Mariners
Team introduces new manager Hargrove

By Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporter

BETTY UDESEN / THE SEATTLE TIMES New Mariners manager Mike Hargrove speaks at this morning's news conference.

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Seattle officials met with both Hargrove and fellow finalist Grady Little yesterday and picked the former Cleveland and Baltimore manager over Little last night. They received special permission from Major League Baseball to release the news today during the playoffs, normally forbidden.

Ironically, the man known as the Human Rain Delay for his deliberate, time-consuming habits in the batter's box is coming to a club that never has rain delays at home.

"I can't tell you how excited I am about coming to Seattle, it's one of the premier baseball stops in the game,'' Hargrove said this morning. "I know we have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but I've never been afraid of hard work.

"It's a good city, with the best fans I have had the displeasure of playing against, and from the ownership to president to general manager, all the way down, they are all dedicated to bringing a winner here.''

Grover, as he is nicknamed, is also respected for strong leadership skills and is regarded as a solid game manager. He described his philosophy as "aggressive,'' but demurred when asked whether he was more like Melvin or like the Mariners previous manager, Lou Piniella.

"I don't like to make comparisons,'' he said. "I'm not Lou, I'm not Bob. I think I'm pretty good at what I do, though.''

More than anything, Hargrove got the job because of the similarity between the Indians team he took over in July 1991 and the current Mariners.

Cleveland that year finished 57-105 and had only Albert Belle, Carlos Baerga and Sandy Alomar in the everyday lineup, of the players who would take the team to 100-44 (and an ALCS win over Seattle) four years later.

Hargrove is thought to be the man that Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi wanted all along. Bavasi had cited the importance to an organization of a strong relationship between manager and general manager.

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"We did a lot of research,'' explained Bavasi. "People liked playing for him, liked working for him, and he is a stickler for detail in playing the game right, and accountability.''
 
Melvin was fired Oct. 4, after the Mariners' 63-99 season.

Hargrove had a strong relationship for years with Cleveland GM John Hart. Hargrove took the Indians to the World Series, losing to Atlanta in 1995 and Florida in 1997.

The organization produced stars Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome, and Hart brought in experienced players Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, Orel Hershiser and Dennis Martinez. Hargrove melded the youngsters and veterans into a juggernaut.

Despite the strike-shortened season in 1995, Cleveland won the American League's Central Division by a record 30 games.

Hargrove managed Baltimore from 2000-03, finishing fourth in the AL East each season. This year, he was an assistant to Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro.

Hargrove, who turns 55 next week, was a first baseman with Texas, San Diego and Cleveland from 1974-1985, finishing his career with a .290 batting average and 80 home runs.

It is believed Hargrove will be allowed to name most of his coaching staff. That could mean Bryan Price, Mariners pitching coach in recent years and the only holdover from Melvin's staff, might no longer be with the club.

"We are talking about Bryan right now,'' Hargrove said. "I've heard a lot of good things about Bryan from around baseball.''

Bavasi said the Mariners had four finalists for the manager job: Hargrove, Little, Jerry Manuel and Terry Collins.

"As I walked across the ballpark coming over here, I was struck about how green the grass was, how beautiful the ballpark was, and that goes along with everything with this organization, first class,'' Hargrove said. "That will allow for some dynamic things to happen. That's exciting. We have a chance to build something here that everyone will be proud of for a long time.''

Bob Finnigan: 206-464-8276 or bfinnigan@seattletimes.com