Baseball

THE AX FALLS

Now that John Wathan of the Royals has been rehired for 1991, it's likely that every major league skipper currently managing will be back next season. However, the same cannot be said for general managers. The White Sox announced on Sept. 15 that their general manager, Larry Himes , won't be back next year, and others may soon follow. Here's a status report:

White Sox . Before his split with the team, Himes , who orchestrated Chicago 's rebound from cellar dweller to contender, was the leading candidate for executive of the year. But White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said he didn't believe Himes was capable of bringing Chicago to the next level. "A year ago everyone was stunned when I rehired Larry, because our record was bad," Reinsdorf said a week before the announcement. "But it's more than our record. Where are you in advancing toward the goal of winning a championship?"

The split occurred in part because Himes and Reinsdorf didn't get along. Reinsdorf also felt pressure to make the announcement before the end of the season because a number of White Sox scouts and minor league personnel hired by Himes had already begun looking for new jobs.

Who will replace Himes ? As with many teams, the job will probably be divided in two. Speculation is that the Sox's eye in the sky, Joe Nossek, will take over player evaluation, and Dan Evans , the director of baseball administration, will handle player contracts and other administrative duties.

Braves. Bobby Cox , who is both Atlanta 's general manager and field manager, will definitely be asked to give up the former position after this season. (He will probably be rehired as manager.) Braves president Stan Kasten , who is also the president of the NBA Hawks , will spend considerably more time with the Braves next year and will be responsible for negotiating contracts. Atlanta will also hire a director of baseball operations to make trades. A number of people have been mentioned for that position, including Sandy Johnson, scouting director for the Rangers . Don't look for the job to be filled by former general managers Syd Thrift or Murray Cook.

Pirates. General manager Larry Doughty's bungling of the waiver process last month cost Pittsburgh two top outfield prospects, Wes Chamberlain and Julio Peguero, both of whom wound up with the National League East rival Phillies in exchange for Carmelo Martinez . Pirate president Carl Barger said the foul-ups were "embarrassing" to the franchise, and sources said they put Doughty's job in jeopardy. But if the Pirates win the National League East , it will be difficult to fire Doughty. He isn't the only general manager who has been confused by the arcane waiver rules.

Padres. Jack McKeon 's status remains unclear, but he has one year remaining on his contract, and San Diego would rather not eat any contracts. If McKeon remains as general manager, San Diego may bring in someone to oversee the business and baseball operations. In that scenario, McKeon would act as a talent evaluator and deal maker, two roles in which he excels.

Royals . General manager John Schuerholz will most likely be promoted to president, perhaps as early as this winter, replacing Joe Burke , who is expected to retire. That will make room for Joe Klein , the assistant general manager, to step into Schuerholz's current spot. Kansas City has been baseball's biggest flop this year, and Schuerholz admits that he was the one who recommended spending .9 million for disappointing free-agent pitchers Mark Davis and Storm Davis . But Schuerholz is not being kicked upstairs, according to insiders.

Klein is Schuerholz's hand-picked successor. He has failed before as a general manager—with the Rangers (1982-84) and the Indians (1985-87)—but this appointment should prove a different story. At least Klein will have some talent at his disposal.