue at least into next week.
Red Sox pitchers and catchers reported Tuesday and have their first workout Wednesday. Rather than open spring training without a manager, the team gave the job to Roenicke — for now.
GM Brian O’Halloran said the team heard from people inside and outside the club who spoke highly of Roenicke.
“I know you did a lot of background check on me,” Roenicke said. “I’m glad it turned out well.”
Roenicke, 63, takes over a team that is dealing with the fallout not only from the cheating investigation but also the salary dump of onetime AL MVP Mookie Betts and Cy Young winner David Price.
Roenicke spent five years as the Brewers manager from 2010-15, winning 96 games and the NL Central title in his first season and finishing as runner-up for NL manager of the year. He was 342-331 in five seasons with the Brewers.
Angels set target for Ohtani: The Angels are targeting mid-May for Shohei Ohtani’s return to the big-league mound, GMBilly Eppler revealed while pitchers and catchers reported Tuesday.
Ohtani, the 2018 AL rookie of the year, will be available as a designated hitter on opening day, but he will take days away from the big-league team to make rehab pitching starts in the minors.
Eppler and Ohtani have detailed plans for the two-way star’s final comeback from Tommy John surgery and subsequent offseason knee surgery, which pushed back his pitching progress.
New manager Joe Maddon is on board with the plans, but he intends to make decisions by speaking with Ohtani.
“I think patience is a key word with all of this,” Maddon said. “I’ve been in development my whole life, so when you’re trying to develop a major league talent like him here, coming off the injury situations that he’s had, it’s important to be very patient, and I am.”
Mariners, Gonzalez reach deal: The Mariners and outfielder Carlos Gonzalez agreed to a minor-league deal Tuesday, according to reports.
If added to the 40-man roster, Gonzalez would get a one-year contract with a $750,000 salary in the majors.
Gonzalez, 34, was an All-Star in 2012-13 and 2016 with the Rockies. Last season, he hit .200 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 45 total games for the Indians and Cubs.