BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : ANGELS : This Might Be the End for Brett

The morning after his historic 3,000th hit, George Brett seemed to be leaning toward retirement.

Brett, bleary-eyed and unshaven after a team party that went into the wee hours Thursday morning, said he intends to discuss his future with Royal General Manager Herk Robinson and team owner Ewing Kauffman within the next few days. He will be honored at Royals Stadium Saturday, which will be declared “George Brett Day” in Kansas City. He did not play Thursday.

“I’ve always said I want to go out on my terms, on top, and I don’t think I can get any higher than this,” said Brett, whose option for next season is held by the Royals. “The game’s been too good to me. I’m not going to stay around and make a mockery of it.”

Royal Manager Hal McRae said he had no intention of using Brett on Thursday except as a decoy.

“If a situation came up where we needed a left-handed pinch-hitter, we would have put Brett on the on-deck circle,” McRae said.

With the exception of pitching coach Marcel Lachemann, who announced his departure Tuesday, the Angel coaching staff will return intact next season. . . . Damion Easley’s first start at shortstop was curtailed when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, bruising his right forearm. X-rays at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange were negative. . . . Manager Buck Rodgers will have a second operation on his right elbow the week of Oct. 19.