Major League Baseball

Sources: Marlins to interview two more

Published Jun. 24, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

All signs still point toward Bobby Valentine becoming the Marlins’ next manager, perhaps even by the end of the weekend.

The Marlins, however, will interview two other candidates Friday, according to major-league sources — Edwin Rodriguez, their interim manager, and Bo Porter, the Diamondbacks’ third base coach.

Valentine, currently a studio analyst for ESPN, will interview later Friday, sources said, and his hiring could occur quickly after he meets with Marlins executives.

As of Friday morning, Valentine was planning to be in studio on Sunday for ESPN, though his plans were subject to change.

ESPN.com is reporting that the Marlins are expected to offer Valentine a four-year contract. SI.com is reporting that at least a tentative deal is in place.

If Valentine and the Marlins indeed struck a deal before the team interviewed Rodriguez, a native of Puerto Rico, and Porter, an African-American, then the team could be in violation of commissioner Bud Selig’s guidelines on minority hiring.

Selig fined the Marlins in 2003 for not interviewing minority candidates before hiring Jack McKeon to replace Jeff Torborg.

Sentiment exists within the Marlins’ organization to allow Rodriguez, the first Puerto Rican-born manager, to remain manager through the team’s series against the Mets in Puerto Rico, which runs from Monday to Wednesday.

Porter, before joining the Diamondbacks this season, spent the previous five years in the Marlins’ organization, serving as third base coach and outfield and baserunning instructor from 2007 to ’09.

The Diamondbacks visit Tampa Bay this weekend.

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