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Pirates interview Macha, Banister for manager position
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The Pirates stayed local today, interviewing 25-year organization veteran Jeff Banister and hometown product Ken Macha, who still lives in the area.
That brought the number to five candidates the Pirates have interviewed so far to replace John Russell: Eric Wedge, Bo Porter, John Gibbons, Banister and Macha.
Banister, 45, has served the organization in just about every capacity but major-league manager. He spent 1994-97 as a full-time manager in their low minors -- never above Class A -- and then worked on an interim basis for two more years. He steered Augusta to a South Atlantic League championship in 1995. Overall at Welland, Augusta, Lynchburg and Carolina, he went 299- 330.
Macha, 60, from Monroeville and Pitt, went 368-280 with Oakland -- where he directed the Athletics to American League West crowns in 2003 and 2006 -- and Milwaukee. The Brewers released him after two seasons of third-place and sub-.500 finishes in the same National League Central with the Pirates.
Macha marks the third interviewee with big-league managing experience, with all three candidates having success only in the AL -- along with Wedge (Cleveland) and Gibbons (Toronto).
First Published October 12, 2010 5:58 pm
