Bavasi Resigns As Angels' GM

ANAHEIM, Calif. - His job in danger after a dismal season, Bill Bavasi resigned last night as general manager of the Anaheim Angels.

The move came four weeks to the day after Manager Terry Collins resigned despite signing a two-year contract extension in June.

Bavasi, 41, will remain in the organization as special assistant to team president Tony Tavares.

"The change we're looking to cause is to try and get a team that's competitive year in and year out," said Tavares, who admitted he was considering firing Bavasi after the season. "We look at getting there in different ways."

The Angels have endured a miserable season, falling out of contention in the American League West in July.

They entered the season with high hopes after signing free-agent Mo Vaughn to an $80 million, six-year contract in November and making several other offseason moves.

"It's not a crime to have different styles of management, and we do," Bavasi said of himself and Tavares. "I have had nothing but fun here. It was the best time you could possibly have in this game. This is the best job you could have."

Bavasi, whose father, Buzzie, was general manager of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers as well as executive vice president and general manager of the Angels from 1977 to 1984, was appointed GM on Jan. 12, 1994. He began his career with the Angels in 1980 as a minor-league administrator.

"I still respect Bill, I respect his abilities," Tavares said. "Obviously, this is not a happy day."

Notes

-- Marge Schott formally transferred control of her beloved Cincinnati Reds to three partners who had been limited owners of the ballclub. "It's a sad day, yes it is, honey," Schott said after completing the $67 million deal to pass control of the Reds to Carl Lindner, the limited partner who is becoming chief executive officer. Schott remains a limited partner, holding one of the 13 shares in the Reds' new partnership.

-- Oakland catcher Mike Macfarlane said he is retiring at the conclusion of the season. Macfarlane, traded to the Athletics in 1998, played 13 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, Boston Red Sox and A's. His best season was with Kansas City in 1993, when he had career highs in homers (20) and runs batted in (67) and batted .273.

-- Pedro Guerrero, who had three 30-homer seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1980s, has been arrested for trying to buy cocaine from undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Guerrero, a co-MVP of the 1981 World Series, was arrested at his Miami home Thursday night, DEA officials said.

-- A fan at Busch Stadium who sneaked onto the field and stole bats from the Chicago Cubs' dugout belonging to Sammy Sosa and Mark Grace was arrested before the Cardinal-Cub game. Police said Patrick Stangler, 33, of Naperville, Ill., will be charged with trespassing and theft.