Davey Johnson, Dick Williams to Quit as Managers After ’88

Two managers, Davey Johnson of the New York Mets and Dick Williams of the Seattle Mariners, said they will give up their jobs after the 1988 season.

The Mets announced that Johnson, 44, will relinquish the managerial post and become a special assistant to Joe McIlvaine, vice president for baseball operations, beginning in 1989.

Williams, 58, told the Seattle Times he will retire after one more year, which will be his 42nd in baseball. “My wife and I have been talking about it for some time,” Williams said.

Johnson and Met General Manager Frank Cashen had a falling-out last Sunday when a published report quoted Johnson as saying his request to have his contract renegotiated had been turned down by Cashen during a meeting Aug. 26.

Cashen has said that he was “disappointed in the timing” of Johnson’s discussion of their meeting.

Johnson, who is earning $325,000 this year, was quoted as saying: “Frank said flat out, ‘I’m not extending your contract.’ ”

But Saturday, Johnson said: “I don’t think I deserve (an extension) with the year we’ve had. I would have to qualify for Looney Tunes after this year if I wanted three or four more like it.”

Johnson, the manager since 1984, has a 387-260 record heading into today’s final game of the season, winning at least 90 games in each of his four seasons.