Phillips Is Back in Business

Tony Phillips’ suspension by the Angels was overturned Wednesday by an arbitrator, who ordered the team to immediately reinstate the outfielder to its active roster.

After a 3 1/2-hour hearing, arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled the Angels had acted in violation of baseball’s rules in suspending Phillips, who was arrested Aug. 10 on a felony charge of cocaine possession.

In a highly unusual situation, the owners’ Player Relations Committee sided with Phillips and the players’ association against the Angels, who are operated by The Walt Disney Co. Bloch issued his decision orally, saying he would follow with a written opinion in about two weeks.

“It is not for a third party to tell us what our agreements are,” said Gene Orza, the associate general counsel of the players’ association. “If it is true Disney is trying to portray itself as a defender of the forces that want to deal with the problems of drugs in our society, it really is a cheap shot, particularly for people who have no familiarity with all the work we do in this area, the clubs and the players’ association.”

A high-ranking baseball management official said Anaheim’s decision to suspend Phillips on Monday was made by Disney chief executive officer Michael Eisner over the objection of team officials.

Disney, conscious of its image, has been under pressure since the Southern Baptist Convention voted in June to boycott the entertainment company, which owns 25 percent of the Angels.

“We are deeply disappointed in the decision and believe that we were taking the appropriate course of action,” the Angels said in a statement. “We are presently studying and evaluating the decision . . . and are considering whether there are other avenues we can pursue.”

In a sign of the hearing’s importance to Disney, the company was represented by one of Eisner’s top officers, Sandy Litvack, Disney’s senior executive vice president and chief of corporate operations.

“The Anaheim Angels embarked on their own course of action,” acting Commissioner Bud Selig said. “Major league baseball in no way condones the use of illegal drugs. We have in place a drug policy in which a first offense is evaluated by qualified doctors representing the clubs and the players’ association, who then recommend a program of recovery and rehabilitation.”

Before suspending Phillips, the team pressured him to go on the 15-day disabled list and enter an in-patient treatment program.

“I don’t believe the Angels, or more importantly, Disney in this case, believed that they expected they could prevail,” Orza said. “The reinstatement of Phillips is not the question. The question is, ‘Does major league baseball have a program in place to deal with allegations of drug abuse, should it be centralized, should it encourage people to come forward and talk to us, even when they say they don’t have a problem?’ ”

Phillips, who attended the hearing, left immediately to return to the team, which played a twi-night doubleheader at home against the New York Yankees.

The 38-year-old leadoff hitter was acquired in a mid-season trade with the Chicago White Sox. He is batting .279 with 47 RBIs and 77 walks but hasn’t played since his arrest.

Angels General Manager Bill Bavasi wouldn’t say whether Manager Terry Collins would play Phillips upon his return but said he’s sure he will be welcomed back by his teammates.

“We have to evaluate the kind of shape he’s in,” Bavasi said. “This group of guys feel that he’s probably better off with them than alone, I guess. So I think they’re anxious to have him back because they want to win.”

Wednesday’s decision marked another in a long line of drug-related suspensions in baseball that were overturned by arbitrators. Ferguson Jenkins (1980), Willie Wilson (1984), Jerry Martin (1984), Pascual Perez (1984), LaMarr Hoyt (1987), Gilberto Reyes (1992) and Steve Howe (1992) were among those whose suspensions either were lifted or shortened.