PITTSBURGH - Lloyd McClendon was fired Tuesday as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates with the team only one defeat away from a fifth consecutive losing season. Bench coach Pete Mackanin is set to serve as interim manager for the rest of the season.
The team is expected to immediately begin searching for a replacement for McClendon, a former Pirates player and coach who was on the verge of becoming the first manager in team history to have five consecutive losing seasons. The Pirates have not had a winning season since winning the NL East in 1992.
The talent-thin Pirates, who only this season began a concerted effort to rebuild with youth, averaged 91 losses in McClendon's first four seasons. With a 55-81 record going into Tuesday night's game against Arizona, they were tied with Colorado for the NL's worst record.
The Pirates held a club option on McClendon for 2006 and, after an encouraging start that saw them reach .500 at 30-30 on June 11, the team began talking to McClendon about next season. But the Pirates have since lost 51 of 76 games and appear headed for their fourth season of 90 or more losses since 1999.
BONDS, PITCHER BRAWLED: Barry Bonds tussled with pitcher Jason Christiansen in the clubhouse lunchroom at SBC Park earlier this season in a dispute about one of Bonds 's trainers, another player told The Associated Press.
The player, who witnessed the June altercation but spoke on condition of anonymity, said Christiansen was frustrated with Harvey Shields, Bonds' personal stretch man now employed by the team.
The 41-year-old slugger, rejoined the Giants on Monday and hopes to be activated this week.
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