Clint Hurdle hired to be Bucs manager
Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com
The next manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates will be Clint Hurdle, who, industry sources have confirmed, has agreed to a three-year deal with the club. The Pirates have planned a press conference for Monday at PNC Park to announce the deal.
Hurdle was one of two final candidates being considered by the Pirates, who interviewed eight different people for John Russell’s former job. Jeff Banister, who has been with the organization for 25 years, was the other person still under consideration.
Hurdle also recently interviewed for the Mets’ managerial opening and was reported by multiple outlets to be receiving a second interview next week. However, Hurdle apparently did not want to pass up the offer of a guaranteed job for a potential one.
Hurdle, a former Rockies manager and hitting coach for the Rangers in 2010, was unable to be contacted until after Texas was eliminated from the postseason. That is why he didn’t interview with the Pirates until November 4.
Hurdle, 53, spent parts of eight seasons managing the Rockies, who advanced to the World Series under Hurdle in 2007. He took over early in the 2002 season and remained in that capacity until being fired on May 29, 2009. At that time, he was replaced by Jim Tracy, who managed in Pittsburgh from 2006-07.
The Rockies went a combined 534-625 under Hurdle, who led the club to one winning season in his years with Colorado.
Hurdle began his managerial career in 1988, when he led the Single-A St. Lucie Mets. He went on to manage two seasons at the Double-A level and another two years in Triple-A before joining the Rockies in ’94 to serve as the organization’s Minor League hitting coordinator. Hurdle was named Colorado’s hitting coach in 1997.
Hurdle’s playing career began when he was drafted by the Royals in the first round of the 1975 First-Year Player Draft. Hurdle made his Major League debut with Kansas City two years later and went on to spend parts of the next four seasons with the Royals.
Before retiring after the 1987 season, Hurdle played for the Reds, Mets and Cardinals. He played five different positions in the Majors and finished with a .259 career batting average.
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