The Orioles continued their front office makeover Monday when they fired a number of their minor league personnel.
The most prominent name, according to a source, was minor league hitting coordinator Jeff Manto, a former Oriole. Other names included Frederick manager Ryan Minor (pictured above), and Keys pitching coach Justin Lord and hitting coach Bobby Rose.
Others reportedly dismissed included Gulf Coast outfield coach Carlos Tosca, who also served as a roving outfield coach for the organization, Aberdeen field coach Jack Graham, and minor league catching coordinator Don Werner and Ramon Martinez, who worked with pitchers in Latin America.
Scott McGregor, the team’s minor league pitching coordinator in Sarasota, was also fired. McGregor, who won Game 5 of the 1983 World Series, was also a longtime minor league pitching coach with the team.
News of the dismissals was first reported by The Athletic and MASNsports.com.
General manager Mike Elias fired 11 front office personnel and scouts last month, and changes were expected at the minor league level once their seasons ended last week.
Minor, who has managed Frederick and Delmarva since 2010, replaced Cal Ripken Jr. at third base on September 20, 1998 when Ripken decided to end his consecutive games streak.
Tosca, who once managed the Toronto Blue Jays, was brought into the organization on the recommendation of former manager Buck Showalter. He had also served as Gulf Coast’s manager
Werner, who once backed up Johnny Bench with the Cincinnati Reds, is a highly respected catching instructor and a survivor of Stage 3 breast cancer. He’d been working with Adley Rutschman, the top overall draft pick.
Martinez, who had an excellent major league career as a pitcher, is the brother of Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and had occasionally filled in as Orioles pitching coach in 2016 when Dave Wallace had to leave the team to attend to family matters.
CINCINNATI—What happened? Cole Irvin ran his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings, allowing just two…
CINCINNATI---Cole Irvin wasn’t bothered by a lengthy rain delay. After the Orioles and Cincinnati Reds…
Chayce McDermott, Nolan Hoffman and Kaleb Ort combined on a no-hitter as Triple-A Norfolk defeated…
Nelson Cruz was only an Oriole for one season, 2014, but it was a wonderful…
Nick Markakis, the durable outfielder who won two Gold Glove awards in his nine seasons…
Every weekday, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit…
View Comments
Fired Scottie McGregor? That ain't right. If given the chance, the man probably would have fired Elrod too. I guess it's just a cold hard business anymore. What a shame.
Before he passed away, Elrod was fired. At least as bullpen coach. They said he would be reassigned. Mike Flanagan was the GM at the time. Pretty sure Flanny wasn’t happy about it. But you’re right, it is a cold hard business.
This guy not happy until he gets rid of anyone who has had anything to do with the Orioles past
I have reservations about his manaoskills
Changed my mind on Allias
I guess it is not unrealistic that Elias wants his people in all levels of the organization so that everybody is on the same page from the big team all the way down to the lowest minor league level, but that doesn't make it easier to hear some of the names that were let go.
The past is the past and now it is on to the new history of the Orioles.
New broom sweeps clean, as they say. And it is a cold, hard business. I just wonder if those fired were given a chance to adapt to the new way of thinking or was it just a fire and forget type of thing. Some good baseball people have been let go, none could have thrived with the new regime? Makes one wonder. If the Orioles are back to winning baseball in a couple of years, people will forget this bloodletting. If they don't, people will wonder.
What have you done lately doesn’t even matter anymore, ask Dombrowski, wonder if anyone O’s fans are familiar with is interested...go O’s...
I have absolutely no reservations about cleaning out organization "loyalties". Frank,Cal Sr all got fired. Minor,MacGregor certainly haven't done anything to further the organization. Cut ties and full speed ahead. I'm with Mr. Elias all the way.
is this day the burial of the so called “Orioles Way?”
I don't enjoy seeing anyone lose their job, but the reality is that, over the past couple of decades, the Orioles' minor league player development, especially pitching, has been pretty woeful. Elias was brought in to shake up the organization, not tinker around the edges.
Can anyone out there shed some light on how good or mediocre a job the fired coaches did? Will anyone in the know please evaluate the new hires when announced. Was this a sweeping firing of the old regime or a calculated decision that there were better alternatives? Given the substandard status of the O's farm system, I wonder if any managers or coaches could be objectively evaluated. What about those that were not fired? Is a second dismissal round coming? What about the scouts that delivered so many high round draftees that never came near making it to the Bigs? So many questions, so little time.
What away to show everyone, That I am the Boss!!! We shall see!
Elias is in charge now. So when and if he gets let go , he will with HIS people in place. It’s a long way to go till we get to the “oriole way “ again. The NEW oriole way