Texas MLB Capsules: Clark, Pedrique interview for Astros job

HOUSTON — Dave Clark wants to be a major-league manager and the Houston Astros are his first choice.

Clark met with the team Wednesday, the first of 10 candidates the Astros say they will interview as they search for a full-time skipper.

Clark, 47, was the Astros’ third-base coach in 2009 and took over as interim manager when the team fired Cecil Cooper on Sept. 21. Clark was eager to interview for the full-time position and met with the team’s brass for about two hours.

"I don’t like to talk about myself that much, but this was about me, not about anyone else," Clark said. "It was about me, my energy and what I bring to this ballclub."

Clark managed the Astros’ Double-A affiliate in Corpus Christi from 2005-07 and Triple-A Round Rock in 2008 before he was promoted to third-base coach this year. He said he stressed his familiarity with all levels of the franchise in his interview.

"I know this organization, I know the players that are here, I know the players that are up and coming," Clark said. "I think that helps, just being a part of this organization."

General manager Ed Wade said Clark has been guaranteed a spot on next year’s staff, even if he’s not hired as a manager.

Clark said he has not been personally contacted by other teams, but was open to exploring other openings. He played for Cleveland from 1986-89, and the Indians recently fired Eric Wedge.

"A big-league managing job is a big-league managing job," Clark said. "It doesn’t matter where it’s at. Of course, I’d love to be here because I know this organization."

Another Astros coach, Al Pedrique, also met with the team Wednesday. He was the minor-league coordinator and was promoted to third-base coach when Clark replaced Cooper.

Pedrique, 49, said he was asked how he would handle the team’s star players.

"I like to treat everybody the same," he said. "The superstars have earned the right to be where they are and be considered superstars. They will be responsible for being the leaders of the club. The superstars will be responsible for showing the kids how it gets done the right way."

Pedrique managed Arizona in the second half of the 2004 season after Bob Brenly was fired. The Diamondbacks went 22-61 under Pedrique and finished 51-111.

Also Wednesday, general manager Ed Wade announced that hitting coach Sean Berry will return next season, but pitching coach Dewey Robinson has taken a job with Tampa Bay. First-base coach Jose Cruz has been offered a new position in the organization and has yet to accept it.

Wade said the job that Cruz was offered is a hybrid position that included on-field instructing at spring training, an on-field, administrative role at home games and community relations in Houston when the Astros are traveling next season.

Cruz has worked on Houston’s coaching staff since 1997. Wade said the Astros want to alter the culture in the clubhouse after Houston went 74-88 last season.

"We felt that overall, from the standpoint of communication in our clubhouse, that change was necessary," Wade said. "Different voices, a different way of operating. We felt that simply changing the manager was not the appropriate way to go at this point in time."

In other changes, bullpen coach Mark Bailey has been named hitting coach at Double-A Corpus Christi and bench coach Ed Romero is now manager for the rookie league affiliate in Greeneville, Tenn.

Hitting coach Jaramillo, Rangers parting ways

DALLAS — The Texas Rangers will emphasize situational hitting over slugging next season. That new approach will come from a new hitting coach, too.

Rudy Jaramillo turned down a one-year deal Wednesday, ending a 15-year run during which the Rangers were among the most feared lineups in baseball and players routinely credited him for their success.

Jaramillo said his departure has nothing to do with the team’s shift in philosophy. It’s about the uncertainty that comes with the club being for sale and, at 59, wondering what it’s like to be a free agent.

"It’s just time for me to do right now," Jaramillo said. "I just felt I needed to try to get some security."

Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Alex Rodriguez won MVP awards under Jaramillo’s tutelage. Texas hitters won three home run titles, two RBI crowns and a batting championship, and the team consistently ranked near the top in power numbers and runs.

However, the Rangers made the playoffs only three times during his tenure, most recently in 1999, and have never won a postseason series. They mounted a surprising challenge this season, lasting until the final month.

The bigger surprise was that pitching and defense led the way — and that the offense lagged, slowed by Josh Hamilton being hurt most of the season and Michael Young being hurt down the stretch.

Texas hit .260 last season, 11th in the AL, but was second in homers. The Rangers were middle of the pack in runs and RBIs.

Jaramillo is a Dallas native. He previously worked for the Astros, helping Jeff Bagwell blossom into a dominant hitter. He said he’s leaving the organization on good terms, feeling "blessed to be here all this time" and that he hasn’t heard from any teams yet.

"Nobody thought I’d leave here," he said. "I’m ready, I feel good about the decision. I’m going to miss all those kids. They’re great, all the Ranger people."

Team president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels met with Jaramillo last week and offered him a contract for 2010. They were surprised to be turned down, but understood his reasons.

"He’s put himself in a position that everyone in the game hopes they are able to achieve," Daniels said. "If he’s not the best, he’s certainly one of the best in the field. He’s got a choice to make and I respect that."

With or without Jaramillo, the Rangers were planning to try being more disciplined at the plate next season. The buzzword is "situational hitting," such as stressing contact with two strikes, moving runners over and taking more pitches.

"We felt, and Rudy certainly was in agreement, our walk-to-strikeout ratio has to improve," Ryan said. "We were all disappointed in the number of strikeouts and lack of walks we had this year. For us to move forward, that’s an area we have to stress."

Manager Ron Washington said there’s no list of candidates yet.

"You don’t just replace a guy like that," Washington said.

The rest of Washington’s staff will be back: pitching coach Mike Maddux, bench coach and catching instructor Jackie Moore, third base coach and infield instructor Dave Anderson, first base coach and baserunning instructor Gary Pettis, and bullpen coach Andy Hawkins.

-- Jaime Aron