Hargrove Resigns

[Guest Edgy DC]

Mariners only four games behind the Angels.

OE: They've won seven straight!

[metirish]

] SEATTLE -- Mike Hargrove resigned as manager of the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, saying his "passion has begun to fade" for baseball even though his team is the hottest club in the majors. Hargrove was to manage Sunday's game against Toronto and will be succeeded by John McLaren, his bench coach. McLaren's first game as manager will be Monday against Kansas City. The Mariners have won seven consecutive games, and Hargrove's startling resignation came hours before the team tried to extend its longest winning streak in more than four years. "Over the past several weeks, I have come to the realization that to be fair to myself and the team, I cannot continue to do this job if my passion has begun to fade," the 57-year-old Hargrove said in a statement. Hargrove was in the middle of his 16th season. He led Cleveland to two World Series, in 1995 and '97. He had six consecutive losing seasons in Baltimore and Seattle before the Mariners' surprising surge this year. Seattle was four games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West entering Sunday. "I am very proud of the work we've done to turn this club around in three years, and I have high expectations for the team this season," Hargrove said. AP NEWS The Associated Press News Service

[Zvon]

I found this to be very odd.
Must be more going on here than we know.

[MFS62]

How many times did he step away from the microphone before he completed his statements?

Later

[Guest Edgy DC]

Cool trivia about Grover's Playing Career before Texas dealt him:

Level	Affiliation	Nickname
High School	Perryton High	Rangers
College	Northwestern Oklahoma State University	Rangers
A	Geneva	Rangers
AA	Gastonia	Rangers
MLB	Texas	Rangers

[Frayed Knot]

And now Cincy cans Jerry Narron - making it a two managerial opening day.

[seawolf17]

Edgy, exactly how long have you been stalking Mike Hargrove? Isn't Ray Durham going to get jealous?

[Guest Edgy DC]

You got the wrong guy, Dickshot's got the love jones for Durham.

Once upon a time, Hargrove managed the US All-Star Team playing in Japan, and was --- amazingly --- quoted as saying that Ichiro would have trouble making a US team as a fifth outfielder. Ichiro supposedly took that as an insult not only personally, but against all Japanese players.

There was speculation early on that Johjima and Grover would have different ideas about handling a pitching staff. I don't know if that came to anything.

[metirish]

I wonder if Joe Girardi gets asked to interview for the Reds job.

[Guest cleonjones11]

I think Giradi gets Torre's job