Embattled Bevington Fired by the White Sox

Terry Bevington had trouble communicating with his players, had strained relations with some of his coaches, alienated the media and turned off the fans.

But his biggest problem was the Chicago White Sox’s failure to make the playoffs, despite a huge payroll and the addition of Albert Belle.

For all of that, Bevington was fired as manager. The move was announced Tuesday, two days after the end of an 80-81 season and another second-place finish in the AL Central.

“I’m not going to sit here and knock him,” General Manager Ron Schueler said. “I think a lot of managers would like to be over .500 and they aren’t.”

Bevington had a 222-214 record after taking over in June 1995 for Gene Lamont, fired two years after being named AL manager of the year.

Bevington couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday. He was reportedly informed of the firing Monday.

Schueler’s timetable for finding a new manager is an extended one.

“I want to get it right,” he said. “Even if it takes until spring training.

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White Sox slugger Frank Thomas, 29, agreed to a new four-year contract worth nearly $32 million with five conditional years that could make the entire deal worth about $85 million.

Thomas, who just captured his first AL batting title and was the league most valuable player in 1993 and 1994, will receive $7.15 million in each of the 1998 and 1999 seasons, $7.25 million in 2,000 and $10,375,000 in 2,001.

His average salary over the four guaranteed years will be $7,981,250, 11th highest in baseball, and the total amount will be $31,925,000.

In the conditional years from 2,002 through 2,006, he would make about $10.3 million per season.

However, if the White Sox claim Thomas’ skills have “diminished,” they can elect to defer those salaries over 10 years without interest, making them worth a lot less. Thomas, in turn, could then choose to terminate the contract and become a free agent.

In addition, Thomas could guarantee the salaries by being an all-star starter in the field or at designated hitter in each previous year or by finishing in the top 10 in MVP voting.

Also, the salaries would become guaranteed if Thomas is traded or if Jerry Reinsdorf no longer is chief executive officer of the White Sox.

Thomas’ previous contract guaranteed him $29 million for four years from 1995-98. The club had options of $7.15 million in 1999 and $7.25 million in 2000.

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Baseball umpires, once again upset by what they say is a lack of support from owners and players, said they would eject anyone arguing within “an arm’s length” of them during the postseason.

“The support for your umpires has been worse than woeful . . . it has been practically nonexistent,” umpires union head Richie Phillips said in a letter to acting Commissioner Bud Selig and the league presidents.

“Players continue to assault umpires, spray tobacco in their faces, curse them and attempt to denigrate them without the slightest reprisal,” he said.

Eugene Orza, the associate counsel of the players’ union, said: “They say there’s a time and place for everything. Sometimes there’s no time and place for anything. Despite Mr. Phillips, our commitment is to do our best to maintain focus on the field.”

Actually, the number of 1997 ejections were similar to those in ‘96: 75 each season in the American League; 99 in the National League this season compared to 101 last season.

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Eight-time National League batting champion Tony Gwynn has been cleared to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose particles from his left knee, the fourth procedure on that knee in seven seasons.

Doctors recently checked out a small blood clot that developed in his lower right leg and determined it was clearing up enough to allow the surgery. Gwynn will undergo the surgery in late October, after he returns from a postseason trip.

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Wilfredo Cordero wasn’t read his Miranda rights until after he told police he pushed his wife, an officer testified in Cambridge, Mass., in a hearing to decide whether to admit the recently released Boston Red Sox outfielder’s statements at his trial.

Cordero’s attorneys have asked Judge Roanne Sragow to exclude his comments from the trial, scheduled to begin Oct. 20. Cordero’s attorneys also argued that statements made by Cordero’s wife, Ana, should not be admitted as evidence.

Sragow said she would consider the motions and rule early next week.

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Baseball attendance rose 5.2% this season to its third-highest average, but remained 10.5% below its level before the 1994-95 strike.

Major league teams finished with an average of 28,288, up from 26,889 last year and an increase of 12% from the 25,260 in 1995, the first season following the 7 1/2-month strike.

Last spring, owners had predicted a 9% increase to 29,300.

The Dodgers were among six teams whose attendance topped 3 million. The Angels were among nine teams whose fell, losing 53,197 from the 1996 season.

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Times staff writer Ross Newhan contributed to this story.