Shoemaker front-runner for job

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2003 | 9:20 a.m.

Speaking softly into his cellular phone Tuesday inside a movie theater in the Dominican Republic, John Shoemaker declined to confirm that he has been hired as manager of the Las Vegas 51s.

He insisted that news of the move come from Bill Bavasi, the director of player development for the Dodgers who, as Shoemaker spoke, was interviewing another candidate in Los Angeles for the top field post of the team's Class AAA affiliate.

"I have spoken to Bill Bavasi about the possibility of perhaps going to Las Vegas this year," Shoemaker said. "But until it's been all confirmed, I'd rather not make a statement about it."

Neither Bavasi nor Derrick Hall, the Dodgers' senior vice president for communications, returned phone calls.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Don Logan, general manager of the 51s, said he expected Bavasi to "sleep on it" and then make a decision about the team's next manager today.

"Nothing is set in stone," Logan said. "But Shoemaker, in my mind, is the front-runner. 'Shoe' is a guy who has been in the organization. Again, it's more their call than mine. They will do what they want to do, because it's a particularly important position for them.

"But I think your sources are on the point."

Shoemaker would replace Brad Mills, who left the 51s to become the bench coach for the Montreal Expos. Bavasi's job search became more complicated when 51s hitting instructor Ron Jackson recently bolted for the same post with the Baltimore Orioles.

"They (Bavasi and the Dodgers' front office) were thrown for a loop," Logan said. "In one respect, though, I know they want to get it done."

Logan said nothing was confirmed in conversations with Bavasi on Monday and Tuesday morning. Logan dined Tuesday night with friends who are in town. He left his cell phone on, but Bavasi had not called Logan by press time this morning.

Shoemaker lettered in baseball and basketball at Miami (Ohio) University, and he pursued baseball after getting picked by the Dodgers in the 35th round of the 1977 draft. The Chicago Bulls also wanted him, selecting him in the sixth round of the '78 NBA draft.

He played in the minors for four years as an infielder, shifting his goals toward coaching in 1981 because of the Dodgers' stalwart infield quartet of Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Steve Garvey and Bill Russell.

He spent his first seven years managing the Dodgers' Class A team in Vero Beach, Fla., where he currently resides with wife Jackie and their two daughters. Shoemaker has guided Dodgers' minor-league squads in Yakima, Wash., and Great Falls, Mont.

Shoemaker was named the Southern League manager of the year in 2001, when he led the Class AA Jacksonville (Fla.) Suns to that league's Eastern Division first- and second-half championships. He served as a roving instructor last season.

Tuesday was an off day for Shoemaker, who has been managing a Dominican winter league team in Cibao.

"I've been out of the (U.S.) for a while, and I'm not sure where everything is stacking up," he said. "And I haven't talked to any Dodgers' people most recently, so I don't know where they are in naming a new manager for the 51s.

"I know Brad Mills and Ron Jackson left, but I don't know exactly where everything is at this point. I'd rather not make a report at this time."