Bucs third base coach Rick Sofield has interviewed for the Padres' vacant managerial job, Rob Biertempfel writes. (Peter Gammons was, I believe, the first to report that Sofield would interview.) The Padres requested permission to interview Sofield, and Neal Huntington granted it. Sofield then went to San Diego for a two-day interview before the Wild Card game.
"It was a dream," Sofield told the Tribune-Review on Tuesday. "It was an exciting two days with the wild-card (game) looming — the most fun I've had in my baseball career."
It isn't surprising that other teams would have interest in hiring members of the Pirates organization, particularly given Jeff Banister's success in Texas this year.