ARLINGTON, Texas – Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux was given permission to interview for managerial openings with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs, though any talking will have to wait until he recovers from a bout with laryngitis.
Maddux indicated Thursday that he expects to meet with both teams next week, depending on his recovery time.
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“I’m humbled to find how highly some other organizations feel about me,” Maddux wrote. “It’s come upon our family and me quickly. Just last week we were in the World Series and managing another club was not on the game plan.”
During a conference call with Rangers reporters, Maddux responded to questions by typing answers that were then sent to those on the call.
RED SOX: The Indians have given Boston permission to interview bench coach Sandy Alomar to be the next manager of the Red Sox.
Alomar recently completed his second season coaching first base for Cleveland Manager Manny Acta. He was promoted to bench coach on the final day of the season by Acta when Tim Tolman stepped down because of Parkinson’s Disease.
Alomar has no managerial experience, and would be considered a longshot to replace Terry Francona, who was fired after the season.
CUBS: Chicago plans to interview Phillies bench coach Pete Mackanin, who already has been interviewed by the Red Sox.
MATTY ALOU, once part of an all-Alou outfield for the San Francisco Giants with brothers Felipe and Jesus, died Thursday in his native Dominican Republic. He was 72.
He died of diabetes complications, according to his former Dominican team, Leones del Escogido. The Giants also confirmed his death and said Alou had been sick for several years with a variety of health issues.
Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda said he knew his “great friend” had been ailing.
“We roomed together a few times with the Giants,” Cepeda said by phone. “Very funny guy, hell of a ballplayer. When Matty was playing with the Giants, he was a dead fastball hitter, he could pull anybody, I don’t care how hard they threw.”
A two-time All-Star, Alou became the 1966 National League batting champion with the Pirates when he hit .342. He spent his first six years with San Francisco from 1960-65 and also played for St. Louis, Oakland, the New York Yankees and San Diego.
Alou, who worked for a time as an adviser in the Giants’ baseball operations department before his health problems persisted, was a career .307 hitter with 31 home runs, 427 RBI, 1,777 hits and 236 doubles in 15 major league seasons.
CARDINALS: A person familiar with the search said the Cardinals have begun interviewing for their managing vacancy with a pair of lower-key candidates, Joe McEwing and Chris Maloney.
McEwing was named third base coach for new Chicago White Sox Manager Robin Ventura earlier this week after success at the minor league level. Maloney manages the Cards’ Triple-A Memphis affiliate.
Ryne Sandberg, ruled out earlier this week for the Chicago Cubs’ managing vacancy, is among other candidates who will be interviewing with the Cardinals.
Terry Francona and an in-house candidate, Jose Oquendo, are also believed to be on the Cardinals’ list.
NATIONALS: Chien-Ming Wang and the Washington Nationals agreed to the terms of a contract, pending a physical, a person familiar with the deal said.
Wang went 4-3 with a 4.04 ERA in 11 starts for Washington in 2011. He returned to the majors on July 29, exactly two years after surgery on his right shoulder. Wang hadn’t appeared in a big-league game since July 4, 2009, when he was with the New York Yankees, for whom he twice won 19 games in a season.
BLUE JAYS: Toronto outrighted pitcher Jesse Carlson and outfielder Adam Loewen off its 40-man roster.
HALL OF FAME: Former Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges, general manager Buzzie Bavasi and former Athletics owner Charlie Finley are among 10 candidates for the Hall of Fame who will be on the Veterans Committee ballot next month.
Ken Boyer, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Allie Reynolds, Ron Santo and Luis Tiant also will be on the ballot, which will be voted on by the 16-member committee on Dec. 5 at the winter meetings in Dallas.
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