MIAMI -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is investigating whether the Florida Marlins followed minority-hiring guidelines when they replaced manager Jeff Torborg with Jack McKeon.

"Bud's looking into it," Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said Tuesday.

In 1999, Selig sent a letter to teams requiring them to notify him about certain job vacancies, including manager. Teams are to provide a list of minority candidates, and the commissioner's office reviews the names before anyone is hired.

The Marlins could be fined if it's determined they failed to follow Selig's guidelines. He has the power to fine teams up to $2 million.

Marlins president David Samson, who was with the team Tuesday in San Diego, said he's not concerned about the investigation because the team takes into account "all candidates for all positions."

General manager Larry Beinfest has declined to say whether other candidates were considered before the Marlins hired McKeon last weekend.

Samson said he discussed the issue with DuPuy in a conversation that lasted about seven minutes.

"I talked to him about the process of the hiring of Jack McKeon, and then we talked about our organization and where we stand from a minority standpoint and our impeccable track record of minority hirings," Samson said. "When we hear next from the commissioner or when Bob DuPuy speaks, I guess that will be the next step. ... I'm not concerned about this inquiry."

The Detroit Tigers failed to consider minority candidates before hiring manager Phil Garner in 2000. But the team escaped punishment by creating a five-member community advisory board to work on minority employment and contracting issues, as well as on public relations.

The 72-year-old McKeon is the oldest manager in the major leagues and third-oldest in history. He has managed four other major league teams, most recently Cincinnati from 1997 to 2000.

According to a Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel report, industry sources said the Marlins might have been able to evade the minority-hiring rule by promoting someone from their major or minor league staff to replace Torborg.

But by looking outside and interviewing only McKeon, the Marlins left themselves open to a penalty from Major League Baseball.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.