Page 1 OAThe Battalion/Thursday, October 15, 1987
Astros’ general manager resigns
after falling-out with manager
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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