GASTON SAYS HE'S BEEN DENIED RESPECT HE DESERVES.

Byline: Bloomberg News

Cito Gaston and Tony LaRussa stood side-by-side at the batting cage, their reflections visible in each other's sunglasses.

Although they're among the most successful managers in baseball, Blue Jays outfielder Joe Carter doubts they'll ever be seen as equals.

LaRussa has won the World Series and six division championships in his 18 years of managing the Chicago White Sox, Oakland A's and St. Louis Cardinals. Gaston has won the World Series twice and the American League East four times in his eight seasons.

LaRussa has three Manager of the Year Awards. Gaston has none. Carter, who has played for Gaston since 1991, said he knows why.

``Cito doesn't get the respect he deserves and it's all because he's black,'' Carter said. Gaston said that's a major reason he's never won any postseason honors, even though the team he managed won regularly.

``You'd swear we'd never won anything,'' Gaston said. ``I don't think I've gotten enough credit.''

Even the Blue Jays' media guide's description of Gaston pales next to the praise heaped upon LaRussa by the Cardinals.

The St. Louis book says LaRussa is ``regarded by his peers as one of the game's top managers.'' While that may be true, it could just as easily apply to Gaston, the Cardinals skipper said.

``He's an outstanding manager and anybody in a uniform knows that,'' LaRussa said. ``Cito didn't stumble into two world championships.''

Yet that was the impression many had, said Carter, whose ninth-inning, three-run home run off Philadelphia Phillies reliever Mitch Williams in 1993 gave the Blue Jays their second straight championship.

That year, Gaston finished third for American League honors behind winner Gene Lamont, who guided the White Sox to a 94-68 record, an eight-game improvement. New York Yankees manager Buck Showalter was second. In 1992, LaRussa won after leading the A's to a 96-66 record, a 12-game improvement from the previous year. Gaston finished fourth.

Many said the 1993 team, which boasted Carter's power and the league's top three hitters in John Olerud, Roberto Alomar and Paul Molitor, would have won regardless of the manager.

Carter said that's unfair. ``Look at Atlanta,'' he said. ``Anybody could have managed those teams, yet that guy wins Manager of the Year.''

He's referring to Bobby Cox of the Braves, who won the National League Manager of the Year award in 1991, when Atlanta's heralded pitching staff couldn't keep the Minnesota Twins from celebrating the World Series championship.

While Gaston has been passed over, baseball's only other minority managers have been recognized. The San Francisco Giants' Dusty Baker and Colorado Rockies' Don Baylor, who are African-American, won National League honors in 1993 and 1995 respectively. The Montreal Expos' Felipe Alou, who is Dominican, was recognized in 1994.

Like Cox, Cleveland Indians manager Mike Hargrove presided over a talented team many said would win regardless of the manager. The 1995 Indians went to the World Series, losing to the Braves.

``My first reaction when I see Cito isn't `there's Cito and he's black,' '' Hargrove said. ``He's a very good manager and a very good baseball man, but I'm not in his shoes.''

Meanwhile, LaRussa said all minority managers command respect.

``You can walk up to anybody right now and ask them how well do Dusty, Cito and Don manage,'' LaRussa said. ``And they'd all tell you they're as good as anybody.''

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