Johnson, Top A.L. Manager, Quits
The American League’s top manager is looking for a team to manage.
Davey Johnson ended his feud with Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos by quitting Wednesday just hours after he learned he was American League manager of the year.
Johnson, who led the Orioles to an A.L.-best 98-64 record, had been fighting with Angelos since the team was eliminated by Cleveland in the A.L. championship series.
“If you’re not wanted, do you want to take the money?” said Johnson, 54. “Life is too short. I’ll survive. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.”
Johnson, who had finished second three times in voting for N.L. manager of the year but never won, received 10 first-place votes, twice as many as anyone else. He received 88 points, 38 more than the second-place finisher, Buddy Bell of the Detroit Tigers.
“Nothing can ruin this day… . To me it’s like winning the Heisman Trophy,” Johnson said during a telephone conference call. “I think it’s the highest award you can get in baseball.”
Two days after the World Series, Johnson’s agent sent Angelos a letter requesting a contract extension or a buyout of the final year. A day later, word leaked that Johnson ordered Roberto Alomar to pay $10,500 in fines to a charity that employs Johnson’s wife.
Angelos said in a letter accepting the resignation that Johnson failed “to recognize the real issue posed by your imposition and handling of the Alomar fine and your divisive statement to the press in July that unless the Orioles got to the World Series, you would not be permitted to return for the final year of your contract.”
Players honor Griffey
Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. was picked as player of the year and Mark McGwire was voted man of the year by fellow major leaguers in the 1997 Players Choice Awards.
In other awards, Griffey and Colorado outfielder Larry Walker were outstanding players in their leagues, Toronto’s Roger Clemens and Montreal’s Pedro Martinez were outstanding pitchers and Boston’s Nomar Garciaparra and Philadelphia’s Scott Rolen were the top rookies. Cleveland’s David Justice and Darren Daulton of Philadelphia and Florida were the comeback players.
Around the majors
Toronto GM Gord Ash met with Paul Molitor and discussed Molitor’s possible return to the team as a player, manager or both. Ash is also interested in Davey Johnson… . Deion Sanders, currently with the Dallas Cowboys, declined his $2.5 million player option with the Cincinnati Reds and filed for free agency… . Jack McDowell filed for free agency a day after the Indians turned down his $4.8 million option… . John Jaha agreed with the Milwaukee Brewers on a one-year contract worth $3,387,500, the same salary he had in 1997… . . The Boston Red Sox signed knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to a three-year contract worth $12 million.