Managerial change in Kalamazoo
The Kalamazoo Kings, off to a 7-31 start, have fired manager Jamie Keefe and pitching coach Brian Lewis. Keefe was replaced by outfielder Matt Maloney. Here is the story from the Kalamazoo Gazette's David Drew:
KALAMAZOO — The struggling Kalamazoo Kings fired first-year manager Jamie Keefe and pitching coach Brian Lewis on Thursday.
With a 7-31 record and a firm hold on last place in the Frontier League’s East Division, Kalamazoo Kings owner Bill Wright said he was not satisfied with the direction the team was headed.
“I didn’t feel the hustle on the field and the behavior off the field represented the Kalamazoo Kings and how I feel they need to be represented,” Wright said. “It starts on the top. A 7-31 record speaks for itself.”
Matt Maloney, who has been serving as a player coach this season, has been named interim manager. Pitcher Tyler Herron will handle the pitching coach duties.
“This is an unfortunate circumstance for me to take over. I have the utmost respect for Jamie and Brian," Maloney said in a team news release. “At the same time, I am eager and excited to turn our season around.”
The Kings sat 18 games behind the first-place Oakland County Cruisers in the East Division entering Thursday night's home game against the Gateway Grizzlies.
Wright said his decision was heavily influenced by a lack of focus on the field.
“It came down to me watching the play on the field and the intensity off the field,” he said. “I demand people to lay it out every single game and not one inning. There are a lot of young men and they need to keep focused.
"If you’re intense and you leave it all on the field, you’ll never have to hear from Bill Wright. I don’t ever expect to say losing is acceptable.”
Wright said he will take the next nine days, which leads into the Frontier League All-Star break, to decide whether to stick with Maloney at the helm and Herron as the pitching coach or to seek out a new coaching staff.
“I’ll be down looking closely to see how the team performs,” Wright said. “I think people need a challenge in life sometimes. I think the team will pull together to help Matt.”
KALAMAZOO — The struggling Kalamazoo Kings fired first-year manager Jamie Keefe and pitching coach Brian Lewis on Thursday.
With a 7-31 record and a firm hold on last place in the Frontier League’s East Division, Kalamazoo Kings owner Bill Wright said he was not satisfied with the direction the team was headed.
“I didn’t feel the hustle on the field and the behavior off the field represented the Kalamazoo Kings and how I feel they need to be represented,” Wright said. “It starts on the top. A 7-31 record speaks for itself.”
Matt Maloney, who has been serving as a player coach this season, has been named interim manager. Pitcher Tyler Herron will handle the pitching coach duties.
“This is an unfortunate circumstance for me to take over. I have the utmost respect for Jamie and Brian," Maloney said in a team news release. “At the same time, I am eager and excited to turn our season around.”
The Kings sat 18 games behind the first-place Oakland County Cruisers in the East Division entering Thursday night's home game against the Gateway Grizzlies.
Wright said his decision was heavily influenced by a lack of focus on the field.
“It came down to me watching the play on the field and the intensity off the field,” he said. “I demand people to lay it out every single game and not one inning. There are a lot of young men and they need to keep focused.
"If you’re intense and you leave it all on the field, you’ll never have to hear from Bill Wright. I don’t ever expect to say losing is acceptable.”
Wright said he will take the next nine days, which leads into the Frontier League All-Star break, to decide whether to stick with Maloney at the helm and Herron as the pitching coach or to seek out a new coaching staff.
“I’ll be down looking closely to see how the team performs,” Wright said. “I think people need a challenge in life sometimes. I think the team will pull together to help Matt.”
Labels: Bill Wright, Jamie Keefe, Matt Maloney
posted by Chris Dugan at
4:14 PM
5 Comments:
This is bad news for Washington. The Kings have been the only thing that has been keeping them from being in last place. If the Kings start to win now the WT will be cooked. We shall see.
Now, will somebody please ‘splane to me why Everson used the punchless Dempsey as the DH again last night? To top it off, Dempsey was batting in the clean-up spot. This guy is barely hitting his weight (literately). His weight is listed as 225 and his BA is .226. As is now usual, he when hitless again last night. Also, as usual, he went through his girl like temper tantrum. Hummmm! I am NOT impressed.
Now that Swiss Cheese, or whatever he calls himself has been “found out” he too has started to ran and rave. We all know you are really Dutch!
Well I'm sure Jacob Dempsey is really excited that he isn't getting hits and having the only bad season of his career. You have to give him credit for sticking it out and hoping it will get better every night. I hope his luck turns around soon.
The problem is that he acts so immature about it. The even bigger problem is that Everson continues to allow him to continue to hurt the team. If the team was playing well, than I could see Everson letting Dempsey try to work out of it. The way things are now, I don’t think the Wild Things can afford to do that. I’d like to see then trade this guy while there may be some suckers er… I mean some team that may actually want him.. I ain’t nothing personal. I’m sure Dempsey is trying as hard as he can – the Wild Things just can’t continue to wait for “his luck to change”,
Dempsey's had one bad month in the three years he's been with the Wild Things and you're ready to trade him? I guess you've wanted Sidick traded about six times, huh?
Whoever is bitching about Dempsey is probably the same guy who thinks the Pirates should have sent Alvarez back down when he didn't come up and hit .400/12/40 his first week in the big leagues....dumbass.
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