Oates, Torre Share Honor

Johnny Oates of the Texas Rangers and Joe Torre of the New York Yankees were voted co-winners of the American League manager-of-the-year award Thursday, the first tie in the 14 years the award has been given. Oates and Torre each received 89 points in balloting by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America.

“The only guy happier than me is Joe Torre, and that’s because he won the World Series,” said Oates, who led the Rangers to their first postseason appearance.

Meanwhile, Frank Torre, 64, Joe’s brother, who underwent a heart transplant the day before the Yankees won the World Series, was released from a New York hospital Thursday.

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The announced rejection of the proposed labor agreement by major league owners Wednesday on an 18-12 vote didn’t accurately measure support for the deal, sources said.

With 23 votes needed for approval, it became evident in deliberations that 16 clubs favored it and 14 opposed it, the sources said. Several owners, including opposition leader Jerry Reinsdorf of the Chicago White Sox, called for a unanimous vote of rejection.

Four owners changed their votes, but 12 primarily big-market clubs, including the Dodgers, withstood the appeal and continued to vote in favor, producing the 18-12 announcement.

“Jerry and Bud [Selig, the acting commissioner] really wanted that unanimous [rejection],” a source said. “They wanted to show the strongest possible hand when they went back to the union and tried to revise the deal.”

In addition, sources said management negotiator Randy Levine will resign after next Thursday’s deal deadline. Levine wouldn’t confirm or deny that.