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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 1987)
Page 1 OAThe Battalion/Thursday, October 15, 1987 Astros’ general manager resigns after falling-out with manager rxmti pi;! i what you need f! I I SttlTETErTkl I Tf < for HAtLOWEEN Reserve your favorite costume notv! Costumes * Accessories Make-up ‘They go fast ! MHO'S Formal Wear & Costume Rentals / Park Place Plaza next to Winn Dixie College Station 693-0709 HOUSTON (AP) — Dick Wag ner, who battled with Manager Hal Lanier throughout the season, re signed as Houston Astros general manager on Wednesday, saying he wasn’t always certain what owner John McMullen expected of him. “I have a hard time reading what he wants of me or what he expects of this job,” Wagner said. “But this is a very friendly parting. This is not what might be a typical shouting at one another. “I have great respect for the man. He’s very demanding but all success ful people are demanding.” Wagner said at one point last week, McMullen offered to extend his contract another year. “I went to John last Friday and I was the aggressor in the thing, I told him I thought we should settle my contract,” Wagner said. Lanier complained publicly seve ral times during the season that Wagner had failed to make key trades to bolster the Astros bullpen, shortstop and catching. But Wagner said there was more to his departure than his dis agreements with Lanier. “There are some problems where Hal is going to have to mend his ways but that’s one thing,” Wagner said. “1 felt John was not happy with the club and wasn’t happy with cer tain things that had happened. “I wasn’t sure of what he wanted of the job and from me. You put all that together and that’s when I made the move.” Lanier could not be reached for comment. McMullen told the Houston Chronicle in a copyright story that the rift between Wagner and Lanier could not be solved. “It got to where I couldn’t resolve it,” McMullen told the newspaper. “It’s unfortunate. I have no problem with Dick. He has a lot of pride, and he’s been hurt. “You know the problem, and you know I can’t let the other guy (Lan ier) go. They’d bring the town down on me. This is one of those unfortu nate circumstances that happens.” The Astros were National League Western Division champs in 1986, the first with the Astros for Wagner and Lanier. They finished 14 games behind champion San Francisco this season, winning 1 1 of their final 26 games. Wagner said Lanier failed to work with the organization and had pub licly criticized his players during the season. “If Hal is to succeed as a major league manager, he must mend his ways,” Wagner said. “You can’t func tion by criticizing the players and the front office. “A good manager brings his team together to win. Looking at it, Lanier came up short this season.” Wagner, 59, replaced A1 Rosen, who resigned to take a job with the San Francisco Giants. Wagner previously was general manager of the Cincinnati Reds where he made several unpopulai moves in trading players. He followed the same trend with the Astros, replacing popular an nouncer Gene F.lston last season and deciding this season not to resign left field Jose Cruz, voted the most pop ular Astros player in the team’s his tory. While Wagner was at the Astros’ helm, they obtained pitchers Jim De- shaies, Danny Darwin and Rocky Childress, outfielder Billy Hatcher, Davey Lopes and Buddy Biancalana. “Buddy’s really the only one at this point that hasn't proven satisfac tory," Wagner said. Deshaies compiled an 1 1-6 record and 4.62 earned run average this season, despite a shoulder injury. Darwin finished the season with a 9- 10 record and 3 5!) ERA Childress had a 1-2 record ans 2.98 FRA Ixipes hit .233 as a pinch- hitter and Biancalana hit .042 in the same role. 30 EX A STUDENT = ernment S A&Nl UNIVERSITY Unibed Way “DOLLAR WEEK” OCT. 12-16 IT ONLY TAKES ONE DOLLAR OF YOUR WEEKEND MONEY TO SUPPORT THE UNITED WAY. A TABLE WILL BE SET UP IN THE MSC. AGGIES HELPING PEOPLE BECAUSE AGGIES CARE!! UT buries Lady Aggies in 3 games The Texas A&M volleyball team was quickly dispatched by the University of Texas in three games at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin Wednesday night. In losing 15-8, 15-4, 15-7, the Lady Aggies dropped to 9-14 overall and 0-3 in the Southwest Conference. The lOth-ranked Lady Longhorns improved to 10- 6 and 3-0 in SWC play. Cheri Steensma led A&M with 12 kills on 27 attempts for a .333 percentage while Kelli Kellen had two solo blocks and four assisted blocks. The going was slow for A&M, which fell apart after jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first game. “We didn’t play the way we are capable of playing,” A&M Coach A1 Givens said. “I’m a little at a loss ... to explain why. No matter what combination we put on the court it doesn’t seem to work.” Strike may end soon; 89 players cross lines NEW YORK (AP) — The 23-day- old NFL strike seemed near an end Wednesday night, yvith the players one point away from going back to work without a new contract. The end was unlikely for at least another day, and it was unclear whether nor mal football could yet be played this weekend. I he new discussions came on a day when some of the biggest names in the game broke ranks with their teammates and led 89 players back to work. “There has been progress made,” said Mike Lynn, general manager of the Minnesota Vikings. “If you can resolve an issue, it can be resolved at any time. But time is running out to play this Sunday. I would say if there wasn’t anything done tonight, it would be difficult to get the players ready for Sunday.” There were some reports that the walkout was already over, with play ers to report for this weekend’s games, but chief management nego tiator Jack Donlan left his office early Wednesday night and spokes man John Jones said nothing was likely before Thursday. Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFL Players Association, talked twice by telephone Wednes day with Donlan. And while both union and management spokesmen said nothing was resolved to end the walkout immediately, sources on both sides indicated that more dis cussions might be imminent as the union facen the fallout from the worst day of defections since the strike began on Sept. 22. One source close to management said accord had !>een reached on four points that would allow the players to go back to work: media tion: protection of player represen tatives; financial protection of strik ing players, and no retaliation against strikers. All were raised by the union Monday when it first pro posed returning without a contract “There’s still a major issue re maining that has not been resolved, Lynn said. “I’m not at liberty to tell you what that issue is.” More Pokes defy strike, go to work IRVING (AP) - Star guard Nate Newton andtwi eceivers on injured resent! the NFL players’ strilt Wednesday, bringing to li Dallas Gowboys wnonaveoil the picket line in the 22-dan stoppage. Rookie Kelvin Man; fourth-round draft pid Boston College, and Ray.d( der, who has Canadian F) League experience, also ia< k to Valley Ranch Only Martin was giveni tor’s go-ahead to be avails Monday night’s gamea^ Washington Redskins » Stadium. Newton, who undents throscopic knee surgery weeks ago, said financial) tions Ire came toogreatfe) stay away. “I didn’t want to don| to do it,” Newton said !i trying to help meandroj 1 he bottom line is it« Newton has got to do, Newton said he wasnii the union but added 1«3 how many guys I’d hear li was i eleased.” He didn’t decide it across until minutes belt noon deadline, newton a into the weight too! weighed himself. "It doesn’t look 313,1 said. I hen he ate a sand*-: made his decision “1 really wasn't sure via going to do until I goi Newton said. The Cowboys now !m players on the active rose nave crossed the picieiii nine on injured resent Dallas bolstered itsts lineman ranks Wednea signing free agent n George Lilja, who wan Cleveland Browns in 198 Club President Ter said there “arealotofn ing around” about thena bv the players’union. “We’ll just see whatfe) Schramm said. “The tt| deadline was noon,these (the NFL Managemenl rules." “Schramm doesniae the fans, he just cares wallet,” linebacker Jeff said