BASEBALL COLOR IT UNCHANGED : Angels, Padres, Dodgers Make Some Strides : Southland: Claire says Royster is on the move. Darrell Miller hopes to end up in front office. McIlvaine hired Waller.

Commissioner Fay Vincent’s emphasis on considering minorities for managerial jobs has not led the Angels, Dodgers or Padres to hire a black manager. But all three teams have black or Latino managers in their farm systems who can be considered, however distantly, on the managerial track.

Jerry Royster had to be convinced by Fred Claire, Dodger executive vice president, and Charlie Blaney, the club’s director of minor league operations, that he would enjoy managing. Royster, who is black, is now considered one of the organization’s top managerial prospects and was promoted from Class A to double-A San Antonio for next season. He’s also managing in the Winter League in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Jerry Royster is certainly a manager on the move,” Claire said. “He’s definitely someone on the rise. I think Jerry Royster will manage in the big leagues. Charlie and I are always looking around to see if there are minority applicants we can give consideration. Jerry was an obvious good choice, and Charlie and I sold him on coming with us.

“We focus not just on minority managers, but on minorities in all capacities. One of the key people in our minor league system is Reggie Smith (a minor league hitting instructor). Reggie is in on many decisions and evaluations of our minor leaguers. He’s a very important part of our organization.”

The Dodgers also employ Von Joshua as a hitting coach and Luis Tiant and John Roseboro as instructors. Ivan DeJesus managed Class-A Kissimmee in Florida last season and will be a minor league instructor next season.

The Angels have several Latino managers and coaches in their minor league system but only one black, Nate Oliver, who managed Class-A Palm Springs last year. Max Olivares, a native of Puerto Rico, managed their triple-A Edmonton farm club, and Cuban-born Cookie Rojas managed the Angels in 1988. Rojas was a special assignment scout for the Angels until his recent departure to join the expansion Florida Marlins as a scout.

“This organization is as color blind as any I’ve ever seen in Southern California or Orange County, and that’s difficult to be in a society where everybody seems to be having problems with everybody else,” said Darrell Miller, the Angels’ director of community relations.

Miller, who is black, hopes to someday become a general manager or club president. He does not want to manage, but thinks the Angels would be open to hiring a black manager.

“I don’t think this is an organization or team that would ever look at color as a hindrance, or keep someone from advancing because of their color,” added Miller, who is the only minority executive in the Angels’ front office. “I’ve been here 12 years, in this organization. If I thought otherwise, there’s no way in heck I’d be here.”

Miller said he had no qualms about the Angels replacing one white manager, Doug Rader, with another when Buck Rodgers was hired in August because: “You want to have someone from the flock. You want to see people considered who have been in the organization.”

The Padres have not changed managers since Joe McIlvaine became general manager, but the most important executive position that has opened during his stewardship was filled by a black man. Reggie Waller, formerly assistant to the general manager in Seattle and a scout in Houston, became the first black executive in the club’s history when he was named the Padres’ director of scouting on Oct. 15. In addition, Eddie Romero, a Latino, is in line for a Class-A managerial job next season.

“We know the commissioner is addressing and looking to get candidates in position to funnel into a growing number of candidates (for managerial jobs),” said John Barr, the Padres’ assistant general manager. “We are more conscious of it and we are looking at each applicant. . . . The door is open. Reggie feels that way. He’s getting the best candidates, white or black.

“We’re all going to sit down and look at more. Being aware (of the problem) should help us in combatting it.”

Miller agrees that the outlook for black managers is improving.

“At least we’re talking about it and we’re on the right road,” Miller said. “To me, it’s like an alcoholic. You can tell he’s on the road to recovery when he says, ‘I’m an alcoholic.’

“I think major league baseball is past that. They’ve seen the problem. But what are you going to do, tell the alcoholic, ‘You’ve got to get better right now?’ It takes time. I think there’s a real desire to help change things.”