DALLAS -- The Dodgers manager search that started with the Oct. 3 departure of Jim Tracy and was interrupted by the Oct. 29 dismissal of general manager Paul DePodesta concluded Tuesday with the hiring of William "Grady" Little.
"He's one of the finest managers and gentlemen in the game today," general manager Ned Colletti said after hiring Little here at the Winter Meetings. "He's the ideal man to lead the Dodgers. I'm confident we've selected the right man."
The 55-year-old Little, who signed a two-year contract with an option year, most recently was the roving catching instructor for the Chicago Cubs.
He's better known as the manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002, when he compiled the most wins for a rookie manager in 22 years, and in 2003, when the Red Sox were eliminated from the American League Championship Series in a controversial Game 7 loss to the New York Yankees. He was subsequently dismissed and his two-year record was 188-136.
He is the 25th manager in Dodgers history, the seventh manager in Los Angeles Dodgers history and the fifth in the last eight years. He takes over a club that finished 71-91 in 2005 and was decimated by injuries. Eric Gagne, J.D. Drew, Cesar Izturis, Milton Bradley and Jayson Werth are question marks coming off operations and holes remain at the infield corners, the outfield and at least one starting rotation spot.
None of that scared away Little.
"This is my second chance at the opportunity of a lifetime," he said. "People asked me over the last two years if I wanted to manage again and I always said: in the right spot. Right now, this is the right spot."
Little was selected by Colletti over four other candidates -- Atlanta Braves special assistant to the general manager Jim Fregosi, former Tampa Bay Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren, New York Mets third-base coach Manny Acta and Cleveland Indians bench coach Joel Skinner.
Despite Little's history in Boston, hometown of Dodgers chairman Frank McCourt, Colletti said this was his idea and his decision, supported by McCourt. Colletti said he solicited an endorsement from one of Little's former players, and received an unsolicited endorsement from another.
"That spoke volumes," Colletti said. "Grady wasn't a very good player, so to be successful he had to pay attention every day. He was with a great organization in Atlanta a long time. He has a knack for winning and a knack for developing young players and knows the road it took.
"His managing career in the Majors for two years was filled with pressure in a high-profile place and a team with a lot at stake every day. I think he did great in those situations."
Extremely popular among his players, Little said one of his greatest strengths is an ability to communicate, which he does in a homespun Carolina drawl.
"I'm able to communicate, not only with players, but with anyone around," said Little. "That goes a long way in my success. I talk so slow, it's real easy to understand what I say."
Colletti said he had never spent time with Little until last week, but interviewed him three times, including Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, when Little then met with McCourt. When McCourt left the meeting, Colletti offered Little the job.
Little joined the Cubs in 2004 as a scouting consultant and assistant to vice president Jim Hendry. His duties included evaluating the Cubs Minor league system as well as assisting as the roving catching instructor.
His resume includes two seasons as bench coach of Cleveland under Charlie Manuel from 2000-2001, three seasons as the Red Sox bench coach under Jimy Williams from 1997-99, the 1996 season as bullpen coach of the San Diego Padres, and 16 years as a Minor League manager (10 of those seasons in the Atlanta organization).
But he is probably most remembered -- and many in the game feel unfairly -- for sticking with starter Pedro Martinez instead of calling on a suspect bullpen in Game 7 of that ALCS that the Red Sox eventually lost in extra innings.
Ironically, Colletti said that actually helped Little's candidacy.
"That gave me confidence, how he handled the discussion," Colletti said. "To handle it the way he did is not that easy."
Little said he never agonized over the decision or worried that it tainted his reputation as a manager. He said he understood the intense criticism he took, "because it's New England, it's Boston and all they want is to win.
"You make many, many decisions and I just got a bad result right there that day," Little said. "That was in the past the day after the season was over, as far as I was concerned. I'm confident because I know where that organization was when we got there and I know where it was when we left."
Colletti said the only guideline he has about candidates for the coaching staff is that neither the manager nor the general manager be uncomfortable with the person, an indication that Colletti will have input rather than leave it all up to Little.
Little has some experience forming staffs. After being drafted in the 12th round by Atlanta out of high school and a six-year playing career as a Minor League catcher, Little began his coaching career in 1974 in the Yankees system.
He was out of baseball from 1975-79 as a cotton farmer in Texas, returning to Minor League ball in 1980 with the Orioles rookie team and managed in that system through 1984. He spent one season managing in the Toronto system before moving to the Braves farm system.
Eight of Little's Minor League teams were in the postseason, four of them winning league titles. Little, who was born in Abilene, Tex., and lives in Pinehurst, N.C., is married with one child and two grandchildren. His younger brother, Bryan, played five seasons in the Major Leagues with the Expos, White Sox and Yankees.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...ontent_id=1277351&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp
"He's one of the finest managers and gentlemen in the game today," general manager Ned Colletti said after hiring Little here at the Winter Meetings. "He's the ideal man to lead the Dodgers. I'm confident we've selected the right man."
The 55-year-old Little, who signed a two-year contract with an option year, most recently was the roving catching instructor for the Chicago Cubs.
He's better known as the manager of the Boston Red Sox in 2002, when he compiled the most wins for a rookie manager in 22 years, and in 2003, when the Red Sox were eliminated from the American League Championship Series in a controversial Game 7 loss to the New York Yankees. He was subsequently dismissed and his two-year record was 188-136.
He is the 25th manager in Dodgers history, the seventh manager in Los Angeles Dodgers history and the fifth in the last eight years. He takes over a club that finished 71-91 in 2005 and was decimated by injuries. Eric Gagne, J.D. Drew, Cesar Izturis, Milton Bradley and Jayson Werth are question marks coming off operations and holes remain at the infield corners, the outfield and at least one starting rotation spot.
None of that scared away Little.
"This is my second chance at the opportunity of a lifetime," he said. "People asked me over the last two years if I wanted to manage again and I always said: in the right spot. Right now, this is the right spot."
Little was selected by Colletti over four other candidates -- Atlanta Braves special assistant to the general manager Jim Fregosi, former Tampa Bay Devil Rays bench coach John McLaren, New York Mets third-base coach Manny Acta and Cleveland Indians bench coach Joel Skinner.
Despite Little's history in Boston, hometown of Dodgers chairman Frank McCourt, Colletti said this was his idea and his decision, supported by McCourt. Colletti said he solicited an endorsement from one of Little's former players, and received an unsolicited endorsement from another.
"That spoke volumes," Colletti said. "Grady wasn't a very good player, so to be successful he had to pay attention every day. He was with a great organization in Atlanta a long time. He has a knack for winning and a knack for developing young players and knows the road it took.
"His managing career in the Majors for two years was filled with pressure in a high-profile place and a team with a lot at stake every day. I think he did great in those situations."
Extremely popular among his players, Little said one of his greatest strengths is an ability to communicate, which he does in a homespun Carolina drawl.
"I'm able to communicate, not only with players, but with anyone around," said Little. "That goes a long way in my success. I talk so slow, it's real easy to understand what I say."
Colletti said he had never spent time with Little until last week, but interviewed him three times, including Monday night and Tuesday afternoon, when Little then met with McCourt. When McCourt left the meeting, Colletti offered Little the job.
Little joined the Cubs in 2004 as a scouting consultant and assistant to vice president Jim Hendry. His duties included evaluating the Cubs Minor league system as well as assisting as the roving catching instructor.
His resume includes two seasons as bench coach of Cleveland under Charlie Manuel from 2000-2001, three seasons as the Red Sox bench coach under Jimy Williams from 1997-99, the 1996 season as bullpen coach of the San Diego Padres, and 16 years as a Minor League manager (10 of those seasons in the Atlanta organization).
But he is probably most remembered -- and many in the game feel unfairly -- for sticking with starter Pedro Martinez instead of calling on a suspect bullpen in Game 7 of that ALCS that the Red Sox eventually lost in extra innings.
Ironically, Colletti said that actually helped Little's candidacy.
"That gave me confidence, how he handled the discussion," Colletti said. "To handle it the way he did is not that easy."
Little said he never agonized over the decision or worried that it tainted his reputation as a manager. He said he understood the intense criticism he took, "because it's New England, it's Boston and all they want is to win.
"You make many, many decisions and I just got a bad result right there that day," Little said. "That was in the past the day after the season was over, as far as I was concerned. I'm confident because I know where that organization was when we got there and I know where it was when we left."
Colletti said the only guideline he has about candidates for the coaching staff is that neither the manager nor the general manager be uncomfortable with the person, an indication that Colletti will have input rather than leave it all up to Little.
Little has some experience forming staffs. After being drafted in the 12th round by Atlanta out of high school and a six-year playing career as a Minor League catcher, Little began his coaching career in 1974 in the Yankees system.
He was out of baseball from 1975-79 as a cotton farmer in Texas, returning to Minor League ball in 1980 with the Orioles rookie team and managed in that system through 1984. He spent one season managing in the Toronto system before moving to the Braves farm system.
Eight of Little's Minor League teams were in the postseason, four of them winning league titles. Little, who was born in Abilene, Tex., and lives in Pinehurst, N.C., is married with one child and two grandchildren. His younger brother, Bryan, played five seasons in the Major Leagues with the Expos, White Sox and Yankees.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...ontent_id=1277351&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp
