Indians Fire McNamara, Make Hargrove Manager : Baseball: He becomes Cleveland’s fifth manager in five years. Team’s record is worst in majors.

The Cleveland Indians, winners of only five games since June 3 and whose 26-52 record is the worst in the major leagues, fired Manager John McNamara and replaced him with first base coach Mike Hargrove on Saturday.

McNamara, 59, was in the second year of a two-year contract with the Indians, the sixth major league team he has managed. Jimmy Dykes and Dick Williams are the only others to manage that many major league teams since 1900.

The Indians lost eight of their last nine games under McNamara. Since he took over at the start of last season, they were 102-137.

Hargrove is the Indians’ fifth manager in five years.

“John McNamara is not a scapegoat,” team President Hank Peters said. “He’s not totally to blame for what has happened here. If there was a shortage of talent on this ballclub in the minds of any of you, that responsibility is on my shoulders and the shoulders of management.

“I think this year, he probably did as well as could be expected under the circumstances. This club is very much dedicated to going with a young, talented team, but it’s inexperienced. As a result of this, we have a different type club today than the one we had a year ago, and it was my belief it was the type of club John might not be accustomed to managing.”

During 13 full seasons and parts of five others as a manager, McNamara is 1,150-1,215.

Hargrove, 41, spent 6 1/2 of his 12 seasons in the majors as a first baseman with the Indians. He hit .290 and had a career on-base percentage of .400 for Texas, San Diego and Cleveland.

Peters said Hargrove was under contract to manage the Indians through 1992.

“I’m very excited,” Hargrove said. “It’s been a goal of mine since before I stopped playing. I’ll do some things differently, but that doesn’t mean I’m right and Mac’s wrong. John McNamara was fond of saying that God didn’t put him on this earth to be a loser. John McNamara is not a loser. There were a lot of things I learned from him. He’s a good man.”

During his playing days, Hargrove was known as the Human Rain Delay for his deliberate style of hitting--stepping out of the box and adjusting his batting glove before every pitch. He twice led the American League in walks. He retired after he was cut by Oakland in 1986.

Cut Loose: Managers who have been fired during the 1991 season and their replacements:

Date Manager Team Replacement April 23 Nick Leyva Philadelphia Phillies Jim Fregosi May 21 Don Zimmer Chicago Cubs Jim Essian May 22 John Wathan Kansas City Royals Hal McRae May 23 Frank Robinson Baltimore Orioles Johnny Oates June 3 Buck Rodgers Montreal Expos Tom Runnells July 6 John McNamara Cleveland Indians Mike Hargrove