Johnny Oates began his four-year managerial tenure with the Orioles by losing four consecutive games and 16 pounds. He ended it yesterday with a winning record and one year left on his contract.
Oates heard he was fired yesterday afternoon, shortly after finishing a round of golf at a charity tournament in Richmond, Va. A somber Roland Hemond announced it hours later in a series of phone calls to media members.
Majority owner Peter Angelos, who expected a championship-caliber team after spending generously on free agents in the off-season, offered to break the news to Oates in person in Baltimore. But both men thought the lengthy drive unnecessary and Hemond, the Orioles general manager, let Oates know of his fate by phone.
"I and everyone with the Orioles wish Johnny the best," Angelos said. "He leaves with our gratitude, goodwill and respect."
Oakland Athletics manager Tony La Russa, former Oriole Rick Dempsey, who manages the Los Angeles Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, and Orioles first base coach Davey Lopes head the list of possible successors to Oates.
The Orioles finished this season with a 63-49 record and trailed the first-place New York Yankees by 6 1/2 games when the strike hit Aug. 12.
Managing the Orioles into the postseason was thought to be Oates' only chance at saving his job. That chance vanished when the players went out on strike Aug. 12 and never returned.
Oates became the third manager to be fired since the strike began. He follows Hal McRae of Kansas City and Butch Hobson of Boston.
With managerial vacancies in those two cities, and others
possibly opening up soon, the Orioles wanted to give Oates a shot at landing another managing job.
"I certainly foresee him managing in the major leagues again soon," Hemond said. "He has gained valuable experience and certainly should have a continued bright future in baseball. I haven't heard from any clubs, but of course they knew John's contract ran through 1995. They didn't know he was going to be available."
While Oates sounded serene by telephone from his home in Colonial Heights, Va., Hemond sounded almost depressed.
"It's always a difficult task for everybody," Hemond said. "For Peter, myself and everybody involved. It's always difficult, whether it involves managers, coaches or players, especially someone of the fine-caliber person that Johnny is. He's a very fine family man and you get close."
Said Oates: "I want to thank the Baltimore Orioles organization for giving me the opportunity to manage at the major-league level. I leave the O's with my head held high. I would like to thank my coaching staff for their loyalty and endless hours of hard work.
"I would also like to thank the players for their all-out effort day in and day out. Last but not least, I would like to thank all the wonderful Orioles fans for their support and encouragement."
Oates chose not to elaborate on that prepared statement, saying only, "I have some family members I would like to talk with first before I talk to reporters. Not tonight."
La Russa, who will be pursued by the Boston Red Sox and the Athletics, among other teams, heads the Orioles' wish list of replacements for Oates. The Orioles were denied permission to speak with La Russa by the A's, but they can do so when his contract expires on Oct. 7.
Angelos told the Associated Press last night that a report in The Sun Sunday on the Orioles' interest in La Russa hastened the process.
"We couldn't let things continue like this. It was not fair to Johnny," Angelos told the AP last night. "We would have probably ended up making the same decision, but that newspaper story forced us to act quicker than anticipated."
The Orioles are not limiting their managerial search to La Russa, in case he decides either to stay with the A's or sign with another one of his suitors.
Said Angelos: "We plan to interview a number of qualified candidates, concluding the process as soon as possible. Obviously, in a situation like this, the sooner the better."
Dempsey, the Orioles' all-time leader in games caught, also ranks high on a preliminary list, as does Lopes. Others who might figure in the mix include Cleveland Indians pitching coach Phil Regan and Cincinnati Reds manager Davey Johnson, whose contract is about to expire.
Reached at his home last night, Dodgers general manager Fred Claire neither would confirm nor deny the Orioles already had asked for and were granted permission to speak to Dempsey, who managed the Albuquerque Dukes to the Pacific Coast League title and said the Orioles job "would be a dream come true."
"Rick has done an excellent job for us," said Claire, who would not stand in Dempsey's way of interviewing for the Orioles' opening.
The Orioles entertain no illusions of wooing Jim Leyland, who is under contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates through 1996.
The firing of Oates was only the first move in a shakeup that is expected to include Hemond moving from GM to vice chairman and assistant general manager Frank Robinson becoming general manager. Decisions pertaining to the coaching staff also are upcoming. Hitting coach Greg Biagini and pitching coach Dick Bosman are not expected to return in those positions.
Oates, 48, finished his Orioles managing career with a 291-270 record and had a winning record in each of his three full seasons, including strike-shortened 1994.
Replacing Robinson as manager of the Orioles on May 23, 1991, Oates was noted as an excellent communicator in his early years, but appeared to withdraw some as pressure and expectations increased.
Angelos led a group of investors who bought the team for a record $173 million last August. And when he spent $43.75 million on free agents Sid Fernandez, Rafael Palmeiro, Chris Sabo and Lee Smith in the off-season, he made it clear he wanted a winner in return.
Oates' relationship with Angelos, never a close one, reached a nadir after Angelos made critical remarks about him in a Washington Post article June 17. Angelos said of Oates: "The guy's a problem. He's obstinate. An insecure man. Not a very good manager. I don't think he's a good leader."
Angelos immediately apologized and said the remarks were not intended for publication. But the emotional wound never healed.
Last night, no one was willing to answer the question of why Oates was fired. Instead, Orioles officials stressed they wished Oates well and explained the timing of the move was with Oates' future in mind.
The following statements were issued through the Orioles last night:
Angelos: "When one assumes the position of responsibility as I have with the Orioles, obligations obviously go with it, including the obligation to make decisions and to take action which may be difficult and even painful.
"The decision concerning Johnny was difficult, but one arrived at after much thought and careful deliberation, one which we concluded was the right thing to do for the benefit of all concerned.
"Out of concern for Johnny, we decided to take this action at this time in order to provide him sufficient time to take advantage of other opportunities which exist or which may develop in the near future."
Hemond: "We thank Johnny for his services and for his considerable contributions to Orioles baseball over his years as manager at Rochester, then in Baltimore as coach and then manager.
"He has served the Orioles not only well as a coach and manager, but has shown much character in the process. He is an extremely decent man and will leave with our gratitude and deep respect.
"It is because of that regard for Johnny that we thought it appropriate to make our determination at this time so as to maximize Johnny's opportunities to secure another attractive position. We are confident he will do so and we wish him the very best in all of his future endeavors."
OATES' RECORD
Year ... ... ... Team ... ... ... W-L ... ... Pct ... ... Pos
1982 ... ... ... Nashville .. ... 77-67 .. .. .535 .. ... *
1983 ... ... ... Columbus ... ... 83-57 .. .. .593 .. ... 1
1988 ... ... ... Rochester .. ... 77-64 .. .. .546 .. ... 1
1991 ... ... ... Orioles .. .. .. 54-71 .. .. .432 .. ... 6#
1992 ... ... ... Orioles .. .. .. 89-73 .. .. .549 .. ... 3
1993 ... ... ... Orioles .. .. .. 85-77 .. .. .525 .. ... 3
1994 ... ... ... Orioles .. .. .. 63-49 .. .. .563 .. ... 2
ML tot. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. 291-270 ... .519
Career ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 528-458 ... .535
* -- Finished fourth in first half, first in second half
# -- Replaced Frank Robinson as manager on May 23