Tavares Gets Extension as Head of Anaheim Sports

Tony Tavares, who oversees the Angels and Mighty Ducks as president of the Anaheim Sports division of the Walt Disney Co., has agreed to a contract extension with the company.

Although critics have targeted Tavares, with the Angels and Ducks both finishing in last place last season amid financial losses and attendance declines, senior Disney executives have not wavered in their public support of him.

“I think Tony has done a very good job,” senior executive vice president Sandy Litvack said during spring training.

Chairman Michael Eisner personally tapped Tavares, whose background was in arena management, to lead Disney into the world of professional sports. The Ducks were founded in 1993, and Disney bought a controlling interest in the Angels in 1996.

Tavares signed his last contract in 1997. He has said he considered quitting in the winter of 1998, frustrated in part by the lengthy and costly renovation of Edison Field.

When Disney negotiated last year to sell the Angels and Ducks to a group led by Orange County high-tech billionaire Henry T. Nicholas III, Tavares told associates he would consider retiring or working as a consultant. The Nicholas group subsequently ceased talks, and Disney executives say the teams are no longer for sale.

Tavares, 50, declined to comment.

*

Pitcher Jason Dickson said he is leaning toward shoulder surgery that would end his season.

An MRI exam Wednesday revealed fraying in the labrum of his pitching shoulder. Dickson met with Dr. Lewis Yocum and was given two options: rehabilitate the shoulder in the hope of regaining enough strength to pitch, or undergo arthroscopic surgery.

Yocum said surgery would sideline Dickson for the season. But, Dickson said, there is no guarantee that one month of rehabilitation would do anything but delay an operation one month.

“Then we’d be at square one again,” Dickson said. “That’s probably why I’m leaning against rehabilitation.”

Dickson said he would take a few days to make a final decision. What he would like to know is why the labrum, which was torn and surgically repaired last year, is fraying again.

“Maybe my labrum is just weak,” Dickson said. “Maybe it’s genetic. Maybe I injured it on rehab.”

Surgery to repair a labrum, Yocum said, makes another injury no more or no less likely.

Dickson, who experienced shoulder discomfort while rehabilitating a sore hip, is 2-2 with a 6.11 earned-run average in six starts this season.

ON DECK

* Opponent--Minnesota Twins, four games.

* Site--Edison Field.

* Tonight--7.

* TV--Fox Sports Net, tonight and Saturday.

* Radio--KLAC (570), XPRS (1090).

* Records--Angels 37-34, Twins 31-42.

* Record vs. Twins--3-0.

TONIGHT

ANGELS’

SETH ETHERTON

(2-1, 5.20 ERA)

vs.

TWINS’

JASON RYAN

(0-0, 0.00 ERA)

* Update--With Ken Hill about to reclaim his spot in the rotation, this start could be the last for Etherton before he returns to triple-A Edmonton. Ryan was 7-0 with a 4.18 ERA at triple-A Salt Lake. Left-handed reliever Juan Alvarez (2-0, 1.74 ERA) was selected to represent Edmonton in the triple-A All-Star Game on July 12.

* Saturday, 7 p.m.--Kent Bottenfield (4-5, 5.21) vs. Eric Milton (6-2, 5.06).

* Sunday, 5 p.m.--Brian Cooper (2-2, 3.60) vs. Mark Redman (4-3, 4.57).

* Monday, 1 p.m.--Jarrod Washburn (3-1, 3.46) vs. Brad Radke (4-9, 4.12).

* Tickets--(714) 663-9000.