COLLINS TAKES THE FALL; MANAGER RESIGNS AFTER RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS.Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer Terry Collins said he tried everything to halt the Angels' freefall to the worst record in the majors. When he exhausted every idea, he found himself with no other recourse but to look in the mirror. Collins called general manager Bill Bavasi William J. Bavasi (born December 27, 1957, Pasadena, California) is the current general manager and vice president of baseball operations for the Seattle Mariners. The son of longtime Major League Baseball executive Buzzie Bavasi and the brother of Peter Bavasi, also a former MLB on Friday morning and after a heart-to-heart conversation, they came to a mutual decision that he would resign as manager. During an emotional news conference, during which he broke down in tears several times, Collins said he did all he could and it simply wasn't enough. ``I reached the last thing I could think of to get 'em going,'' Collins said of the players. ``I figured, if I'm the reason, I'm going. . . . ``I tried patting them on the back, I tried kicking them in the butt. Nothing worked, no matter what I said or what I did.'' The Angels went into Friday's game against the Yankees at Edison Field mired mire n. 1. An area of wet, soggy, muddy ground; a bog. 2. Deep slimy soil or mud. 3. A disadvantageous or difficult condition or situation: the mire of poverty. v. in a nine-game losing streak. Their record since the All-Star break was 10-37, and at 51-82, the team is on a pace to finish the season with a franchise-record 100 losses. Bench coach Joe Maddon Joseph John Maddon (born February 8 1954, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania) is the current manager of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in Major League Baseball, having been announced to that position on November 15, 2005. will take over as interim manager for the rest of the season. Bavasi said he has not yet started creating a list of potential replacements. The early favorites to take over next season are ex-Angel Don Baylor
When asked if he thought the players quit on him, Collins said: ``I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. .'' Bavasi and team president Tony Tavares were more direct. Both pointed fingers directly at the players. ``We actually contemplated making a sign that said `The problem starts right here' and stamping it on the mirrors in the clubhouse,'' Tavares said. ``Frankly, that's where it is. If the players had one-fourth of the integrity Terry has, we wouldn't be in this position.'' ``I can't believe a major-league player, a minor-league player, a college player or a high school player quits quits adj. On even terms with by payment or requital: I am finally quits with the loan. [Middle English, probably alteration (influenced by Medieval Latin on anybody but themselves,'' Bavasi said. ``I know Terry, and if I played for him or worked for him, I couldn't imagine quitting on him. But they quit on somebody. ``I see them playing hard every night, diving for ground balls, playing hard, but how they reacted in the clubhouse, there was a lot of energy not being spent on preparation for the game.'' Potential problems involving Collins first surfaced in June when word got out that the Angels were discussing a contract extension for him. A number of players voiced their concerns, but on June 22, the Angels announced they extended Collins' contract for two years worth about $900,000. (With the resignation, Collins and the Angels worked out a financial settlement that was not disclosed.) The contract extension, though, didn't end the problem. Even when the team was playing well going into the All-Star break, Collins confided that he avoided going into the clubhouse as much as possible. And when the team started losing, beginning with an 11-game losing streak one game after the All-Star break, frustrations mounted and players aired their beefs to reporters. Injuries also played a major role in the team's downfall. Gary DiSarcina With all that happened this season, Collins found himself wandering the streets of Cleveland early Thursday morning trying to sort things out. Bavasi talked to the team before Friday's game. ``Our problem is the group as a whole,'' he said. ``Individually they may be fine.'' Collins said he would have stayed as manager for the rest of the season if Bavasi had insisted. Bavasi said he didn't have the heart to do it. ``After discussing it with him and hearing how frustrated frus·trate tr.v. frus·trat·ed, frus·trat·ing, frus·trates 1. a. To prevent from accomplishing a purpose or fulfilling a desire; thwart: he was, as a friend I couldn't do it,'' Bavasi said. COLLINS' RECORD The career big-league record of Terry Collins, who resigned as Angels manager: Year Team W L Pct Pos 1994 Hou 66 49 .574 2 1995 Hou 76 68 .5282 1996 Hou 82 80 .506 2 1997 Ana 84 78 .519 2 1998 Ana 79 75 .513 2 1999 Ana 51 82 .383 4 Totals 438 432 .503 CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box Photo: (1--Color) no caption (Terry Collins) (2) TERRY COLLINS Angels manager resigns a little more than two months after signing a contract extension. Box: COLLINS RECORD (See text) |
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