General Manager’s Status: Uncertain, and Unworried

TEMPE, Ariz. -- In the spring after the most glorious season in the Angels’ history, the man who assembled the World Series championship roster has less job security than the manager, all but one of the coaches and virtually all of the key players. The contract of General Manager Bill Stoneman expires in October, and Disney has not given him any indication of whether the company plans to negotiate an extension or leave the decision to a potential new owner.

Disney executives applaud Stoneman for his low-profile management style, his ability to win within a budget and his vision in developing an organization beyond the major league roster. But Disney hopes to sell the team this spring, and Stoneman is aware a new owner might wish to choose his own general manager.

“Whatever happens, I’m going to be fine,” Stoneman said. “I like it here a lot. There’s no question about that. But some things aren’t fully in your control.”

Jay Rasulo, the Disney executive who oversees the Angels and Mighty Ducks, was unavailable for comment, a company spokesman said.

Stoneman has negotiated extensions for Manager Mike Scioscia through 2005 and for five coaches through 2004, and nine players -- including closer Troy Percival, third baseman Troy Glaus and outfielders Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad and Tim Salmon -- are signed through at least 2004.

Stoneman, in the final year of a four-year, $1.8-million contract, says he is unconcerned about his uncertain status.

“As soon as you start worrying about that, it could affect your job performance,” he said. “That’s my worry about players too -- you worry too much about contracts, and it affects your performance.”

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Percival filmed a segment for “This Week in Baseball” in which he and former University of Arizona pitching ace Jennie Finch compared mechanics in baseball and softball pitching. In 2001, Finch led Arizona to the College World Series championship with a 32-0 record and 0.54 earned-run average.

The underhand delivery in fastpitch softball belies incredible velocity, the equivalent of a 100-mph fastball in baseball. And, after Percival saw rising fastballs and a magnificent changeup from Finch, he was about ready to invite her to compete for a spot in the Angel bullpen.

“She could throw from 60 [feet] and get people out,” Percival said.

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Former Angel pitcher Jim Abbott, who concluded his weeklong stint as a spring training instructor Friday, said he is interested in returning to the organization as a minor league coach but unsure whether he would be willing to spend so much time away from his family.

Abbott lives in Orange County with his wife, Dana, and daughters aged 6 and 2. After playing six seasons with the Angels, often before small crowds in an apathetic community, he was thrilled and amazed at how the region rallied behind the team last October.

“For all the negativity in sports sometimes, to see millions of people affected like that was great,” he said. “Everywhere I went, people were fired up about the Angels.”

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Reliever Brendan Donnelly, who reported to spring training with tenderness in his right shoulder, is expected to resume normal workouts Sunday.