A's schedule interviews for manager job

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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/15882746.htm

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Athletics have scheduled interviews with five candidates for their managerial opening, starting with two members of last season's coaching staff.
Bench coach Bob Geren is set to meet with general manager Billy Beane and other team officials Monday, and third-base coach Ron Washington will follow Tuesday.
Beane has also set up interviews with Japan Series championship manager Trey Hillman on Wednesday, Colorado Rockies bench coach Jamie Quirk on Nov. 7, then Orel Hershiser - currently an ESPN baseball analyst - the next day.
In addition, the A's received permission to speak to Los Angeles Angels pitching coach Bud Black, who is also considered a leading candidate to replace Bruce Bochy as San Diego's skipper after Bochy was introduced as the new manager of the San Francisco Giants on Friday. A meeting with Black hasn't been scheduled.
Beane fired fourth-year manager Ken Macha on Oct. 16, two days after Oakland's season ended in a sweep by the wild-card Detroit Tigers in the AL championship series. The A's won a playoff series for the first time since 1990, ending a string of four straight first-round exits from 2000-03.
Beane has other business aside from finding Oakland's next manager. Slugger Frank Thomas filed for free agency Saturday and the sides are still trying to work out a deal to keep the Big Hurt in Oakland.
The 38-year-old Thomas, who led the AL West champion A's with 39 home runs and 114 RBIs, has a two-year offer on the table from Oakland. He has said he would like to stay, but added he has to listen to other offers.
Washington and Geren both interviewed for the A's opening a year ago when the club briefly cut ties with Macha before bringing him back about a week later.
Geren was then promoted from bullpen coach and is someone Beane considers manager material. Geren also is good friends with the GM.
Washington, popular with players, has already interviewed with the Texas Rangers about becoming Buck Showalter's replacement. He has spent 11 seasons as a coach with the A's and interviewed for the Florida Marlins' managerial opening last offseason.
Washington is credited with helping develop infielders such as Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, Bobby Crosby and Mark Ellis to name a few.
Hillman last week led the Nippon Ham Fighters to the Japan Series championship, their first title since 1962. It was the second year of his second two-year contract there. Hillman left a job as Texas' director of player development for Japan just before the Rangers fired former manager Jerry Narron and hired Showalter after the 2002 season.
Before his year in the Rangers organization, Hillman spent 12 seasons as a minor league manager in the New York Yankees organization.
Quirk played the final three of his 18 major league seasons for the A's
 
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