BASEBALL ROUNDUP : A’s Reportedly Pick Art Howe as Manager

Art Howe will be named manager of the Oakland Athletics today, according the San Francisco Examiner.

The A’s interviewed Howe and A’s coach Jim Lefebvre on Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., and opted for Howe, former manager of the Houston Astros and coach for the Colorado Rockies this past year, the newspaper said.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed, but Art Howe is a quality guy,” Lefebvre said from his Scottsdale home. “I know him. I wish him all the best.”

Howe, 48, replaces Tony La Russa, who quit after the World Series to manage St. Louis.

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The Cleveland Indians have exercised their 1996 options on pitcher Orel Hershiser and outfielder Albert Belle and their 1997 option on reliever Jose Mesa.

Belle will make $5.5 million next season, and Hershiser will make $1.5 million. Mesa’s base for 1997 is $900,000.

Hershiser, 37, would be a steal at $1.5 million considering the season he had in 1995--a 16-6 record and 3.87 earned-run average in the regular season, and a 4-1 record and 1.53 ERA in the postseason.

He has raised the possibility he might retire instead of playing for $1.5 million in 1996. Indian General Manager John Hart said the team would not renegotiate the 1996 salary but would consider signing Hershiser for 1997.

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Buck Showalter, a lifelong Yankee before splitting with George Steinbrenner, signed a $7-million, seven-year contract to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks, a job that does not start until 1998.

Showalter, 39, had rejected Steinbrenner’s $1.05-million, two-year offer to stay with the Yankees because the owner wanted partial control of the coaching staff.

“A lot has been said regarding the reason why we decided to close early in terms of naming our manager,” said Jerry Colangelo, the Diamondbacks’ managing general partner. “Simply put, when the best manager in baseball is available, you go for it regardless of what timetable you have.”

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The Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japanese League want major league baseball to determine if the New York Yankees improperly contacted pitcher Robinson Checo. Checo is represented by Don Nomura, the agent for Dodger pitcher Hideo Nomo. Said Yankee general counsel David Sussman: “Mr. Nomura advised the Yankees that he was contacting the Yankees and other major league baseball teams to inform them that Mr. Checo is a free agent due to the fact that his signature on the contract with the Japanese club was forged and the Japanese team has an outstanding debt to Mr. Checo.”

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Bobby Valentine is back in American baseball, agreeing to a two-year contract with the Norfolk Tides, the New York Mets’ top farm team. Valentine was fired this fall by Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League. . . Don Zimmer and Mel Stottlemyre are among the coaches expected to be hired by the Yankees when Manager Joe Torre announces his staff today.