Dodgers’ Problems Leave in a Hough?

In another major coaching staff shake-up, the Dodgers on Wednesday fired respected pitching coach Charlie Hough only 44 games into their disappointing season because most members of the rotation have failed to meet expectations.

Hough, a former Dodger pitcher and onetime rising star in the organization’s coaching ranks, was replaced on an interim basis by triple-A pitching coach Claude Osteen in the surprising move. Osteen joined the team before Wednesday’s 9-3 victory over the Reds at Cinergy Field.

The promotion marks Osteen’s fourth stint as a major league pitching coach. He also previously held the position with the St. Louis Cardinals (1977-80), Philadelphia Phillies (‘82-88) and Texas Rangers (‘93-94).

Also Wednesday, Rick Dempsey was demoted from third base coach to the bullpen coach. Glenn Hoffman moved from the bullpen to third.

Ostensibly, Dempsey, a former major league catcher, went to the bullpen to help Osteen with the pitching staff. But team sources said that move was made, in part, because Dempsey had often displayed questionable judgment while guiding baserunners.

Hough, in his 33rd season in professional baseball, was among several coaches promoted from within the Dodger farm system last June 24 when many longtime members of the staff were fired.

The Dodgers plan to offer Hough, a former knuckleball pitcher, a minor league coaching or consultant position. However, Hough, who is owed the remainder of his one-year, $90,000 contract, said he probably won’t remain with the organization.

The poor performance of right-hander Chan Ho Park this season was among the reasons Hough was fired. In a twist, Park (4-3) pitched well Wednesday before a crowd of 19,273 as the Dodgers (23-22) won for the third time in 10 games.

Manager Davey Johnson acknowledged Park may not have had his best stuff, but he liked the way the Dodger starter worked out of a couple of bases-loaded jams.

Park’s seven innings pitched gave him his second solid start in a row. He gave up seven hits--including two home runs--and three runs while striking out four and walking three. Park has now given up 12 home runs in 59 2/3 innings.

Dodger right fielder Raul Mondesi hit his National League-leading 17th homer. Third baseman Adrian Beltre added a two-run shot--his third--as the Dodgers broke the game open with a six-run sixth.

Left fielder Gary Sheffield had a two-run double in the inning. In the fifth, Sheffield made a nice running catch in the corner in left with runners on first and second and one out, helping Park preserve a 2-2 tie.

Park also benefited from the return of second baseman Eric Young, who was sidelined the previous three games because of left ankle soreness. Johnson put Young second in the batting order, rather than in his customary leadoff spot, to ease him back into the lineup. The plan apparently worked.

Young had a run-scoring single in the first, staking the Dodgers to a 1-0 lead. Center fielder Devon White, who has filled in admirably batting leadoff, opened the game with a double against Cincinnati starter Brett Tomko (1-3), who was victimized by two errors in the game from third baseman Mark Lewis, paving the way for five unearned runs.

Young added a run-scoring double in the Dodgers’ sixth.

Late Tuesday night, Johnson informed Hough of the decision after the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss in the opener of the three-game series. Hough left the team hotel to return to Los Angeles early Wednesday morning--but not before taking subtle shots at his former employers.

“I was looking at the starting pitchers the other night and I think we’re now third [actually fourth] in the [NL] in ERA [at 4.19 beginning play Wednesday], so it’s just one of those things,” Hough said. “We didn’t do well . . . you’re going to make some changes; corporate stuff. It’s the game. I replaced a guy [Glenn Gregson] last year.

“The only thing that upsets me is that I had to come here [Cincinnati]. I didn’t get fired because of [Tuesday’s game in which staff ace Kevin Brown pitched well]. I’ll be fine. I’m going to play some golf and watch the baseball season unfold. Maybe I’ll go get [Greg] Maddux and [Tom] Glavine straightened out--and all the other teams behind us [in starters’ ERA].”

Many sources said Jim Benedict, minor league pitching coordinator and a member of Malone’s management team in Montreal, is the leading candidate to be the pitching coach next season unless the staff excels under Osteen’s guidance.

Malone and Johnson maintain the decision to fire Hough was not made in desperation.

“It’s not about being 22-22 [the Dodgers’ record when Hough was fired], it’s about the direction we’re going,” Malone said. “Are we getting better? In certain areas, we look to be regressing. We’re going in the opposite direction. What? We should wait until we’re 65-65?”

Malone and Johnson were reluctant to discuss the specifics of the decision. However, sources said Hough recently came under fire with upper management because his pitching strategy has been considered flawed this season.

Pitchers have not communicated well with catcher Todd Hundley, shaking him off too frequently, sources said. Officials questioned the staff’s pitch selection and were critical of the reluctance of some pitchers to challenge batters.

Moreover, officials were dismayed because pitchers were too often unable to work out of jams, attributing that to Hough’s inability to provide a strong foundation in preparation for starts.

Johnson reluctantly acknowledged that he believed communication problems existed.

“The pitcher-catcher relationship has to be on the same page, and that has to be tightened up,” Johnson said. “But this shouldn’t look like it’s totally Charlie.”