On August 9, the last-place Seattle Mariners announced that they have fired manager Don Wakamatsu. Starting the day at 42-70, the second-worst record in the American League, the team made the announcement just hours before tonight’s game against Oakland.
They started the night with their fifth manager in three years plus one month. Daren Brown, the manager of Triple-A Tacoma for the last three-plus seasons, took over on an interim basis hours before a game against Oakland.
Seattle also fired bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and pitching coach Rick Adair. The team also released performance coach Steve Hecht.
“The truth of the matter is, I lost confidence in Don, Ty and Rick,” Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said during a pregame press conference in which he tried to explain why Wakamatsu was out after one good season and about half a terrible one.
“New leadership is needed and it is needed now,” Zduriencik said.
The GM said he would likely begin talking to candidates for the permanent manager job while this season runs out.
When Wakamatsu was hired in 2008, he became the first Asian American manager in the history of Major League Baseball, and guided Seattle to an 85-77 record in his first season.
