M's End Lefebvre's Reign -- Team Silent About Why Manager, Coach Fired

The Seattle Mariners came up with their answer. Now only the question remains.

Why?

The Mariners fired Manager Jim Lefebvre along with pitching coach Mike Paul after they met with General Manager Woody Woodward yesterday in Tempe, Ariz.

In three seasons, Lefebvre and Paul helped the club improve by 15 victories, from 68 in 1988 to 83 this season, the Mariners' first winning campaign in the franchise's 15 seasons.

"We met with Jim in the morning and we had a good session," Woodward said. "We agreed mutually that it would be in Jim's and the Mariners' best interest to make a change."

Why?

"Jim requested that we not talk about the areas discussed and reason for the change," Woodward said. "I happened to agree with that. I do not see how anything can be gained by pursuing that."

Other than providing a reason.

Lefebvre, who was hired in November 1988 by Woodward from the Oakland A's staff, had won more games, 233, and had a higher winning percentage, .479, than any of the Mariners' previous seven managers.

Paul, who was brought in by Lefebvre from the A's, helped the staff lower its earned-run average from 4.15 in 1988 to 3.79 this season. The club set a team record for saves with 48, despite not having closer Mike Schooler available until July 12.

Injuries were part of Lefebvre's reign. Key players such as Pete O'Brien, Ken Griffey Jr., Ken Griffey Sr., Dave Valle, Jay Buhner, Scott Bankhead, Alvin Davis, Erik Hanson, Henry Cotto and Russ Swan missed significant amounts of time. Yet the club improved each season.

Woodward added only, "Wins and losses are a reason, but not the only reason."

Lefebvre did not want to talk much about the firing.

"It was a mutual parting of the ways. When you have to justify the firing of a manager, the more you justify, it just gets worse and muddled.

"I'm just going to try to keep it as simple as possible. If a manager's not wanted or appreciated, it's time to move on. I wish the Seattle Mariners success. I love Seattle. I love the fans, I'm going to miss them."

Team owner Jeff Smulyan, reached in Indianapolis, said the firing is Woodward's realm. He added that "sometimes everyone agrees to go in different directions. I wish him (Lefebvre) the best."

Smulyan has put a premium on continuity and loyalty, both in his radio business and his baseball team. This is a departure from that.

"It is something I value, but people do go in different directions," he said. "We're trying to do things that make sense for the organization."

Woodward and Lefebvre had a symbiotic relationship through the first two seasons, but a gap developed as the 1991 season progressed. Lefebvre was frustrated that he couldn't get a right-handed power hitter and criticized ownership and management for their inability to deliver one.

Woodward denied that Lefebvre was dismissed because of personal differences. "It's a mistake . . . the assumption that there was a problem between Jim and myself," Woodward said. "I hired this man three years ago. I appreciate his hard work and enthusiasm. If we did not have good relationship, we would not have had an hour-and-a-half meeting together."

But management had questions over how Lefebvre used his players and pitchers. He yanked Jay Buhner in and out of the lineup for the first three months. He rarely used Scott Bradley, even though Valle struggled offensively, or Tracy Jones. He stayed with Greg Briley, who didn't get hot until August. And he had his relievers on a constant up-down cycle.

"This year, he knew his job was on the line, especially toward the end," said reliever Bill Swift.

Many players didn't like Lefebvre. Player-manager disagreements are common in baseball clubhouses; but in this one, it centered more on respect for his abilities. The dispute was over how good a bench manager he was.

Lefebvre said he wanted to be more aggressive, yet the team was 11th in the American League in stolen bases and did not force the action much in the late innings. As one player said earlier this season, "I don't know where we'd be if (bench coach Ron) Clark wasn't sitting next to him."

All this contributed to Lefebvre's demise, but what pushed management over the edge was a late-August clubhouse meeting called by the manager in which he told the players to "go on your salaries drives."

After the meeting, one player said, "He was talking like he was gone."

Swift said Lefebvre told the players, "He had a problem with the front office. But the main thing I remember was he kind of seemed like he gave up. That came across." . LEFEBVRE BIO. . Position: Ninth Mariner manager (seventh full-time).. Age: 49.. Playing career: Batted .251 with 74 home runs in eight major-league seasons, all with the Los Angeles Dodgers. His best season was 1966, when he hit .274 with 24 home runs and 74 runs batted in.. Record as M's manager: 233-253 over three seasons.. Managerial highlights: Winningest manager in club history (.479). His 1991 team finished with franchise's first winning record (83-79). Was assistant to Oakland Manager Tony LaRussa when hired as M's manager Nov. 7, 1988..

-- Year-by-year record:. 1989 73-89 (sixth). 1990 77-85 (fifth). 1991 83-79 (fifth).