Umpires Involved in Betting

Major league umpires Frank Pulli and Richie Garcia were put on two years’ probation in 1989 after a secret investigation into gambling on sports other than baseball.

The New York Daily News said John Dowd, also the investigator in the Pete Rose gambling probe, wrote the report that led to the sanctions against the two umpires.

Fay Vincent, who was deputy commissioner and later commissioner in 1989, said that Don Zimmer--then manager of the Chicago Cubs--also was put on probation in 1989 for betting on sports other than baseball. Zimmer discussed the sanction in a book published last year.

“These guys came in, they didn’t deny it, it was no big deal,” Vincent said. “That was it.”

Vincent said the case was minor is his opinion because there was no evidence of betting on baseball. Rose, the manager of the Cincinnati Reds, agreed to a lifetime ban that same year after an investigation into his gambling.

While there was no official finding, commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti said he had concluded that Rose, the career hits leader, had bet on baseball.

Pulli and Garcia did not respond to attempts to reach them by the Daily News. Pulli did not return a telephone call Friday from The Associated Press seeking comment and Garcia could not be contacted.

Pulli is entering his third season as an umpire supervisor and baseball is considering hiring Garcia as a supervisor.

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Cleveland bench coach Grady Little, optimistic about becoming manager of the Boston Red Sox, got a boost when another candidate was taken out of the running.

The Red Sox were denied permission by Oakland to interview bench coach Ken Macha, who managed four seasons in the Boston system, Athletics General Manager Billy Beane said.

Beane called it a “difficult personal decision” to deny Boston’s request because he knows Macha wants to be a manager. But he said it was too close to the season’s start to allow Macha to go.

“Three weeks from the season, we have a club we think will be good and Ken is an integral part of our staff,” Beane said.

With opening day only 24 days away, the A’s already have lost J.P. Ricciardi, who went to Toronto as general manager, and Grady Fuson, who went to Texas as an aide to General Manager John Hart.

The Indians already had allowed Little to talk with the Red Sox and gave him an enthusiastic endorsement to succeed Joe Kerrigan, who was fired Tuesday. Little was expected to be interviewed Friday.

At least four candidates are expected to be interviewed, a process beginning Friday and most likely to carry over to today, team owner John Henry said.

Interim manager Mike Cubbage, Boston’s third base coach, said he was told by interim general manager Mike Port that he would be considered for the permanent job.

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New York Yankee left-hander Andy Pettitte skipped his exhibition start against Pittsburgh after feeling tightness in his elbow while warming up.... Corey Koskie went back to Minnesota to be examined by a hand specialist where it was determined he has a deep bruise and will need 10 to 14 days to rehabilitate.... The San Diego Padres purchased the contract of right-handed pitcher Steve Reed.