BASEBALL DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Gebhard, McHale Reportedly Will Head Rockies’ Operation

Bob Gebhard, the Minnesota Twin vice president of player personnel, has accepted the job of general manager of the expansion Colorado Rockies, baseball sources said Saturday.

John McHale, the son of the former Montreal Expo president, has agreed to run the business side of the Rockies, who begin play in 1993, a source familiar with the Denver team said.

Gebhard has been the assistant to Twin General Manager Andy MacPhail since 1986. Sources, speaking on the condition they not be identified, told Associated Press that he will join the Rockies after the season.

Rockies President Steven E. Ehrhart would not confirm the hirings. An announcement is scheduled for Wednesday.

A Rockies source said the team also interviewed former Angel general manager Mike Port, Oakland director of baseball administration Walt Jocketty, San Francisco assistant general manager Ralph Nelson and Dan Duquette, who became Montreal’s general manager when Dave Dombrowski quit last week to become general manager of the Florida Marlins.

Gebhard recently turned down a similar job with the Detroit Tigers, reportedly because he couldn’t get complete authority to run the team. Two years ago, Gebhard was among the final candidates to be general manager of the San Diego Padres.

A fan was carried off on a stretcher after he was struck in the face by a foul ball hit by the Baltimore Orioles’ Cal Ripken at Cleveland Stadium.

Jim Macaluso, 40, who was watching the game with his two sons, apparently sustained a broken nose while sitting in the front row near third base, the Indians said.