| | ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The struggling Tampa Bay Devil Rays
fired pitching coach Rick Williams on Wednesday, but manager Larry
Rothschild's job is not in jeopardy.
"Larry Rothschild is in no danger ... Larry Rothschild is the
manager we hired not only for the short term and I think he's the
right guy for the long term," Tampa Bay general manager Chuck
LaMar said. "Nothing over the past 2½ years has changed that. If
anything, I feel stronger about that."
Williams was replaced by Bill Fischer, 69, the pitching
coach for Atlanta's Triple-A team at Richmond of the International
League.
The move came after Tampa Bay's 2-6 start. Going into Wednesday,
the Devil Rays allowed 50 runs in four games.
"There was no intent whatsoever to send a message ... you might
be the next to go," LaMar said. "We reached a decision that the
pitching staff had to get better. That's it."
Williams was hired as the Devil Rays' first pitching coach on
Nov. 18, 1997. He is the son of former major league manager Dick
Williams.
"Rick worked very hard as our pitching coach. We just didn't
get results," Rothschild said.
Tampa Bay is without its top two starting pitchers, Wilson
Alvarez and Juan Guzman. Alvarez (left shoulder tendinitis) is at
least 2-3 weeks from returning and Guzman (right shoulder
inflammation) is expected to miss at least a month.
Williams has been offered another position within the
organization, but hadn't decided if he will accept it.
Tampa Bay made significant additions during the offseason,
signing Greg Vaughn, Gerald Williams, Steve Trachsel and Guzman as
free agents. The Devil Rays also acquired Vinny Castilla in a trade
with Colorado.
"You realize the pros and cons in this job," Rothschild said.
"I do the best I can and live with that. I believe in this team
and that we're going to play well."
Fischer has been in professional baseball for 53 seasons. He
holds the major league record for most consecutive innings without
issuing a walk -- 84 1/3, from Aug. 3-Sept. 30, 1962. | |
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