Firing of Clark Raises Concerns

Trying to allay concerns about job security with the Dodgers struggling in late June, General Manager Dan Evans assured Manager Jim Tracy and the coaching staff no in-season changes would be made.

Late Sunday night, however, Evans and Tracy fired batting instructor Jack Clark after the team returned from a disappointing 2-7 trip. The Dodgers promoted triple-A batting instructor George Hendrick to serve as Clark’s interim replacement.

Details about the closed-door meeting in June at Edison Field were revealed Monday by team officials concerned that Evans would backtrack on his strong comments, causing more uncertainty among employees already nervous about their standing as News Corp. attempts to sell the franchise.

“What you heard was exactly what was said,” Clark said of the June meeting in which Evans encouraged the staff to keep their focus on the field. “What happened? I really don’t know. I guess he [Evans] felt he couldn’t stick by that. But you’d have to ask him.”

Evans did not dispute the details of the meeting -- but things change, he said.

“I definitely said that, and that’s how I felt at the time, but that’s over a month ago,” said Evans, under fire for the Dodgers’ poor performance and his moves at the club’s helm.

“A lot of events have taken place between then and now to change my mind completely. I’m not going to go into details, but the situation changed.”

Clark’s candid comments about the team prompted change, team sources said.

Evans and other high-ranking Dodger executives were said to be furious at Clark for his comments, quoted in newspapers, about the team’s problems on offense and in the clubhouse.

The perception in the front office was that Clark had given up on the players and wanted out, and the Dodgers were on the verge of firing him in July.

Clark might have completed the season if he had towed the line, sources said, but he continued to upset his superiors. Evans was said to be at wits’ end after reading Clark’s quotes Aug. 1.

After the Philadelphia Phillies completed a three-game sweep with a 7-3 victory at Veterans Stadium, Clark said that “these other teams are a little better. We’re trying to compete with some better teams. It is what it is.” Many team officials viewed those comments as a shot at Evans, who has been privately criticized in the organization for his off-season acquisitions of first baseman Fred McGriff and infielder-outfielder Daryle Ward.

“If they weren’t happy with what I did, then say it,” Clark said. “Get to the point, say what it is and then let everyone move on instead of trying to protect this and protect that. No one cares more about these guys doing well and producing than I do.”

With Clark repeatedly speaking out and the team last in the National League in offense, Evans and Tracy decided they had to make a move.

“It’s never an easy thing to do, in terms of deciding to terminate an employee,” Evans said. “But the events that have taken place between that time [the June meeting] and now decidedly changed my mind.

“I think you have to reserve the right to change your mind if a situation changes. That’s what I did.”

Tracy agreed with Evans on the Clark move.

“In no way are we pointing the finger solely at Jack Clark, and trying to make him the scapegoat, and I want to make that perfectly clear,” Tracy said. “But there are 52 games left to play, and that’s a lot of games. The ballclub is at 55-55, and there are 6 1/2 games among us and about seven other clubs for a final playoff spot.

“An opportunity to still make something of this season is there. Will it happen? We don’t know the answer to that question. But what we do know is this: Had absolutely nothing been done, then we would have had no answer whatsoever.

“With as much time as there is left in the season, and a chance to find out if a change of a different opinion, a different philosophy or a different voice will make a difference, that’s what we’re willing to try to find out. That’s what we had to be willing to try and find out.”

Evans expressed confidence in Tracy and the remainder of the staff.

“What Jim has done over the last three years is consistently come prepared and give our club a chance to win every single game,” Evans said. “He’s one of the most prepared and most intelligent men I’ve met in the manager’s role.

“He had nothing to do with guys getting hurt, or the inability of our farm system to produce players. That’s not his responsibility. He consistently comes to the ballpark with an attitude he’s going to do everything he can to give us a chance to win.

“We put together what we thought was going to be a really good pitching staff. In fact, it excelled. It has exceeded our expectations. [Pitching coach] Jim Colborn and [bullpen coach] Jimmy Lett are to be commended for the job they’ve done in that area.”