Pitching Coach

Substitutes everywhere It must be true that anyone can manage the New York Yankees. Catcher Jorge Posada did the honors yesterday as part of Joe Torre's season-ending tradition. Posada went to the mound in the seventh to remove reliever Ross Ohlendorf and received a loud ovation from Yankees fans. Reliever Ron Villone served as pitching coach after Mariano Rivera declined the offer. The starting lineup contained mostly regulars, but Posada substituted freely as his lead expanded. Missed opportunities Though a season ended, the Orioles maintained a trend.

BaseballAthletics: Activated P Kevin Jarvis from 15-day DL and sent him outright to Triple-A Vancouver.Blue Jays: Optioned IF Pat Kelly and OF Patrick Lennon to Triple-A Syracuse.Expos: Optioned P Javier Vazquez to Triple-A Ottawa. Recalled P Dan Smith from Ottawa.Indians: Signed C Will Hartley and OF Eric Johnson.Mets: Fired pitching coach Bob Apodaca, bullpen coach Randy Niemann and Tom Robson hitting coach. Named Dave Wallace pitching coach, Al Jackson bullpen coach and Mickey Brantley hitting coach.

BaseballDevil Rays: Agreed to minor-league contract with OF-DH Billy Ashley, who had been with Red Sox.Expos: Agreed to minor-league contracts with OF Derrick May and C Darron Cox. Invited following to spring training: P Keith Evans, P Jake Westbrook, C Brian Schneider, C John Pachot, C Francisco Morales, IF Tomas De La Rosa, OF Peter Bergeron, OF Milton Bradley and OF Brad Wilkerson.Giants: Invited P Miguel Del Toro, P Osvaldo Fernandez, P Bronswell Patrick, P Aaron Fultz, C Giuseppe Chiaramonte, C Edwards Guzman, former Orioles OF Jesus Tavarez and former Orioles OF Jack Voigt to spring training.

The Orioles yesterday announced the addition of veteran major-league pitching coach Sammy Ellis to manager Mike Hargrove's staff while confirming that four members of Ray Miller's staff and two of Hargrove's coaches with the Cleveland Indians will complete the list.Former Indians third base coach Jeff Newman was named bench coach while first base coach Brian Graham will assume the same responsibility with the Orioles. Sam Perlozzo, Eddie Murray, Terry Crowley and Elrod Hendricks will return, Perlozzo as third base coach, Crowley as hitting coach and Hendricks as bullpen coach.

BaseballAngels: Optioned P Jarrod Washburn and P Scott Schoeneweis to Triple-A Edmonton.Astros: Traded C Marc Ronan to Phillies for future considerations.Devil Rays: Re-assigned OF Billy Ashley to minor-league camp.Expos: Optioned IF Trace Coquillette and IF Ryan McGuire to Triple-A Ottawa. Outrighted P Roberto Duran to Ottawa.Rangers: Named Jaime Garcia pitching coach of Single-A Charlotte and Fred Dabney pitching coach for Rookie-level Gulf Coast team.Red Sox: Acquired OF Jon Nunnally from Reds for P Pat Flury.

BaseballBlue Jays: Agreed to one-year contract with P Vincente Palacios. Designated C Mark Dalesandro and OF Patrick Lennon for assignment.Brewers: Named former Orioles IF Ron Jackson first base coach. Moved former Orioles C Bob Melvin to bench coach.Dodgers: Named Steve Yeager hitting coach and Mark Brewer pitching coach at Single-A San Bernardino. Named Mitch Webster hitting coach and Max Leon pitching coach at Single-A Yakima.Mets: Agreed to one-year contract with P Allen Watson.Rangers: Agreed to one-year contracts with P Brandon Knight, P Corey Lee, P Mike Venafro, OF Mike Zywica and Heisman Trophy-winning OF Ricky Williams.

The final piece of Orioles manager Mike Hargrove's coaching staff should fall into place by this weekend with the naming of a successor to pitching coach Bruce Kison.Moving toward what is considered an organizational decision, Hargrove and director of player personnel Syd Thrift interviewed Cleveland Indians minor-league pitching coordinator Mike Brown and Cincinnati Reds pitching coordinator Sammy Ellis yesterday and are also believed to be considering Colorado Rockies special assistant Mark Wiley, who served as Hargrove's pitching coach in Cleveland and as Orioles pitching coach in 1987.

Seconds seem like minutes, minutes like hours and hours like days. While Orioles owner Peter Angelos ponders his next manager, the team's holdover coaches sit with their cell phones, wondering what their future will bring when three weeks of suspense ends.The situation is unusual but hardly unprecedented locally. The anticipated Oct. 6 firing of manager Ray Miller did not address a coaching staff that includes three candidates as Miller's possible successor, another two who are signed through 2000 and a sixth who has worn an Orioles uniform for the past 22 seasons.

Auto racingNASCAR: Announced the resignation of Dennis Huth, vice president of touring operations and international development. Announced Tom Deery will oversee all NASCAR Touring and Kevin Triplett will oversee the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as additional duties.BaseballOrioles: Re-signed P Mike Bell, P Sean Maloney, P Terry Rosenkranz, IF Brian Rust and C MikeLopez-Cao to minor-league contracts. Signed P John Thompson, P Chris Weidert, P Mike Hartung, C Willie Morales, C Chad Epperson, 1B David Gibralter and IF-OF Nate Tebbs to minor-league contracts.

BaseballAstros: Named Jackie Moore manager, Burt Hooton pitching coach and Mark Bailey coach for Nolan Ryan-owned Double-A Round Rock.Brewers: Designated P Carl Dale for assignment.Cardinals: Designated OF Darren Bragg for assignment.Cubs: Traded P Brian Stephenson to Dodgers to complete earlier trade. Named Mark Wilbert strength and conditioning coordinator and Bruce Hammel minor-league strength and conditioning coordinator.Dodgers: Named former Orioles scout Don Welke senior scouting adviser, Ron Rizzi pro scout, and Joel Ronda and Phil Sowards part-time scouts.

BOSTON -- His workday usually starts about 11 a.m., eight hours before an Orioles starter will throw his first meaningful pitch. In a mostly empty clubhouse, Rick Kranitz reviews tape of the previous day's game, watching it twice to make sure he doesn't miss minute details. He then studies more tape of opposing hitters and reviews scouting reports. If there is time, the first-year Orioles pitching coach walks to the bullpen and sits quietly while puffing on a cigar. It will be the only moment until long after the game when Kranitz will allow his thoughts to drift from his mission to build and mentor a young pitching staff.

Orioles manager Dave Trembley posted his lineup yesterday and advised reporters to keep an eraser handy. Trembley wasn't sure if Melvin Mora would make it through batting practice after being scratched the previous two games because of a sore right shoulder that required a cortisone injection Wednesday. But Mora felt good enough to play, as did catcher Ramon Hernandez, who hadn't been behind the plate in a week because of a sore left wrist. Mora went from health riddle to hero, delivering the go-ahead run in the fifth inning with a double that scored Brian Roberts.

I'm told that Daniel Cabrera is throwing his changeup a lot in the Dominican Winter League, which is a good thing. Cabrera shied away from his off-speed stuff last season because he still lacked confidence in it. But he won't win consistently at this level without it, which he now realizes. I had someone close to Cabrera tell me that the right-hander will have a "different approach" this year and should be more focused. Cabrera never really meshed with former pitching coach Leo Mazzone, though Mazzone remained supportive of him. New pitching coach Rick Kranitz might want to avoid tinkering too much with Cabrera's mechanics once the season starts.

Moves Baseball ANGELS -- Agreed to multi-year contracts with bench coach Ron Roenicke, pitching coach Mike Butcher, third base coach Dino Ebel, first base coach Alfredo Griffin, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher, bullpen coach Orlando Mercado and bullpen catcher Steve Soliz. DEVIL RAYS -- Agreed to one-year contract with pitching coach Jim Hickey. DODGERS -- Named Joe Torre manager through 2010 season. GIANTS -- Named Carney Lansford hitting coach. MARINERS -- Named Lee Elia on-field consultant and Duane Shaffer special executive assistant.

Rick Kranitz cultivated his reputation as a pitching coach the past two seasons by nurturing the young arms on the Florida Marlins' staff. He placed as much importance on learning about their personalities as he did their tendencies on the mound, got the most out of them and became a hot commodity when he resigned last month. Kranitz will be given the same opportunities with the Orioles, whose appeal over at least two other teams enabled them to hire him yesterday as Leo Mazzone's replacement.

Two years ago, Rick Kranitz was a little-known baseball lifer getting his first big break with the Florida Marlins. Today he's the hottest pitching coach commodity in baseball - and he is on the Orioles' short list to replace Leo Mazzone, who was fired yesterday. Kranitz did not return phone calls, but a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed last night that Kranitz, 49, has been contacted by the Orioles to gauge his interest in the opening. The source said Kranitz seemed intrigued about the possibility of reconnecting with Orioles manager Dave Trembley and president Andy MacPhail.

Substitutes everywhere It must be true that anyone can manage the New York Yankees. Catcher Jorge Posada did the honors yesterday as part of Joe Torre's season-ending tradition. Posada went to the mound in the seventh to remove reliever Ross Ohlendorf and received a loud ovation from Yankees fans. Reliever Ron Villone served as pitching coach after Mariano Rivera declined the offer. The starting lineup contained mostly regulars, but Posada substituted freely as his lead expanded. Missed opportunities Though a season ended, the Orioles maintained a trend.

When you look at Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera, what do you see - the intimidating 6-foot-9 fireballer who might develop into a right-handed Randy Johnson or the awkward, overgrown kid who's not really a kid anymore? Hall of Famer Jim Palmer looks at Cabrera and sees the whole spectrum. The big-time talent. The so-so athletic ability. The inconsistent mechanics. The incomplete pitch repertoire. The intermittent confidence. Cabrera is one complicated young man. That's why Palmer asked pitching coach Leo Mazzone the other day whether he could help.

It should come as no surprise that I have a lot of questions about the Orioles. Who doesn't? But my questions differ from those you're liable to hear most often as the club wades through its spring season on the way to Opening Day 2006. A lot of people are wondering if Corey Patterson or Luis Matos will be the center fielder. I'm wondering if pitching coach Leo Mazzone can turn 21-year-old Adam Loewen back into an ace-in-waiting. People want to know how manager Sam Perlozzo will handle the first base/left-field armada of Kevin Millar, Jeff Conine, Richard Hidalgo, Javy Lopez and, let's see, did I leave anyone out?

Ex-Oriole Scott McGregor moves up from Single-A Frederick to Double-A Bowie as pitching coach, the latest step toward an eventual major league job. He was a frequent visitor to Camden Yards last season, and more than one member of the Orioles' coaching staff took exception to it. One coach confronted McGregor and made his point in an extremely loud voice. roch.kubatko@baltsun.com For more "Roch Around the Clock," go to baltimoresun.com/roch