Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada said he thinks Dave Trembley is a perfect fit.
“We don?t need a superstar manager here,” Tejada said. “We just need a guy like him that respects the game and the players. Its great news.”
Tejada will get what we wants after Trembley?s managerial contract was extended through 2008, with a club option for 2009.
“He always talks to the players,” Tejada said. “He?s totally different than the other managers, and I hope he can take this thing to another level.”
Tejada acknowledged there has been a change in attitude in the clubhouse, which he attributes to Trembley?s implementation of a regimented pregame routine.
“I personally love it. We?re baseball players,” first baseman Kevin Millar said. “I like stretching as a team. That way you get a chance to be around each other. You?re a family. It?s not so much starter, non-starters, pitchers. You?re a family and you?re going in it together.”
Rookie pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who first met Trembley in the minors, admires the manager?s consistency, saying, “first thing first, fundamentals and be on time and prepare yourself.”
Trembley is the team?s fifth manager since the team?s last playoff appearance in 1997, which is also its last winning season. Trembley wasn?t management?s first choice for manager ? the team offered the job to former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi, who turned it down ? but the players are behind him.
Trembley has pulled things together. Since taking over as manager, he?s guided the Orioles to a record of 29-25 entering Wednesday?s double-header against Texas. Overall, the Orioles are 58-65, 16 1/2 games behind American East-leading Boston.
“He should have been signed a long time ago,” third baseman Melvin Mora said with a grin. “People respect him here. The numbers speak for themselves. He?s battled with this team. It?s not easy to come in at mid-season and pull everything together.”
