Athletics Fire Manager Before Starting Series With White Sox
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- On Thursday, the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics will start a four-game series in Chicago. When the two teams square off, the Athletics will do so without the manager they started the season with.
The Athletics fired manager Bob Geren in the midst of a nine-game losing streak that has sent them tumbling to the bottom of the AL West standings.
Oakland general manager Billy Beane immediately announced Thursday that former Arizona manager and broadcaster Bob Melvin will be the interim manager.
The A's went 334-376 in four-plus seasons under Geren, a longtime friend of Beane. The beleaguered manager had come under criticism from his bullpen in recent weeks for a lack of communication, and a sluggish offense combined with a rash of injuries to the rotation spelled the end of his tenure.
The A's were planning to introduce Melvin at news conference before their game at the Chicago White Sox later in the day.
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