Johnson Goes Out a Winner

Davey Johnson, whose Baltimore Orioles led wire to wire in winning the American League East title, was selected AL manager of the year by a committee of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America on Wednesday, but neither Johnson nor the Orioles were doing much celebrating.

Only hours before results of the voting were released, Johnson quit as the Baltimore manager, giving up the final year of his contract rather than reconcile a feud with owner Peter Angelos.

“If you’re not wanted, do you want to take the money?” Johnson said in reference to the $750,000 he would have been paid in the final year of a three-year, $2.25-million contract.

“Life is too short. I’ll survive, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”

A winner with the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds before taking the Orioles to the playoffs in each of his two years at the helm, Johnson might not be out of work long.

Toronto Blue Jay General Manager Gord Ash said he will interview Johnson for his managerial vacancy, and there are also openings with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Chicago White Sox.

Angelos will be forced to look for his fourth manager in five years as owner. Pitching coach Ray Miller and batting coach Rick Downs are considered strong possibilities.

Another may be Jim Leyland, depending on the time frame.

Leyland probably will exercise an escape clause in his five-year contract with the World Series champion Florida Marlins if owner Wayne Huizenga follows through on plans to sell the team.

Johnson’s departure at a critical winter juncture affects the Orioles in another way as well.

The re-signing of center fielder Brady Anderson and closer Randy Myers, both free agents, has been considered imperative, but both have talked about the need for managerial continuity and the hope Johnson would stay.

Both could follow Johnson elsewhere.

“I can’t believe it,” Oriole first baseman Rafael Palmeiro told a Baltimore radio station in response to Johnson’s decision. “I really hate to see him go.”

In a battle of big egos, Angelos and Johnson have been on uneasy terms for several months.

Two days after the World Series, Johnson’s agent sent Angelos a letter requesting a contract extension or a buyout of the final year.

A day later, word leaked that Johnson had ordered second baseman Roberto Alomar to pay $10,500 in fines to a charity that retains Johnson’s wife as a fund-raiser.

Angelos, who already thought the amount out of line, now had the sword on which to publicly skewer a manager he had been skewering privately for some time.

In response to Johnson’s request for an extension or buyout, Angelos faxed his manager a letter Wednesday that said, “It would clearly be in the best interest of the Orioles organization for a change of field manager for 1998.” Angelos said Johnson had failed “to recognize the real issue posed by your imposition and handling of the Alomar fine and your divisive statement to the press in July that unless the Orioles got to the World Series, you would not be permitted to return for the final year of your contract.

“Such a statement, during a pennant drive, was ill-advised and potentially a harmful distraction.

“Your own actions and conduct--not mine--have produced the fulfillment of your prophecy.”

The two had talked by phone several days ago in an effort to heal the breach, but Johnson sent Angelos a letter Wednesday asking for a decision on his fate by the end of the day.

“I must say that your indifference to the work I have performed over the last two years . . . is discouraging, to say the least,” Johnson wrote.

“Your apparent lack of regard for my management skills and for me as a person is reflected in your statements to the press and front office that my status as manager is ‘under review.’ ”

After finishing second three times in voting for the National League’s manager-of-the-year award, Johnson outpointed Detroit’s Buddy Bell and Milwaukee’s Phil Garner for the AL honor, with the Angels’ Terry Collins finishing fifth.

Said Johnson, of his selection: “It’s like winning the Heisman Trophy. Nothing can ruin this day.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

AL Manager Voting

The voting for the Baseball Writers Association of America’s 1997 American League Manager of the Year with name, team and votes on a 5-3-1-point basis: *--*

Manager 1st 2nd 3rd Total Davey Johnson, Bal. 10 11 5 88 Buddy Bell, Det. 4 7 9 50 Phil Garner, Mil. 5 5 2 42 Lou Piniella, Sea. 3 3 6 30 Terry Collins, Angels 4 1 1 24 Mike Hargrove, Cle. 2 -- 3 13 Joe Torre, New York -- 1 2 5

*--*