HOUSTON -- It took him five years, but Larry Dierker finally realized managing was tougher than it seemed.

'Manager takes the hit'

All signs were pointing to Larry Dierker being fired. He didn't exactly receive ringing endorsements from the owner during or since the playoffs, and there were players with whom he didn't get along. Dierker is a former pitcher, and while pitchers liked him, there was talk that he didn't have the full respect of everyone on the ballclub. Once again, the manager takes the hit. Sure, Dierker hasn't advanced to the second round of the playoffs since being at the helm. But the Astros are a lot better off now than they were when Dierker took over. At some point, the players have to take responsibility for not getting it done in the big games. They won four out of five Central Division titles -- how is that not "success"? In some ways, Dierker was destroyed by his own success. He did so well, the expectation was continually raised. Apparently, getting to the playoffs was no longer enough for the Astros. There are a lot of names floating around who could potentially get the Houston job. Felipe Alou, Jimy Williams, Buck Showalter. Often someone within the organization is the best choice, but since Dierker was inside the organization for so long, they will likely look for help from the outside to bring in some new energy. -- Brian McRae

The former major league pitcher resigned Thursday after leading the Houston Astros to four division titles in five seasons but never getting past the first round of the playoffs. The Astros' 93-69 record this season tied for the best in the National League but Dierker decided he'd had enough.

"The players have a lot more power. I think to that extent, I didn't have the perfect personality for managing," Dierker said. "I had some good ideas and I was a pretty good at evaluating.

"I was not able to get the players to do some of the things I wanted them to do. Mostly, because they said I don't think that's the right thing to do and I'm not going to do it. They didn't say it to my face but that's the way they acted."

Dierker, wearing a Hawaiian shirt at Thursday's news conference, looked more relaxed than in some of the tense moments during the season and playoffs.

"If you look around the room and all the club officials, you realize I am the only one who is on vacation," Dierker said.

Dierker said he felt the strain of five years as manager.

"It's been tough, tougher than I anticipated," he said. "I understand looking at this from a player's standpoint. Sometimes, things can get stale. I think I reached that point with this team."

Houston went 2-12 in the postseason under the former Astros pitcher and broadcaster.

General manager Gerry Hunsicker said Dierker, who has one year left on his contract, will be offered a position in the team's front office. Hunsicker said he doesn't have a list of candidates to replace Dierker.

"He will continue to play an important role with the Houston Astros," owner Drayton McLane said. "I'd like to thank Larry five years later for taking that bold venture and making it work. It was a major accomplishment."

Dierker's strategy was questioned late in the season, when Houston lost 10 of its last 12 games, including the playoffs.

He bristled during the final week of the regular season, when fans at Enron Field booed as the Astros repeatedly walked San Francisco's Barry Bonds during his pursuit of the season home run record.

"I don't think they are fans of ours if they do that," Dierker said at the time.

After Game 1 of the divisional series against Atlanta, Dierker snapped at questions about bringing reliever Mike Jackson into the game in the eighth inning instead of usual setup man Octavio Dotel. The Braves hit Jackson hard and won 7-4.

"I was probably too outspoken," Dierker said Thursday. "I don't mean by verbally yelling but in the sense that when you guys asked a question, I gave you the whole answer. I didn't leave anything unsaid. I probably should have. Sometimes you caught me when I was mad. But I don't regret it."

In Game 2, Dierker used Chris Truby, who spent most of the season in the minors, as a pinch hitter, instead of Jose Vizcaino, who had a game-winning hit for the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series.

Hunsicker and McLane both spoke to Dierker about his demeanor, and club president Tal Smith was at the manager's news conference before Game 2 against Atlanta.

"That may have hurt me," Dierker said Thursday.

Dierker's 448-362 record puts him second in franchise history for victories. Bill Virdon managed the team to a 544-522 record in the late 1970s and early 80s.

Dierker started his Houston career as an 18-year-old pitcher with the Colt 45s. In his major league debut, on Sept. 22, 1964, Dierker struck out Willie Mays and Jim Hart in his first inning.

He became Houston's first 20-game winner in 1969, a season in which he threw 20 complete games, and was an All-Star twice. Dierker pitched a no-hitter on July 9, 1976, against Montreal, and still holds many of the club's pitching records.

After completing his 14-year major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals, he returned to the Astros and briefly took a sales position before going into broadcasting.

McLane moved Dierker into the dugout in 1997, after firing Terry Collins, who led the Astros to three straight second-place finishes. Dierker had no managing or coaching experience.

Under Dierker's easygoing approach and with a pitching staff loaded with budding stars, the Astros took off. The starters liked their new manager's willingness to stay with them when they got into jams.

He became the sixth manager in major league history to win a division title in his rookie season. The next season, 1998, he was NL Manager of the Year as the Astros won a team-record 102 games.

In 1999, the team's last in the Astrodome, Houston won its third straight division title. Dierker had a seizure in the dugout during a game in June. He had surgery and returned to managing.

A rash of injuries and some pitchers' ineffectiveness at hitter-friendly Enron Field led to a fourth-place finish in 2000, but the Astros posted the biggest turnaround in franchise history this season.

"I'm sad today, but I won't be later," Dierker said. "I understand it, and it will be all right. You'll be seeing me around. I just won't be in the dugout."