Williams Out With Red Sox

Although his injury-riddled team is still alive in the division and wild-card races, it was not a surprise when Jimy Williams was fired as Boston Red Sox manager Thursday and replaced by pitching coach Joe Kerrigan.

The Red Sox had lost six of their last seven games, giving General Manager Dan Duquette a reason to fire Williams before the end of a season in which their tenuous relationship deteriorated to the point that Williams was not always consulted on roster decisions and the manager was criticized by players for lineup juggling.

Despite the injuries and internal problems, however, the Red Sox led the American League East from May 31 to July 3 and trailed the New York Yankees by only five games when Williams was fired. They were also only two games behind the Oakland Athletics in the wild-card scramble.

“We have 43 games left, and the only thing we’re concerned about is reaching the playoffs,” said Kerrigan, whose contract was extended through 2003, apparently ending speculation that Duquette, a former Montreal Expo general manager, would ultimately hire former Montreal manager Felipe Alou to replace Williams. In fact, a top baseball official insisted Thursday night that Alou turned down Duquette’s offer to manage the Red Sox before Kerrigan accepted the promotion. However, Duquette could not be reached for confirmation.

Kerrigan, 47, has never managed in the major leagues but was highly respected and popular among players during his five years as Montreal’s pitching coach and five more with the Red Sox.

“He’s a tireless worker and complete strategist,” Duquette said. “He knows our team and our players. I’m looking forward to having him help us accomplish our goals.”

That might be difficult as long as Pedro Martinez, their pitching ace, remains sidelined because of a shoulder injury. Martinez was sidelined June 26, and the Red Sox are 21-23 since. However, his was not the only major loss hindering Williams and the Sox. Shortstop and two-time batting champion Nomar Garciaparra played only the last 15 games under Williams after April wrist surgery. Infielder John Valentin, catcher Jason Varitek, outfielder Carl Everett and pitcher Bret Saberhagen also sat out or continue to sit out big chunks of the season because of injuries.

Williams was also victimized by a barrage of clubhouse sniping.

Catcher Scott Hatteberg recently compared a dysfunctional season to a soap opera, and one anonymous player told Boston reporters that Williams seemed to select his lineup by drawing straws. Of course, it was Duquette who assembled a roster heavy on “name” players with no recipe for keeping them all happy.

“We have too much talent and only nine positions,” outfielder Dante Bichette said recently.

Added Saberhagen: “Has there been dysfunction? Yeah, every team has that at some point. There was respect lost on both sides, management and players, stuff was thrown around, and people were not happy with each other. But for the most part, everyone wants to contribute and win.”

The Red Sox did under Williams. They were 414-352 in his four-plus seasons, finishing second to the Yankees from 1998 through 2000 and reaching the playoffs as a wild card in 1998 and ’99.

Said Kerrigan, the new manager: “For anyone who dreams about being the head guy in baseball, this is one of the places you’d like to come to and manage. It’s one of the best jobs in sports, to come in here and chase away the curse.”

He referred to “the Curse of the Bambino” and the fact that the Red Sox haven’t won a World Series since 1918, before they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees.

Williams might say that the Bambino isn’t the only Red Sox curse.