Angels’ Season Tickets Get a Bump in Price

After a season in which they won their first American League West championship in 18 years and sold out more than half their home games, the Angels have raised the price of the best seats in Angel Stadium by as much as $8 a ticket.

The price increases apply to season tickets on the field, club and terrace levels. The Angels will not raise season prices in the view level and outfield pavilions, spokesman Tim Mead said.

Prices for individual game tickets have not been determined, Mead said, but increases will be applied to some sections.

“Our average ticket price will remain below the major league average, and we will continue to make that a priority,” Mead said.

The Angels’ average ticket price was $16.60 last season and the average major league price was $19.82, according to Team Marketing Report. The Angels set a club record by selling 3.4-million tickets.

The season price on Diamond Club seats will rise from $60 to $68, on club seats from $38 to $43 and from $27 to $28 and $31, on field seats from $33 to $38 and from $21 to $22 and $24 and on terrace seats from $27 to $31 and from $19 to $20 and $21.50.

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The Angels will start and finish the 2005 season against the Texas Rangers, with the season opener April 5 at Angel Stadium. Besides the Dodgers, the Angels will play National League East opponents in interleague play, with the newly relocated Washington club visiting Anaheim June 13-15 and the Florida Marlins June 17-19. The Angels visit the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets the previous week.

The Dodgers play at Angel Stadium June 24-26, with the New York Yankees in town July 21-24 and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox visiting Aug. 18-21. Besides AL West rivals, the only teams making two trips to Anaheim next season are the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

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Dodger shortstop Cesar Izturis and center fielder Steve Finley each won a Gold Glove Award, providing individual honors for two players on the team that committed the fewest errors in the major leagues.

Third baseman Adrian Beltre won a Silver Slugger Award, selected by National League managers and coaches as the best offensive player at the position.

Izturis, 24, the Dodgers’ first Gold Glove shortstop since Maury Wills in 1962, was the only first-time honoree on an NL squad selected by league managers and coaches.

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Angel reliever Brendan Donnelly said he was scheduled for surgery Nov. 29 to complete repairs upon the broken nose he suffered in spring training.

Donnelly’s nose was broken in 20 places after he was hit by a fly ball during batting practice in March. He had three operations that month, the first immediately after the accident and the others after developing severe nosebleeds.

In this fourth procedure, Donnelly said, doctors intend to transfer cartilage from his ear to plug a hole within the nose.

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Charlie Manuel will be the next manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, replacing the fired Larry Bowa, baseball officials told Associated Press.

Manuel will be introduced at a news conference today or Friday, one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

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The interim tag is no longer necessary. Phil Garner will remain manager of the Houston Astros. Garner told AP he was officially retained by the Astros.

Garner, 55, took over on an interim basis after Jimy Williams was fired during the All-Star break and guided the Astros within a victory of their first World Series berth.

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The San Francisco Giants exercised options on center fielder Marquis Grissom, starting pitcher Brett Tomko and first baseman J.T. Snow. Also, the Giants signed shortstop Deivi Cruz to an $800,000, one-year contract and declined their $3.25-million option on left-handed reliever Jason Christiansen.... The Cincinnati Reds declined left-hander Gabe White’s $1,925,000 mutual option and the reliever filed for free agency.... The Seattle Mariners hired former Marlin manager John Boles and ex-Dodger general manager Dan Evans as scouts.... Mel Stottlemyre won’t return as pitching coach of the Yankees, the New York Times reported.... Florida pitcher Carl Pavano and Chicago White Sox second baseman Roberto Alomar were the most prominent names to file for free agency Wednesday.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.