Posted May 11, 200520 yr comment_2079718 KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tony Pena resigned as manager of the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night, less than two seasons after he was the American League manager of the year. Tony Pena's managerial record Year Team Win Loss Pct. Pos. 2005 K.C. 8 25 .242 5th 2004 K.C. 58 104 .358 4th 2003 K.C. 83 79 .512 3rd 2002 K.C. 49 77 .389 5th The move came hours after the Royals lost 3-1 to the Blue Jays in Toronto and fell to an AL-worst 8-25. Royals spokesman Aaron Babcock said Pena would be replaced on an interim basis by bench coach Bob Schaeffer. "I feel that at this time we have not played to the top of our abilities," Pena said in a statement released by the team. "The Kansas City Royals are on the right track by committing to their young players, and I believe the Royals will be contenders for a long time if they don't change their direction." The Royals were one of baseball's biggest surprises in 2003, Pena's first full season in charge. They went 83-79 and contended into September before finishing third in the AL Central, earning Pena manager of the year honors. It was the team's first winning season since 1994. The Royals were expected to challenge for the division crown last season but got off to a terrible start and traded star center fielder Carlos Beltran in June. They wound up losing a team-record 104 games. Kansas City general manager Allard Baird said Pena will be offered a position within the organization. "I am glad that he will continue to remain a part of the Royals," Baird said in a statement. "He was manager of the year in his first full season and he has played a major role in the development of our young players. Under Tony's leadership, he has positioned many of our young players to be the foundation for the further success of the organization. "Despite our early-season struggles, this team has battled with an intensity that reflects Tony's personality," he said.
May 11, 200520 yr comment_2079741 Remember when Tony Pena was Manager of the Year? Yeah, good times. All things considered, I initially wanted to argue against this as a great injustice, due to the fact that I've drafted expansion teams in All-Star Baseball with more talent than the Royals have on their 25 man roster...but then I remembered that Pena was really a terrible strategist and couldn't really manage a bullpen to save his life.
May 11, 200520 yr comment_2079756 Watching the Royals, it's clear the Cubs have competition when it comes to finding unique ways to lose games. Everytime the Royals threatened in last night's game, they messed things up. Case in point, the ninth inning. Down 3-1, Berroa leads off with a double, but a routine lineout to the centerfielder turns into a lazy doubleplay because Berroa assumed it was a hit. Now watch some Cub fans say they need to sack Baker and bring in Pena, using 2003 as the reason why.
May 11, 200520 yr comment_2084829 Can't say I blame him. The only players worth a damn on that team are Stairs and Greinke.
May 12, 200520 yr comment_2089924 Andy Sisco is proving to be a pretty solid middle reliever...just pointing that out.
May 12, 200520 yr comment_2093638 Can't say I blame him. The only players worth a damn on that team are Stairs and Greinke. They shouldn't have let those young guns Gonzalez and Santiago slip away from them.
May 12, 200520 yr Author comment_2104110 Larry Bowa to take over? May 12, 2005 FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Hiring a new manager might not be as simple as finding the one the Kansas City Royals want. It will have to be someone who wants the Royals. This small-market franchise has fallen upon hard times. Deep problems may prove sobering to any would-be successor to Tony Pena, who resigned Tuesday night. The Royals have the worst record (8-26) and second-lowest team payroll ($36.9 million) in the major leagues. Major league managerial experience may also be something the Royals look for, which would work to the advantage of former Philadelphia manager Larry Bowa. Bowa was 337-308 at Philadelphia before he was fired after last season. He would be the polar opposite from the upbeat Pena, who once showered with his uniform on after an error-filled loss to "get the stink out." Bowa said he hopes to talk with Royals general manager Allard Baird. "Because you're young doesn't mean you're going to get beat," Bowa said Wednesday. "Playing winning baseball is hard. You've got to put in the time and the effort, respect your other teammates, respect your manager and respect your coaching staff. It takes work." Another possibility would be Frank White, the gold glove second baseman of the Royals' glory years who is now managing the Royals' Double-A team in Wichita. "If they're interested, then I'm interested," White told the Associated Press. He was 73-66 last year in his first season at Wichita. Barring a miracle turnaround, the once-proud Royals are about to go 21 straight years without making the postseason. They lost a franchise-record 104 games in 2004. After starting 16-3 in 2003, the surprising Royals competed into September and finished 83-79 for their first winning record since 1994. Pena was named AL manager of the year. The next year, they loaded up on high-priced, underachieving veterans but never competed. Baird said Pena, whose record is 198-285, would be offered a job in the organization.
May 13, 200520 yr comment_2105359 Larry Bowa managing the youth-heavy Royals would work about as well as Napoleon coaching the Lakers. Can't say I blame him. The only players worth a damn on that team are Stairs and Greinke. Not only did somebody get you, but they didn't even get you with a mention of the right guy.
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