BASEBALL NOTES

The purging of the Angels continued this week, when the contracts of 12 scouts were not renewed on the order of President Tony Tavares.

Bob Harrison, special assistant to the last two general managers, Whitey Herzog and Bill Bavasi, was not rehired. He was a scout for nearly 40 years.

Matt Keough, the club’s advance scout, Dave Garcia, Nick Kamzic, Joe McDonald, Red Gaskill, Hal Keller, Jim McLaughlin and Eusebio Perez, all full-time scouts, were set loose. Three part-time scouts also were unsigned. Most were notified Thursday.

Another, Tony La Cava, a well-regarded supervisor, left the organization three weeks ago to become a national cross-checker for the Atlanta Braves.

Most of the released scouts were older than 60.

The personnel fluctuations come as Disney chairman Michael Eisner continues his search for a general manager.

“I’m not surprised that I’m out,” Garcia said. “After all, I’m 79 years old. I feel bad about the younger fellows, the guys who have kids in school.”

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Danny Evans, the last of the Angels’ general manager candidates, met for several hours with Eisner and Tavares on Friday in Burbank. The club will choose between Evans, Bob Watson, Bill Stoneman, Omar Minaya and Jim Duquette.

Evans is assistant manager for the Chicago White Sox.