The White Sox Tuesday fired Terry Bevington, the only manager in major-league history to intentionally walk Tom Goodwin.
The decision to fire Bevington had seemed inevitable since a team that began the season with baseball’s third-highest payroll ended with its second losing season in three years.
General Manager Ron Schueler, who hired Bevington to replace Gene Lamont in 1995, stuck with him after an 8-17 April and a crisis that followed the midseason trade of veterans Roberto Hernandez, Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin and Harold Baines. Schueler pulled the plug after a series of late-season indications that players and fans had lost confidence in Bevington.
“Terry is a great guy,” Schueler said. “I think he did a great job. Right now the organization is going in a different direction. I want new leadership.”
Schueler promised an “extensive search” for Bevington’s replacement, who will become the fourth manager since Schueler replaced Larry Himes as GM in November, 1990. The Sox haven’t had a manager last as many as four full seasons since a young Tony La Russa was fired in 1986.
New York Yankees hitting coach Chris Chambliss is considered a leading candidate. Former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, who was fired a week ago, is also prominent on the list.
Bevington, 41, worked his way up through the ranks in the Sox organization. While the club originally said it had given Bevington a multiyear contract last winter–which Bevington said was for two years–Schueler recently retracted that, saying only that the Sox had an option to retain Bevington in 1998. He said Tuesday he isn’t exercising the option.
Bevington’s departure leaves uncertain the future of coaches Joe Nossek, Ron Jackson, Mike Pazik, Art Kusyner and Bryan Little.
“Some of our staff members have done a great job,” Schueler said. “(But) you have to give a new (manager) some choices.”
Bevington leaves the Sox with a 222-214 record as manager, including an 80-81 finish this year. Schueler said he did not discuss a future role for Bevington within the organization when he met with him Monday.
Bevington’s departure creates little stir among the White Sox players. Albert Belle declined an interview request, while Frank Thomas issued only a statement through a spokesman.
“Terry Bevington’s a friend of mine, and I feel bad for him right now,” Thomas said in a statement. “But there were problems, and it became obvious that a change had to be made.”
The players who were available expressed minimal regret.
“Whether it’s the right move, I don’t know,” said pitcher Doug Drabek, a free agent who is unlikely to return to the Sox.
Reliever Matt Karchner pitched for Bevington in parts of all three seasons he managed the Sox. Yet they didn’t establish a relationship. “I never dealt with him,” said Karchner. “The only time I really spoke to him was when he handed me the ball.”
Bevington knew he entered the season with expectations to get the White Sox into the World Series. Ownership had raised the payroll to $53.4 million in a series of moves, including the signing of Belle to a $55 million contract.
In spring training, Bevington said he liked his situation. But the expectations were too much.
“I don’t have much to say on that,” Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said Tuesday. “Things just didn’t work out.”
The Sox failed to execute as a team, setting the tone for a season in which they allowed 85 unearned runs, most in the majors.
“The club wasn’t prepared mentally coming out of spring training,” Schueler said. “Physically, it had done all the fundamentals. It was ready. But I saw a club coming out of spring training that wasn’t ready to compete.”
Bevington clashed with veterans Ozzie Guillen and Ron Karkovice early in the year. Guillen was miffed when Bevington enforced a rule to keep players’ children out of the clubhouse while allowing access to Albert Belle’s brother and bodyguard. Karkovice thought Bevington benched him because he publicly second-guessed Bevington’s use of relievers in a loss to Seattle May 6.
The Sox recovered from the slow start to raise their record to 47-42 on July 13, but in losing 11 of the next 15 games they persuaded Reinsdorf and Schueler to jettison veterans in trades for prospects. Bevington too often pushed the wrong buttons.
In a loss at Texas Aug. 22, he intentionally walked the slap-hitting Goodwin (career slugging percentage: .337) with men at second and third. After Jaime Navarro struck out Ivan Rodriguez, Rusty Greer hit a grand slam. In a loss to Cleveland Sept. 14, Bevington pulled Navarro with a 2-0 lead in the seventh. He used eight relievers in the last three innings, once signaling for a pitcher when no one was warming up.
Things went badly off the field, as well. Bevington was deserted by as many as 20 players on a bus ride to the Kansas City airport after a victory on Sept. 18. He and Ventura argued loudly on the plane ride to Boston that night.
Bevington declined to return calls Tuesday. He appeared prepared for the decision when the Sox’s season ended Sunday.
“Things don’t get me down real easy,” he said. “I’m a pretty tough guy. I’ve been able to take what people dish out.”
