Yankees’ Chambliss Latest in Angel Line

New York Yankee batting coach Chris Chambliss interviewed for the Angel managing job Thursday, and Baltimore Oriole batting coach Rick Down will interview Monday, bringing to at least 10 the number of candidates the team will have had formal discussions with by early next week.

But just as notable is the list of candidates the Angels haven’t interviewed.

Former Cincinnati Red and Detroit Tiger manager Sparky Anderson and former Angel and Philadelphia Phillie manager Jim Fregosi, both thought to be strong candidates, have not been contacted.

“I guess if they were interested in me they would have called by now,” said Fregosi, who was fired by the Phillies after the season. “I’m interested in managing again, but I haven’t heard from them.”

Neither has Anderson, a development that has fueled speculation that the Angels look at him as a fallback--a proven manager they can turn to if they deem it too risky to go with an unknown commodity.

“I have no idea what they’re thinking,” said Anderson, who worked as a commentator on Angel telecasts this season. “What I do know is I enjoyed what I was doing all year, and I will enjoy it again if I go back to it.”

Chambliss, 48, was a candidate for recent openings at Florida, Baltimore, Oakland, Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox. A minor league manager of the year for three different teams, Chambliss, a former Yankee first baseman, spent three seasons as St. Louis’ batting coach under Manager Joe Torre and followed Torre to New York this season.

Chambliss, a former UCLA star, also replaced Down, the Yankee batting coach for three years before moving to Baltimore.

The Angels have also interviewed former Houston manager Terry Collins, major league coaches Joe Maddon (Angels), Tim Johnson (Boston), Jerry Narron (Texas), Davey Lopes (San Diego) and Mike Cubbage (New York Mets) and minor league managers Don Long (triple-A Vancouver) and Ken Macha (double-A Trenton). Jim Lefebvre is also expected to be interviewed.