Lopes to Take Milwaukee Job

Davey Lopes finally has his chance to be a big league manager, and the Milwaukee Brewers hope he can lead them back to a winning record.

Lopes, the San Diego Padre first base coach and former Dodger second baseman, will be introduced today as the Brewers’ new manager, a team source speaking on condition of anonymity told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Lopes, 53, replaces Phil Garner, who was fired in August, and Jim Lefebvre, the team’s interim manager for the 1999 season’s final seven weeks.

The Brewers were 74-87 this year, finishing fifth in the NL Central. Milwaukee has had seven consecutive losing seasons.

“I know this is a moment he’s been waiting for for quite a few years,” Padre Manager Bruce Bochy said. “I’m grateful for the job he did for us, with his expertise and his help to me. I know that he’ll be a great manager for Milwaukee.”

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The Angels gained another managerial candidate Wednesday but lost the man who was considered a front-runner for the job.

While the team was granted permission to interview Hal McRae, the former Kansas City Royal manager who is now the batting instructor in Philadelphia, former Toronto Blue Jay Manager Cito Gaston withdrew from consideration for the position.

Gaston said he “had a nice chat” with new Angel General Manager Bill Stoneman on Wednesday, and he had arranged to travel to Orange County to be interviewed Sunday. But Gaston, recently hired as Toronto’s hitting coach, called Stoneman back later in the day and pulled himself out of the running.

“There were some personal things involved, and I just wanted to be close to home,” said Gaston, whose wife is from Toronto and who owns a home there. “I played in San Diego, I love California, and the Angels have a good team.”

With Gaston out of the picture, the Angels are lining up interviews with at least four candidates--McRae, Angel bench coach Joe Maddon, New York Yankee third base coach Willie Randolph and Yankee batting instructor Chris Chambliss.

While Gaston gave the Angels a jolt Wednesday, there was potentially more encouraging news out of Toronto: General Manager Gord Ash said he doesn’t believe the Blue Jays can re-sign Shawn Green, who can become a free agent after 2000, and the Blue Jays will seek to deal the former Tustin High star this winter.

The Angels are expected to be one of at least seven teams, along with the Dodgers, Orioles, Rockies, Mariners, Tigers and Padres, who will pursue Green, who hit 42 homers and drove in 123 runs this past season.

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Meanwhile, the Angels Wait

Managerial changes since the end of the 1999 regular season with former manager and replacement. The Angels are the only team with a vacancy:

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TEAM OLD NEW Baltimore Ray Miller Mike Hargrove Cleveland Mike Hargrove Charlie Manuel Chicago Jim Riggleman Don Baylor Colorado Jim Leyland Buddy Bell Detroit Larry Parrish Phil Garner Milwaukee Phil Garner* Davey Lopes

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* Jim Lefebvre was Brewers’ interim manager.