The Red Sox have interviewed two internal candidates – third base coach Carlos Febles and bench coach Ron Roenicke – for their managerial opening, sources confirmed Tuesday.
Febles and Roenicke are the third and fourth candidates known to have interviewed to replace Alex Cora, who was let go last month after being implicated in the league’s investigation into the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. Diamondbacks bench coach Luis Urueta and Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay have also spoken with Sox brass in recent weeks, though the San Francisco Chronicle reported Tuesday that Kotsay is no longer in the running for the position.
Febles, 43, has been with the organization for 13 seasons, managing over 900 minor league games before being promoted to the major league staff before last season. He managed the Sea Dogs in 2016 and 2017 with a record of 120-158. The former major league infielder managed Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Rafael Devers and others in the minors and expressed interest in replacing Cora last month.
“If you want to manage in the big leagues, this is the team that you want to do it, the Boston Red Sox,” Febles said during the team’s Winter Weekend event in Springfield. “Not just because of the talent we have, but the organization and the fan base. You put all the perspective together, this is the perfect scenario for any manager to come in.
Because this is a real special organization. An organization that they’re willing to win every year. Year in and year out.”
Roenicke, 63, managed the Brewers from 2011 to 2015, leading Milwaukee to a 342-331 record. He joined the Sox at the beginning of 2018, providing a veteran voice in Cora’s first year as manager.
If the Red Sox choose to hire an internal candidate, Febles and Roenicke appear to be the top two options. Special assistant Jason Varitek is considered a longshot.
Any internal hire might be delayed by the league’s ongoing investigation into alleged electronic sign-stealing by the Red Sox in 2018. Though new chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said the investigation would not have a direct impact on his search, it stands to reason that he Bloom will want to make sure his choice is not implicated in any wrongdoing.
Boston is likely considering other candidates, with Nationals first-base coach Tim Bogar, White Sox bench coach Joe McEwing and Phillies executive Sam Fuld among the potential other external candidates.
HALL OF FAME: The lone baseball writer who did not vote for Derek Jeter for the Hall of Fame chose to keep his or her ballot private.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America released the ballots of 315 Hall voters, and all public ballots included the longtime New York Yankees’ captain.
Jeter was on 396 of 397 ballots in voting announced Jan. 21, elected along with slugger Larry Walker. They will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown on July 26 along with catcher Ted Simmons and late players’ association head Marvin Miller, who were elected by the modern era committee in November.
The BBWAA has listed public ballots since 2012. The BBWAA voted all Hall ballots should be made public but was overruled by the Hall’s board of directors, which instead included an option for each voter to decide whether to release his or her ballot two weeks after the voting announcement.
BRAVES: Reliever Shane Greene became the first player to go to salary arbitration this year, asking a three-man panel for a raise from $4 million to $6.75 million as the Braves argued for $6.25 million.
Arbitrators Gary Kendellen, Brian Keller and Allen Ponak heard the case.
A 31-year-old right-hander, Greene was a first-time All-Star last year. He had a 2.30 ERA in 65 relief appearances with 64 strikeouts and 17 walks in 62 2/3 innings for Detroit and Atlanta, which acquired him at the July 31 trade deadline. He had a 4.01 ERA in 27 games for the Braves.
Greene is eligible for free agency after this season.
Seventeen players remain scheduled for arbitration hearings, including Pedro Baez, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Hearings are scheduled through Feb. 21.
PHILLIES: The Philadelphia Phillies will retire the late Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay’s No. 34 this season.
The Phillies will pay tribute to Halladay on May 29, 2020, the 10th anniversary of his perfect game against the Marlins. It was the 20th perfect game in MLB history.
Halladay was 40 when he was killed in a plane crash in November 2017.
RANGERS: Free-agent first baseman Greg Bird has agreed on a minor league contract with the Rangers that includes an invitation to spring training and the chance to earn a roster spot at a position where Texas is unsettled.
Bird, 27, was limited to 10 games in the first two weeks last season with the New York Yankees before being sidelined by a plantar fascia tear in his left foot. He became a free agent in November when he refused an outright assignment to Triple-A.
CUBS: Arbitrator Mark Irvings issued his decision to deny the grievance filed by Cubs star Kris Bryant, ruling the players’ association did not prove Chicago’s reasons for holding the third baseman in the minors at the start of the 2015 season were a pretext to push back his eligibility for free agency.
The text of Irvings’ decision was not made public but its reasoning was described to The Associated Press by a person who had read it.
Bryant hit .425 with nine homers in 40 at-bats during spring training in 2015. He started the season at Triple-A Iowa, where he batted .321 with three homers in seven games.
He made his major league debut on April 17, 2015, and the timing left him able to accrue 171 days of major league service that season, one day shy of a full year of service. That pushed back his free-agent eligibility by one year, until after the 2021 season.
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