BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Harrah to Manage the Rest of the Season

The Texas Rangers waited only four games before naming interim Manager Toby Harrah the manager for the rest of the season, a move designed to ease the minds of both players and management.

“We’re not going to settle for things the way they are,” Harrah said Thursday. “Hopefully, the ballclub will go out there and really play hard. You’d like to see your players leave their feet for the ball, not afraid to take the extra base and to really try to do the little things it takes to win a ballgame.”

Harrah, an original Ranger when the franchise moved from Washington in 1972, was named the team’s 12th manager a week after he replaced Bobby Valentine on an interim basis.

The news was greeted with happiness by the players.

“I think it’s a good decision,” right-hander Jose Guzman said. “Toby’s been with us for a long time. He knows the organization. Everybody likes him. I think it’s going to be great playing for him.”

Shortstop Jeff Huson said the decision made sense.

“He knows the personnel that’s here right now. He knows the league,” Huson said. “If they were to bring somebody else in, he would have to learn us, we would have to learn about him and he might have to learn the league on top of learning the players.”

Third baseman Dean Palmer said the clubhouse is a relaxed setting with Harrah in charge. “Everyone seems to be real upbeat,” he said.

Chicago Cub right-hander Greg Maddux turned down a five-year contract worth an estimated $28 million that would have made him the highest-paid pitcher in baseball, Cub vice president Larry Himes said.

Maddux, 26, a two-time All-Star who is 10-8 with a 2.40 earned-run average, reportedly was offered a $28-million package that would have averaged $5.6 million per season.

In a move to bolster offense from its catching corps, the Montreal Expos released Rick Cerone, 38, and called up Bob Natal from triple-A Indianapolis. The Expos also signed catcher-pinch-hitter Jerry Willard to a triple-A contract. He was released last week by the Atlanta Braves.

Nick Esasky, who hasn’t played in the major leagues in more than two years because of a type of vertigo, was told by the Atlanta Braves there isn’t a roster spot available for him, but they would like him to remain with the organization. Esasky’s agent, Jim Turner, said his client would think about the offer.

Esasky returned to action in the minor leagues this year and had given the Braves a deadline of July 16 to either promote him to the major league roster or release him.

He had been playing at Richmond, the Braves triple-A farm club in the International League. He was hitting .280 with five home runs in 26 games.

Esasky signed a three-year, $5.6-million contract with the Braves before the 1990 season.

Lenny Dykstra returned to the lineup for the Philadelphia Phillies, who made room for him by asking waivers on pitcher Don Robinson.