His Style Isn’t in the Game Plan

There were really two Mike Ports who occupied the office of Angel general manager, although one went largely unseen by the public--obfuscated, as Port would put it, by the verbal gobbledygook that often made him seem a Spiro Agnew cast adrift in a sea of Luis Polonias.

Away from the At-this-point-in-times and the I-submit-to-yous, we submit that Port could be almost a regular guy, or at least an irregular guy with a sense of humor.

Case in point: Late in the 1986 season, Port was hounded by questions about the nine Angel veterans headed for free agency that winter--Doug DeCinces, Reggie Jackson and Bob Boone among them--so eventually, he began handing out cards to the media that playfully played off his image as the technocrat with the syntax-stuffed shirt:

The cards read:

There are certain things I am not agreeable to discussing with you on any basis whatsoever, and that happens to be one of them. Nonetheless, thank you for your interest. On the other hand, if you would like to discuss the pennant race, our current place in the standings or some of the fine on-field performances of some of our players, I’ll be more than happy to spend time with you accordingly.

This was funny, or at least as funny as Port got, but sadly, this was the Port that remained out of view except for the few private performances he would reserve for staff members and friends, far from the klieg lights and the madding crowd.

Not that it matters anymore, not to the Angels anyway.

Tuesday, the Angels fired Port, both of him, and replaced them with one Dan O’Brien.

Not surprisingly, Port was unavailable for comment.

Angel CEO Richard Brown was asked for reasons and Brown cited “philosophical differences.” Right, that’s what they always say.

Pressed further, Brown said that communication was a problem.

Well, yeah . . .

Six years with Port on the job and now the Angels notice?

Brown noticed after six months on the job. Tuesday, Brown said that when he was hired as CEO last November, he wanted to take time to evaluate his staff.

So Brown evaluated.

Tuesday, the first results came in.

“Style is probably the one word that describes it,” Brown said. “My style is hands-on. I also delegate (authority) but when I do, I follow up on it. I need communication.”

Brown also said that O’Brien is “very outgoing. We had an excellent opportunity to work together the last six months and Dan and I work together well.”

Port was an introvert in an extrovert’s profession. He had power--before Brown’s arrival, he was the Angel operation--but he never appeared truly secure with it. He preferred the background to the forefront, never feeling comfortable either with making news or dealing with bad news.

His trades, for the most part, mirrored his personality: cautious, restrained, uncharismatic. He dealt for spare parts whenever a new engine was required, risking little and generally gaining the same. His reticence to consummate a deal became a topic for media analysis: Why can’t Port pull the trigger?

Interestingly, his boldest trades were his last--Luis Sojo and Junior Felix for Devon White, Dave Parker for Dante Bichette--which suggested either growing confidence on the part of Port, or growing influence on the part of Brown and Manager Doug Rader.

Brown said he’s pleased with the moves Port had made since the end of last season but added, “I don’t know that you can evaluate somebody solely on the trades they make. You don’t know the trades they don’t make, you don’t know the phone calls they didn’t accept or the phone calls they hung up on.”

Port’s term as general manager began with the 1985 season, which meant he presided over the conclusion of some major Angel careers: Rod Carew, Jackson, DeCinces, Boone, Brian Downing. None of them wanted them to end when they did. Port had five chances to get his farewell speech right, but he took the collar, 0 for 5.

Carew’s release was accompanied by a cold, terse press release and nothing more.

Jackson had to bid the media goodby in the hallway outside publicist Tim Mead’s office.

DeCinces was released with one week to go in the 1987 season, so Port could save the Angels $141,667.

Boone was so angered over past contract negotiations with Port that he bolted the club for Kansas City for a $1 raise--and refused to phone the Angels for a chance to counter.

Downing was denied arbitration after the 1990 season, the same week Boston denied Dwight Evans arbitration. Two departures, two ways to handle them. The right way: The Red Sox call a press conference and thank Evans for years of meritorious service. The wrong way: Port hems and haws and says Downing might be asked back, could be asked back, he’s not out of the picture yet--anything but the difficult reality.

Chili Davis, cut loose three months later, spotted a trend when he saw one. “The Angels could use a course in human relations,” he said. “They don’t know how to treat people.”

Brown admits that this is an area that needs work.

“I give a lot of credence to an alumni organization,” he said. “I’d like (former) players to want to come back and do things for the club.

“Brian Downing, when he retires, hopefully, will come back into the fold. Rod Carew. Reggie Jackson. It’s something that I’m quite cognizant of . . .

“We have to allow players to leave here with dignity. I’m not saying that hasn’t been done in the past, but I have seen the results (with Carew, etc.) and they are unhappy results. I want to address that.”

Port sought to avoid confrontation whenever possible, despite the long-standing perception of Port as a screw-turner during contract negotiations. A comment by Wally Joyner, Port’s most visible combatant in the Angel money pit, is telling.

“A lot of people didn’t get along with Mike Port or had differences with Mike Port,” Joyner said. “He wasn’t your best P.R. guy or the best guy to talk to media or anybody else. That doesn’t make him a bad person. It makes him a shy person.”

And the shyness gave birth to the public Mike Port--the general manager who had a push-button on his desk that automatically closed the door to his office, who went weeks last season without talking to Rader, who refused to talk to the media briefly after the 1989 season because he had to stay completely focused on his negotiations with a free agent named Mark Langston.

The public Mike Port could have benefited from an intrusion by the private Mike Port, the Mike Port who loves dogs, is a sucker for McDonald’s cheeseburgers and could sneak up behind staff members with a well-trained plastic squirt gun.

Port wasn’t that bad a guy. By tapping into that more often, he could have been a better general manager.

PROFILE: MIKE PORT

Born--July 24, 1945 in Los Angeles.

Schooling -- Played baseball at Fallbrook High School, Santa Clara College and California Western University, now U.S. International University, from which he earned a degree in business administration.

Baseball Record--Played in the San Diego organization until 1969 when he was named general manager of the Padres’ Key West (Fla.) team. For two years was GM of Padres’ Lodi farm club in California League before becoming Padres’ promotions director in 1972. Became Padres’ minor league director in 1973. After five seasons in that position, he joined the Angels in November, 1977, as director of player personnel. On Jan. 19, 1980 he was named a club vice president and chief administrative officer. On Sept. 1, 1984, he succeeded E.J. Buzzie Bavasi as the club’s general manager and was named an executive vice president. His 13 1/2-year affiliation with the Angels ended Tuesday when he was fired by Richard Brown, the club’s president and chief executive officer.

Resides--San Clemente.

PROFILE: DAN O’BRIEN

Born--March 26, 1929 in Elizabeth, N.J.

Schooling--Played baseball (pitcher) and basketball (guard on state championship team) at Thomas Jefferson High School in Elizabeth. Attended Seton Hall University; graduated from Florida Southern College.

Military Service--Served in U.S. Army (1952-54) during Korean conflict.

Baseball Record--In 1955, he was hired by Branch Rickey to be general manager of Pittsburgh Pirates’ Burlington, N.C., affiliate. Later worked as GM of Milwaukee Brewers’ farm clubs in Boise (Ida.), Jacksonville (Fla.), Louisville (Ky.) and Greenville (S.C.). Spent nine years as assistant to the president of the National Assn. of Professional Baseball Leagues before becoming GM of the Texas Rangers in 1974. After five seasons in that position, he left Jan. 17, 1979 to become president of the Seattle Mariners, a job he held for five years. He joined the Cleveland Indians as assistant to the president on Dec. 12, 1984. On June 1, 1989, he was named the Angels’ senior vice president/baseball operations. Tuesday, upon Mike Port’s firing, he assumed the general manager’s duties.

Resides--Mission Viejo.