PITTSBURGH — Less than a week after he was fired as the Phillies' dugout assistant, Hal Lanier has surfaced as a leading candidate to replace Stump Merrill as manager of the New York Yankees.
"I hope so," Lanier said from his Florida home last night. "I'd like to get back into managing. I see people getting fired and people getting hired whose credentials aren't as good as mine."
Lanier managed the Houston Astros from 1986 through 1988, and won the National League West in his first year.
Sources say that Yankees general manager Gene Michael will begin interviewing candidates in the next few days and that Lanier and former Angels and Rangers manager Doug Rader are high on his list.
Michael apparently covets Cincinnati manager Lou Piniella, who will be paid $716,000 on the final year of his contract.
In other developments regarding Phillies coaches rumored to be under consideration for managerial openings, John Vukovich remains in limbo with the Chicago Cubs and Larry Bowa's chances with the White Sox are apparently fading.
Vukovich is believed to be general manager Jim Frey's first choice if Jim Essian is fired. But it's unclear whether Frey still has the clout to make the pick or if Tribune Co. higher-ups will demand a manager with major league experience.
It is becoming increasingly likely that the White Sox will hire Oakland Athletics coach Dave Duncan to replace Jeff Torborg, who is expected to be introduced as the next manager of the Mets today.
