Tars close to hiring skipper

Newport Harbor High’s tie to its next baseball coach might involve the team it tied this past season in the Sunset League.

The Sailors are close to hiring Patrick Murphy, an assistant last year at Los Alamitos, said a source Tuesday not wanting to be identified.

The source said Newport Harbor has extended an offer to Murphy. The source added that Murphy is considering the job, but hopes he can also teach special education at Newport Harbor.

The school offered Murphy, a credentialed special education teacher, an academic support position, said the source.

Murphy last season served under-then Los Alamitos Coach Mark Clabough, who resigned after leading the Griffins to three league titles in nine years. Los Alamitos failed to defend its league title in 2009, finishing 5-10 in league and tied for fourth place with the Sailors.

Newport Harbor fired Evan Chalmers after four years as coach. Chalmers went 36-62-1 and never led the Sailors to the playoffs.

Newport Harbor Principal Michael Vossen did not return a phone message left Tuesday. Vossen let Chalmers go in mid-June because he wanted the baseball program to go in a different direction.

The Sailors are close to moving into a new one.

Newport Harbor is still without an athletic director after Vossen fired Eric Tweit and Fletcher Olson resigned in protest.

Usually, an athletic director is tied into the hiring of a new coach.

Assistant principal David Martinez took over the role of athletic director last monthuntil Newport Harbor finds a permanent replacement.