Rangers Dump Pitching Coach

Dick Bosman was fired as the Texas Rangers’ pitching coach after the team posted the third-worst earned-run average in the American League this season.

Bosman, who had one year left on his contract, was the Rangers’ pitching coach for six years.

“He is not the reason that we have failed to perform up to expectations this season. However, I feel that we need to make improvement and progress in our overall pitching,” Ranger Manager Johnny Oates said in a statement released by the team Friday.

As recently as Monday, Oates said his entire coaching staff would remain intact for next season.

The Rangers won the American League West championship last season, but will finish last this season. They become only the fourth team in major league history to go from first to last in a division in the span of one season.

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Gene Lamont, who has known since Sept. 12 that he is going to be fired as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, said he will wait until a Monday news conference to talk about his dismissal.