Indians Rehire Edwards (30-45) as Manager

Doc Edwards, who was promoted from bullpen coach to manager midway through the Cleveland Indians’ disastrous 1987 season, was rehired Wednesday to manage the team in 1988.

Edwards directed Cleveland to a 30-45 record after taking over July 16, when Pat Corrales was fired. The Indians were 31-56 under Corrales.

Their final 61-101 record was the worst in the majors, and Edwards said he and new team President Hank Peters are prepared to deal to strengthen a pitching staff that had a 5.28 earned-run average, also worst in the big leagues.

In Chicago, meanwhile, Joe Altobelli and Don Zimmer top the list of candidates for manager of the Cubs, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Jim Frey, the Cubs’ new director of baseball operations, has been giving active consideration to both men, the newspaper said.

Altobelli is currently a minor league coordinator with the New York Yankees, but the newspaper said he has been freed to look for another job.

Altobelli managed the Baltimore Orioles in 1983, when they defeated beat the Chicago White Sox in the American League playoffs and beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. He also managed the San Francisco Giants from 1977 to 1979.

Zimmer was Frey’s third-base coach when Frey managed the Cubs, and he quit when Frey was fired by Dallas Green, former team president and general manager. Green’s recent resignation allowed Frey to return to the organization as director of baseball operations.