Boone Should Catch On Again Soon

Bob Boone, fired Wednesday as manager of the Kansas City Royals, shouldn’t be out of work long. The Stanford psychology graduate and Gene Mauch disciple is an insightful baseball man who paid the price for a front office that failed to look in the mirror.

“The game is all about blame, and the manager is the guy, but I was surprised because of my contract situation,” said Boone, who was signed through 1999 and came away with a buyout of about $1.3 million.

“I’m not going to be destitute,” he said, “but I’ve never really failed at anything and I came away from this as a failure. But blame the source.”

The Royals acquired Jeff King and Jay Bell in the off-season, which wasn’t enough to support front-office hype regarding a 90-win season.

There has been no help for an incendiary bullpen that has seen closer Jeff Montgomery continue to struggle after rotator cuff surgery; the trade that sent Michael Tucker to Atlanta for Jermaine Dye has been a dud, and the Royals rank 12th in the league in runs and 11th in homers.

“If the bullpen doesn’t straighten out, it ain’t going to work,” said Boone, who also laid some of the blame for his firing on the media.

The organization cited an eight-game losing streak before the All-Star break and said a team that should be better simply hadn’t responded. Behind the smoke, however, sources say the club also thought Boone tried to be too heavy-handed and controlling of everything and everyone.

If so, they have hired another straight shooter in Tony Muser, who is finally getting his chance after interviewing for eight managerial openings.

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The Baltimore Orioles started the second half 25 games over .500 primarily because their first four starting pitchers--Mike Mussina, Jimmy Key, Scott Erickson and Scott Kamieniecki--were 25 over.

The recent acquisition of designated hitter Geronimo Berroa sent the payroll to about $58 million. But owner Peter Angelos, sensing this may be the best shot for a team averaging about 31 in age to win a World Series title and responding, perhaps, to the New York Yankees’ acquisition of Hideki Irabu, said the Orioles may still try to land a fifth starter and another hitter before the July 31 deadline.

“This could be the year,” Angelos said. “We’re committed to doing what it takes. We won’t go for broke, but we could go for both if we like the deals.”

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A star is born? Yankee owner George Steinbrenner certainly hopes so. That’s what his $12-million investment in Irabu is all about.

“This has always been a star-vehicle town,” Steinbrenner said at Yankee Stadium before Irabu’s debut Thursday night. “You’re always looking for those special guys and willing to pay for that extra dimension.”

The Detroit Tigers weren’t exactly blown away. Irabu seemed to overmatch Brian Hunter in three at-bats, but the Tiger center fielder grumbled that “he’s not ready for the major leagues. . . . I didn’t see the power. . . . He needs a year in the minors.”

Some Tigers said Irabu might not have been as effective if they had been more in groove after the break and if Irabu hadn’t been given a big early lead.

“That wasn’t an indication of whether he’ll be successful or not,” Travis Fryman said of his debut. “That’ll take a few years. I think he’ll be a good pitcher, but I wouldn’t put him up there with Roger Clemens.”