BREAKING: M’s Manager Mike Hargrove Resigns
So says the Times and USSMariner. No details as of this moment, press conference at 11:30am to get the whole truth. Rumor right now is that it’s health related. John McLaren will take over as skipper.
Hargrove certainly hasn’t gotten on well with the hardcore statheads, but this can’t be health-related — the M’s are in the midst of a 7-game win streak, 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2003, one game behind the Tigers for the wild card, and swept aside the Red Sox last week. His bullpen management has negated much of the craptacular performance by the starting rotation. And yet, he’s leaving.
All the best, Grover. Hope you and your family are OK.
UPDATE: According to mlb.com:
In a prepared statement released by the organization, Hargrove said he was stepping aside because his “passion has begun to fade” and it would not be “fair to myself or the team” to continue.
Wait a second here. Is he burned out? Or have we found a new euphemism for “spend more time with the family?”
Grover’s 2007 Opening Day genius, against his former team, when he converted his human rain delay into a 7-minute snow delay with the Tribe being one strike away from a complete game was Hall of Fame material. He will always be loved in Cleveland. If the real reason behind his leaving the Mariners is ever known, we will all learn that Mike Hargrove took the high road.
Hargrove just invoked 9/11 conspiracy theorists in his press conference.