This Time, Angels Get a Pitcher, Not a Thrower

The Montreal Expos, pleading a communications breakdown in trading the Angels a player who was quitting baseball to join Fresno State’s football team, hurriedly substituted right-handed pitcher Keith Morrison on Thursday.

The transaction, after a flurry of phone calls between Angel and Expo officials, compensates the Angels for the loss of pitcher Jeff Tuss. The Angels got Tuss last week when they traded first baseman Lee Stevens to the Expos, only to learn Wednesday that Tuss has signed a letter of intent to attend Fresno State and soon will enroll there.

Said Richard Griffin, Expo media relations director: “Just in case anything happens, we put on the bottom of the press release that Morrison lettered in football, basketball and baseball in high school. We’re not taking any chances.”

Morrison, who was a combined 9-6 with a 3.08 earned-run average at Class-A Albany, Ga., and Rockford, Ill., last season, will be assigned to the Angels’ triple-A Vancouver team.

And, yes, he plans to stick with baseball.

“They had a misunderstanding and miscommunication internally in the Montreal organization,” said Dan O’Brien, Angel senior vice president for baseball operations. “Because of that, we endured some unwarranted criticism in regard to Jeff and his decision to play collegiate football. That information was known among some in the Montreal front office, but not conveyed to others, and certainly not passed along to the Angels.”

Steve Caruso, Tuss’ agent, said he notified Kent Qualls, Expo director of minor league operations, in December of the likelihood that Tuss would quit baseball for college football. The Expos said they interpreted the conversation to mean that Tuss wanted to be traded.

“It was just a miscommunication,” said Dan Duquette, Expo general manager. “What do you want me to say? The guy retired. We sure didn’t know.

“Hopefully, this is the end of it.”