White Sox operations chief Ken Harrelson played pool with Billy Martin Tuesday. He already has asked Yankee owner George Steinbrenner for permission to talk with Martin`s agent, Ed Sapir. The meeting will take place Thursday.
A press conference announcing Martin as the new White Sox manager might be next on the agenda.
Sox manager Tony LaRussa`s days appear to be dwindling down to a precious few, especially after the club lost its fifth in a row Tuesday night, 10-6 to the Yankees. The Sox now stand 7-17, the worst record in the American League.
”I hope Tony is managing this team Oct. 17 (in the World Series),”
Harrelson said. ”Tony is managing this club now. But if the club doesn`t come around, obviously a change will be made. That`s common sense.”
Harrelson was with LaRussa until 3 a.m. after Monday`s loss to the Yankees. But he didn`t tell LaRussa of his planned meeting with Martin.
”I`ll tell him after the game,” Harrelson said.
Harrelson did meet with LaRussa immediately after the final out. LaRussa didn`t have any comment about it.
”The only thing that matters is that I have the lineup card tomorrow night,” LaRussa said. ”That should answer all your questions.”
Harrelson said common sense dictated his meeting with Martin, who does the pre- and postgame shows for Yankee television. The two played pool in a suite at the Palmer House. The conversation ranged from Martin`s golf tournament in November to baseball, including a discussion of the White Sox.
”We`ve been friends for 25 years,” Harrelson said. ”We had a nice day.”
Harrelson stressed that the meeting didn`t mean that he`s looking to replace LaRussa. But at the same time, he wants his bases covered.
Harrelson called Martin the ”best year-to-year manager” he has ever seen. Martin was fired by Steinbrenner as Yankee manager for the fourth time last year.
”What if the club continues to go bad?” Harrelson said. ”You don`t just hire a manager like that. It`s just like anything else. If you know you`re going to have a dry spell, you better have something put away.”
Harrelson also indicated that he will talk to another ”high-profile guy,” presumably ex-San Diego manager Dick Williams.
Martin, though, also is talking to other teams. Seattle is a possibility, especially since the Mariners have the second-worst record in the American League.
”I want to not just manage, but to manage the right club for the right dollars and everything else,” said Martin to WMAQ radio. ”I`ve been talking to some other clubs that are interested in my services.”
Martin decided not to go to Comiskey Park Tuesday, knowing he would be deluged by the media.
”The reason why I`m not at the ballpark is for my love of Tony LaRussa,” Martin said. ”I think the world of Tony LaRussa. It is not anything that you like to see in the paper, because I have some friends out there. When they talk about me taking their jobs, I know how it feels when the shoe is on the other foot. It gives you kind of a sour stomach.”
Harrelson watched Tuesday`s game with Steinbrenner, who was in town for a board of directors meeting of his shipping company. Steinbrenner had no comment on the situation.
Harrelson said he contacted Steinbrenner after the Sox`s loss to Cleveland Saturday. Martin is under contract to the Yankees, sparking speculation that the Sox would have to compensate New York.
Signing Martin also won`t be a cut-and-dried deal. It`s never been an easy process with Martin and his agent.
The managerial speculation certainly hasn`t helped the White Sox on the field. To compound things, Tuesday`s loss dropped their home record to 3-13.
”We`re 7-17, I can`t worry about feelings,” Harrelson said. ”If LaRussa gets fired, the players will fire him. They have not responded to him. ”It`s the same old story. It`s not always the manager`s fault. But I don`t know of any other way to go. You don`t get rid of the players. The club is 7-17. That`s the bottom line.”
LaRussa held a team meeting before the game. ”I talked about how we should try to win the game,” he said.
LaRussa didn`t dwell on his status. ”He told us to keep our heads up, because it`s still early,” said catcher Marc Hill. ”It was a good meeting. Tony did a good job.”
Hill kept the clubhouse loose, passing out T-shirts, which included a
”Save the skipper” slogan. But the players know the situation is serious.
”We`re scared for Tony,” Hill said. ”Nobody wants to see him lose his job. I can`t imagine what it would be like if he wasn`t here.”
”It`s unfair to blame one guy, but you have to blame someone,” said Ron Kittle.
Kittle offered his endorsement of LaRussa, while the manager was holding court for reporters.
”We don`t need Billy Martin,” Kittle said, ”because we`re all bigger than Ed Whitson (the Yankee pitcher who got into a bar- room fight with Martin last year). We can kick his butt.”
