MLB roundup: Marlins fire Guillen
Ozzie Guillen lasted just one season with the Miami Marlins.
The team announced the manager's firing Tuesday afternoon.
"After careful consideration following the disappointment of the 2012 season, we decided to dismiss Ozzie," Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said in a statement. "Our managerial search begins immediately and our hope is that a new manager, along with roster improvements, will restore a winning culture."
Guillen came to the Marlins at the end of last season after managing the Chicago White Sox for eight years. His brief stay in Miami was doomed from the start when he praised Fidel Castro in a magazine interview, drawing a five-game suspension from Major League Baseball and the ire of the Cuban-American community.
A dismal season ended with a 69-93 record and last-place finish in the National League East.
Guillen had three years remaining on a four-year, $10 million contract.
--San Francisco left-hander Barry Zito has been selected as the starter for Wednesday's Game 1 of the World Series, Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced Tuesday.
The Giants have won the last 13 starts for Zito, who went 15-8 with a 4.15 ERA in the regular season. It marked the most victories and tied for the second-lowest ERA since he signed a $126 million six-year contract with the Giants in 2007.
Also, Zito has a 1-0 record with a 1.74 ERA during the postseason. He threw 7 2/3 shutout innings in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
He will face Detroit Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander, who was 17-6 with a .2.64 ERA during the regular season and 3-0 with a 0.74 ERA in the postseason.
--The Boston Red Sox are close to completing a two-year deal with slugger David Ortiz.
The Red Sox are hoping to have an agreement in place by Friday, ESPNBoston.com reported. It's believed that Ortiz wants $25 million for two years.
Ortiz's one-year contract this past season was worth $14.58 million. The 36-year-old veteran hit .318 with 23 home runs and 60 RBI in 90 games.
Ortiz is currently rehabbing an Achilles tendon injury.
--New Red Sox manager John Farrell knows what he's getting into.
The former Boston pitching coach, who most recently was the Toronto Blue Jays' manager, is quite familiar with the problems Boston has endured the past two years. The Red Sox experienced a massive collapse in September 2011, costing manager Terry Francona his job, then had their worst season since 1965 this year, causing the team to fire Francona's replacement, Bobby Valentine.
"There will be tough conversations to have with individual players," Farrell said during his introductory press conference at Fenway Park.
--The Colorado Rockies are looking outside the organization to fill the managerial vacancy left when Jim Tracy resigned after the season.
Sources told the Denver Post that potential candidates include the Cleveland Indians' Sandy Alomar Jr. the Los Angeles Dodgers' Tim Wallach, the Oakland Athletics' Mike Gallego and the San Diego Padres' Brad Ausmus. Alomar, Wallach and Gallego are coaches. Ausmus serves as a special assistant.
The Rockies have interviewed two internal candidates, Tom Runnells and Jason Giambi. Runnells was Tracy's bench coach, and Giambi played for the Rockies this year.
--The opening game of the World Series is officially sold out, but tickets are available at a steep price.
Standing-room-only tickets were listed at $400 on StubHub for Wednesday's game between the San Francisco Giants and the Detroit Tigers, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
The average price of two seats was $1,700 after the Giants clinched the National League Championship Series with their Game 7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Premium seats near home plate were close to $10,000.
--The Chicago Cubs lifted the interim tag from hitting coach James Rowson and named David Bell as their third base coach.
The Cubs also announced that assistant general manager Randy Bush received a three-year contract extension.
Rowson had replaced Rudy Jaramillo, who was fired in June, after serving as a minor league hitting instructor.
Bell, who replaces Pat Listach, managed Triple-A Louisville in the Cincinnati Reds' minor league system this past season. The former major league infielder was manager of the Reds' Double-A team from 2009 to 2011.
