PHILLIPS HELD FROM LINEUP, LEAVES PARK.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The Walt Disney Co. braced for a confrontation with the Major League Players Association after refusing Saturday to allow outfielder Tony Phillips to return to the Angels lineup after doctors cleared him to do so.

Phillips, charged with felony cocaine possession, rejoined the Angels in Baltimore on Saturday after examination by doctors representing the union and major-league owners. After manager Terry Collins met with him and explained the Angels would not permit him to play, Phillips left the stadium.

``They're acting improperly,'' said Gene Orza, the union's associate general counsel. ``That's inappropriate behavior on their part. They are bound by baseball's drug policy. If they don't like it, they can't flaunt it. They need to find a way to change it.''

Anaheim Sports president Tony Tavares, who runs the Disney subsidiary that operates the Angels, said the team wants to review doctors reports before announcing its decision on Phillips' future.

``We're not going to drag this out,'' Tavares said. ``We'll make a decision, probably, sometime tomorrow (Sunday).''

General manager Bill Bavasi flew back to California on Saturday to meet with Tavares and other Disney officials. Collins briefed players before the game and passed along orders for them to refrain from comment.

Bavasi would not rule out the possibility the Angels might release Phillips, perhaps by asserting he violated the morals clause in the standard player contract, or attempt to place him on the disabled list and into a drug treatment program.

``At this time, they're not options we're choosing,'' Bavasi said. ``We haven't gotten that far.''

Under baseball's drug policy, Phillips was required to meet with doctors representing management and the union. Those meetings concluded Saturday.

Phillips is believed to have consented to random drug testing and counseling.

That agreement, as well as a court report that showed no prior drug arrests or criminal behavior, might have helped persuade doctors to clear Phillips rather than recommend he enter a drug rehabilitation program.

When the Boston Red Sox attempted to remove outfielder Wilfredo Cordero from their active roster in June so he could resolve issues surrounding a spousal-abuse charge, the union forced the Red Sox to play Cordero. Although the Angels have not removed Phillips from their roster, the union wants the team to play him.