Peter Bavasi Restructures Front Office of the Indians

A realignment of the Cleveland Indians’ front office is underway as part of an effort to make the American League team more competititive with other major league baseball organizations, Indians president and chief operating officer Peter Bavasi announced.

“Players are smart,” Bavasi said. “They understand when an organization is stagnating. They also understand when an organization is progressing, so that they can one day wear a World Series ring.”

Bavasi, who took over the top Indians administrative job recently from Gabe Paul, said his new administrative design “is a hybrid of some of the better organizations in baseball” and recognizes that the longtime position of general manager now is too demanding for one man to handle.

Indians General Manager Phil Seghi, 66, eventually will become senior player personnel adviser under Bavasi’s restructuring. Seghi, who said he plans to move to California when he assumes the new role, will remain at his current job until Bavasi names someone to a new position--senior vice president-baseball operations.

“I have a candidate in mind,” Bavasi said. “I’ve talked to the man. His (baseball franchise) owner has given me permission to to talk with him. If he wants the job it’s his, but I won’t say any more about him.”

The senior vice president-baseball operations would be responsible for all matters pertaining to the Indians’ team, including roster development, scouting, minor league teams, trades and player acquisitions.

Certain administrative tasks of the current general manager’s post will be part of another new position--vice president-basbeall administration and player relations. Dan O’Brien, currently Bavasi’s assistant, will have that job.

Bavasi also said that Robert E. Quinn, who ran Cleveland’s farm system as vice president-player development & scouting, has resigned to pursue other opportunities. Jim Napier will take over Quinn’s duties as field director-player development.

After Bavasi’s announcement, Seghi, who has masterminded dozens of trades involving Cleveland players since joining the team’s front office in 1971, quipped, “This is a trade of one general manager for a general manager to be named later.”

Seghi said he had two baseball seasons left on his current contract and had expected to serve as an adviser to the team’s front office when his contract ends in 1986.

“This just moves the timetable up, that’s all,” Seghi said.