Topkin Chimes In

Some potentially qualified outside candidates: Rangers third-base coach Don Wakamatsu, A's hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo, former Angels minor-league manager Mike Brumley and Angels minor-league field coordinator Bruce Hines.

The team is touting a "major entertainment star" will be part of the Nov. 8 uniform unveiling at St. Petersburg's Straub Park.

3B coach Tom Foley, a former Pirate, could be a managerial candidate in Pittsburgh

Blez:  What are your thoughts on the new hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo?

Beane:  He was very impressive.  It was funny cause over that month as we were talking to managerial candidates it started to look like if Lou got that Cubs job, Gerald might be leaving to go there.  We kept hearing his (Van Burkleo's) name come up from people who didn't know each other.  As we were putting together a list of potential hitting instructors, we put his name on the list because we'd heard his name in several different places who all rave about this guy.  So I knew the first indication that we'd hit on something when I called Assistant GM Ken Forsch and I said, "Ken, I'd like to ask for permission to speak to Ty Van Burkleo for our major league hitting job."  He just groaned like I was afraid you were going to say that.  To me that was a validation of what their own organization thought about him and the last time that someone had that reaction when I called to ask about another person is when John Hart had that reaction when I called about Paul DePodesta.  His reaction and John's and the fact that Paul ended up being as great as he was, I figured we hit on the right guy.