McKeon Back to Full Time as Trader Jack

The Padres’ news conference announcing that coach Greg Riddoch was replacing Jack McKeon immediately as manager had barely concluded Wednesday when McKeon quietly disappeared through a side door.

Surely, he was looking for a place to be alone, right? Perhaps in this emotional time he was leaving to be with his wife, Carol. Maybe he was calling his family.

So much for sentiment.

Only 15 minutes later, McKeon was sitting behind his desk as vice president/baseball operations, holding a cigar with one hand and a telephone receiver with the other, talking trade with any general manager who would listen.

It took less than an hour for him to make his first deal since returning upstairs--sending triple-A center fielder Alex Cole to the Cleveland Indians for left-handed hitting catcher Tom Lampkin--and he promised at least one major trade before his cigar box runs empty.

“This is where I belong,” McKeon said. “This is where I always wanted to be. This is where I can best help the team. I’m sorry I had to go out with the record (37-43) we had, but we just didn’t produce and I don’t know why. I beat my head up against the wall night after night wondering why.

“But I take full blame. I take full responsibility. I’m not going to hide. We just didn’t play like I thought we would, and I’m responsible for that.

“I’m not going to apologize for anything, but I never wanted to be a long-term manager. I just wanted to bring continuity to the team. But I was worn out, believe me. I was cheating myself, and I was cheating the organization.

“Maybe a change like this will shake things up.”

McKeon became manager May 28, 1988, after firing Larry Bowa. McKeon was 193-164 during his two-plus seasons, a .541 winning percentage, the best in Padre history. Managing in parts of eight major league seasons in Kansas City, Oakland and San Diego, he was 479-474 and never won a division title.

Padre Chairman Tom Werner, who seriously began contemplating a change last weekend, telephoned McKeon on Monday and asked who should be his successor. McKeon didn’t hesitate, telling him Riddoch was the best candidate on his staff.

Riddoch, who has not managed since 1981 and never at a higher level than the Class-A Northwest League, became the 13th manager in Padre history. He was provided a new contract for the remainder of the season, and the Padres have an option for him in 1991. He was earning about $60,000 as a coach but will receive a raise of about $100,000, sources said. Although the job is not on an interim basis, it was made clear to Riddoch, 44, that he will be evaluated at the end of the season.

“I’m the manager, not the interim manager,” Riddoch said, “and I’m going to make it as hard on these people as conceivably can be for them to get rid of me.”

Riddoch, a popular choice among the players, made it clear in his first minutes on the job that it will be his team. He fired hitting coach Amos Otis and replaced him with Jack Maloof, the Padres’ minor league hitting instructor. He also hired Rob Picciolo, their minor league fielding instructor, to replace himself at first base.

“I think this was a good move,” right fielder Tony Gwynn said. “I think everybody knows what he’s done for me, and he’s done a whole lot for a lot of guys in here. I respect the man.”

Although the Padres’ disappointing first half certainly helped trigger the move, McKeon’s feelings, more than anything else, led Werner to the decision.

McKeon, in a private July 2 meeting with Werner, requested that he leave the field as quickly as possible and assume the sole role of general manager. Werner said he would take the request under advisement but did not plan an immediate change.

But when McKeon’s request was reported July 3, it accelerated the process. McKeon addressed his team in a meeting before that day’s home game against Pittsburgh to squelch the report, telling the players he would remain the rest of the season. But it was too late. The damage had been done. Werner had to make a move.

“From the standpoint of what was happening in the clubhouse, everybody was expecting a change,” said Pat Dobson, Padre pitching coach. “And when that didn’t happen right away--I’m not saying it was a disappointment, but it left everybody in limbo.”

The Padres kept losing, dropping nine of 11 games before the All-Star break, and more and more players were expressing their dissatisfaction by the day.

“We had to make a change,” one player said, “because we weren’t going anywhere under Jack. It was a circus, an absolute circus. It was a country club atmosphere. Guys didn’t even care anymore.

“Our batting practice was a joke. And infield, whenever we took it, was a joke.”

But the player demanded anonymity, saying, “They don’t call him Trader Jack for nothing. He may not be down here anymore, but that doesn’t stop him from trading us.”

McKeon--who did not receive a contract extension but will continue being paid $400,000 this season and $400,000 through the 1991 season--was well aware of the criticism that he was too lenient. He said he didn’t understand the need for motivating $3-million players, that being in a major league uniform should be enough inducement.

Riddoch, a former psychology teacher who also has a master’s degree in education administration, says he understands the needs of today’s major league players.

“Today’s player wants to know the advantage of doing it your way, or the way you are suggesting,” Riddoch said. “You better be able to sell them. . . . We need to play baseball like we did as kids, for the love of the game.”

Riddoch was the only man interviewed for the job, Werner said, although Dobson also was considered a viable candidate.