Rangers Pitching Coach Fired

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) â€” Dick Bosman was fired as the Texas Rangers' pitching coach after the team posted the third-worst ERA in the American League this season. <br><br>``He is not the reason that

Friday, September 29th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) â€” Dick Bosman was fired as the Texas Rangers' pitching coach after the team posted the third-worst ERA in the American League this season.

``He is not the reason that we have failed to perform up to expectations this season. However, I feel that we need to make improvement and progress in our overall pitching,'' Rangers manager Johnny Oates said in a statement released by the team Friday.

Bosman, who had one year left on his contract, was the Rangers' pitching coach for six years. He won't work the season's final three games, the team said, and will not remain part of the Rangers' staff.

As recently as Monday, Oates said his entire coaching staff would remain intact for next season.

The Rangers won the AL West title last season, but at 71-88 will finish last this year. They become only the fourth team in major league history to go from first to last in the span of one season.

Bullpen coach Larry Hardy will handle the pitching coach duties the rest of the way, and a search for a new coach will begin after the season.

``The decision to change pitching coaches was totally mine,'' Oates said. ``After further analyzing where we are and where we want to be, I felt it was time for an overall change in our pitching philosophy.''

The team's ERA is 5.40 this season.

Starting pitcher Darren Oliver (2-7) has been on the disabled list, while Kenny Rogers (13-13) and Rick Helling (16-13) have both been inconsistent. The Rangers were forced to use young pitchers Ryan Glyn and Brian Sikorsky.

Bosman was Oates' pitching coach in Baltimore from 1992-94 before joining him in Texas for the 1995 season. Bosman, who pitched in the majors 1967-76, was pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox in 1986-87, and a minor league pitching instructor for Baltimore from 1988-91.

The other five members of the Rangers' coaching staff have been invited to return for the 2001 season.