The Angels' Tony Phillips, who is facing felony drug
charges, "could return to the Angels lineup as early as
tonight after an arbitrator on Wednesday upheld the
grievance filed on his behalf" by the MLBPA and overturned
his suspension by the team, according to Earl Bloom in the
ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. Arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled the
Angels "had acted in violation" of MLB's rules in suspending
Phillips. Bloom writes that during the hearing yesterday in
NY, the owners' Players Relations Committee "sided with" the
MLBPA on Phillips' behalf. Bloom adds that Angels GM Bill
Bavasi "said he did not anticipate a directive" from Walt
Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner "or anyone else -- precluding
Manager Terry Collins from using Phillips" (ORANGE COUNTY
REGISTER, 8/21). MLB Acting Commissioner Bud Selig, in a
statement, said that MLB "in no way condones the use of
illegal drugs. We have in place a drug policy in which a
first offender is evaluated by qualified doctors
representing the clubs and the Players Association who then
recommend a program of recovery and rehabilitation" (MLB).
MOUSING AROUND? MLBPA Associate General Counsel Gene
Orza "said he doubted that the Angels believed they could
make the suspension stick" and "implied" the team "was
posturing in an attempt to make its own drug-abuse
statement." Orza: "I don't believe the Angels, or more
importantly Disney in this case, believed that they expected
they could prevail" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/21).
