Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 7, 1990 TAG: 9006070118
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MICHAEL MARTINEZ NEW YORK TIMES
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Medium
In a strange twist, the move came in the city where Dent enjoyed his greatest triumph as a player.
Dent was replaced by Carl "Stump" Merrill, a longtime Yankees employee and the manager this season at the team's minor-league affiliate in Columbus, Ohio. Merrill took over at Prince William (Va.) during the 1989 season and guided the Cannons to the Carolina League championship.
It was the 18th managerial change in the 18 seasons George Steinbrenner has been the Yankees' principal owner.
The dismissal came eight days after the New York Mets dismissed their manager, Davey Johnson, and replaced him with Bud Harrelson.
For Dent, the end came not far from Fenway Park, where, in one of his brightest moments, he hit a home run that won a 1978 playoff game against the Red Sox and gave the Yankees the division title. They went on to win the pennant and the World Series.
Dent, 38, said he was told of his dismissal in a phone call from Steinbrenner shortly after noon Wednesday. Steinbrenner had said before spring training that Dent would be "my manager all year."
"He just felt that the club wasn't turning it around and he wanted to make a change," Dent said.
Dent also said he had no regrets, even though the Yankees had the worst record in baseball at 18-31 and had spent the last 11 days in last place in the American League East. His overall record since replacing Dallas Green last Aug. 18 was 36-53.
"I have nothing to keep my head down about," he said. "I'm not going to drop my head. I managed as hard as I could. There was nothing else I could do. My hands were tied."
Dent, standing in the lobby of the Yankees' hotel headquarters Wednesday, said he suspected there might be a change. There also were indications that something might happen as early as May 13, when, Merrill said, he was visited in Columbus by Steinbrenner.
Also swept out with Dent were two of his closest allies, hitting coach Champ Summers and third-base coach Joe Sparks. Gene Michael, a two-time Yankees manager, and Marc Hill, a roving catching instructor in the minor leagues, were added to the staff.
Merrill - in the Yankees organization for 14 years as coach, manager, scout and minor-league coordinator - said he received a hint more than three weeks ago in his meeting with Steinbrenner.
"He told me that there was the possibility of a change and that I might be considered," said Merrill, 46. "I didn't know if anything would happen, but it lifted my spirits."
Dent said he would return to his home in Boca Raton, Fla., before deciding his future. He said he had not been offered another job in the organization.
"This was not a one-man decision," said Pete Peterson, the team's general manager. "Mr. Steinbrenner anguished long and hard about it."
It was apparently clear that Dent was unable to turn around a team that is short on ability.
Merrill offered no guarantees. His selection was a surprise, he said.
"If you had put odds on the board and put $100 on me," he said, "you'd have made an awful lot of money."
Merrill has a record of success as a manager. In each of the last two years he has taken over minor-league teams after the start of their respective seasons - Class AA Albany in 1988 and Class A Prince William last season - and guided them to league championships.
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB