Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez resigns
Manager Edwin Rodriguez of the Florida Marlins watches his team against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. (June 17, 2011) Credit: Getty Images
Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez has resigned with his team on a nine-game losing streak.
Bench coach Brandon Hyde will manage the Marlins against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, but the club will begin a search for an interim manager.
“It’s been extremely frustrating for everyone,” Florida president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said. “I think everyone here knows what is going on — the way we’ve played, the way we’ve performed. It’s tough on everyone, especially him.
“He communicated with me early this morning that this was something he was thinking about, and when I got to the ballpark we accepted his resignation.”
Rodriguez was in his first full season as the Marlins’ manager. He became interim manager June 23 of last year after Fredi Gonzalez was fired. He was given the job permanently five days later, becoming the first Puerto Rican-born manager in major league history. Florida went 46-46 under Rodriguez, who had opened the season as the Marlins’ Triple-A manager in New Orleans.
The Marlins fell to 1-17 in June with Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Rays. They were 32-39 and in last place in the NL East, 12
Beinfest said the team would move quickly to bring in an interim manager.
“So we can move ahead with the business of playing baseball and trying to win games,” he said.
Beinfest informed the players of Rodriguez’s decision during a team meeting before Sunday’s game.
Rodriguez was at the ballpark and talked with individual players in the manager’s office. He didn’t speak with reporters.
