About 13 months after walking out on the Seattle Mariners — winners of 8 consecutive and in the thick of the AL West race at the time — Mike Hargrove tells reporters in Cleveland that he’s magically ready to manager again. From WLS Chicago :
“I’d like to have one more chance, without a doubt,” the 58-year-old said Friday night at Progressive Field before the Indians played the Los Angeles Angels.
“It really would have to be the right place — and the team that did it would have to believe I wouldn’t walk away.”
Hargrove said he has no regrets about his decision to leave, other than missing some close relationships he had established in the game.
“I really misspoke when I said I had lost my passion for the game,” Hargrove said. “I think my competitive edge was dulled. Now, it’s back.”
Hargrove said he did it the past couple months by coaching the Liberal (Kans.) Bee Jays, a summer team for collegiate players.
“I told them I’d do it for a dollar,” Hargrove said. “Then I said, make it a dollar and a nickel so [his wife] Sharon can get her cut.
“Seeing these college kids love the game as much as major leaguers got me going. I had a blast.”
Hargrove guided Liberal to fourth place among 49 teams in the National Baseball Congress World Series earlier this week.
There was considerable speculation last summer about the real reasons behind Hargrove’s resignation in Seattle, though left unsaid was the possibility someone might go to great lengths to get very far away from Richie Sexson. For the New York Yankees, it won’t require nearly as much effort, as the former Mariner was waived today, while Melkey Cabrera was demoted to Scranton. OF Brett Gardner will report to the parent club tomorrow, as will former Round Rock SS Cody Ransom (22 HR’s in 423 International League AB’s this season).