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SAN FRANCISCO -- Peter Magowan, the owner who brought Barry Bonds to San Francisco, built a new ballpark and kept major league baseball in the city, is stepping down as managing partner of the Giants.
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The 66-year-old Magowan will retire from his duties at the end of the season on Oct. 1 but maintain an ownership stake, the team said Friday.
American Bar Association president William Neukom, a current partner in the Giants group, will take over for Magowan. Also, executive vice president Larry Baer will become team president effective Oct. 1.
These changes are subject to the approval of Major League Baseball. The Giants expect that to happen when the owners next meet, Aug. 13-14 in Washington.
Magowan informed the ownership group of his decision during a meeting Friday morning. He plans to spend more time with his family once he's through, including seeing more of his 10 grandchildren.
"It has been an honor to represent the Giants the last 16 years," Magowan said in a news release. "The decision to retire was not an easy one. But it is the right one for my family and me. I have spent the last 29 years as head of two incredible organizations - Safeway and the Giants. I put everything I had in terms of time, energy and commitment into my work and inevitably made some sacrifices."
Magowan, one of the more public owners in baseball, was mentioned in the Mitchell Report that came out in December. Magowan then met with commissioner Bud Selig during spring training about whether members of the Giants' front office knew players were allegedly using steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. Full story
Girardi, Randolph to be coaches at All-Star Game
NEW YORK -- Managers Joe Girardi of the Yankees and Willie Randolph of the Mets have been asked to serve as coaches for the All-Star game in New York.
Yankee Stadium will host the game July 15 in its final season.
Boston manager Terry Francona will guide the AL team and Colorado manager Clint Hurdle will lead the NL side.
Francona invited Girardi and Detroit manager Jim Leyland to be AL coaches. Hurdle asked Randolph and San Diego manager Bud Black to be on his staff.
Several Red Sox coaches will handle batting practice and field duties. Those coaches include Luis Alicea, John Farrell, DeMarlo Hale, Dave Magadan, Brad Mills and Gary Tuck.
Isringhausen placed on 15-day DL
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals put struggling closer Jason Isringhausen, who has an 8.00 ERA and six blown saves, on the 15-day disabled list because of a cut on his pitching hand.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last weekend that Isringhausen hurt his right hand striking a television set in frustration in manager Tony La Russa's office.
Isringhausen was 32-for-34 in save opportunities last year, a season after he missed the team's World Series run because of hip surgery.
Isringhausen and La Russa have said repeatedly that the pitcher's problems are not physical.
The team purchased the contract of rookie right-hander Chris Perez, the closer at Triple-A Memphis, and transferred right-handed reliever Josh Kinney from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Kinney is recovering from elbow surgery.
Indians going to closer-by-committee approach
CINCINNATI -- Rafael Betancourt has lost his job as interim closer for the Cleveland Indians, who plan to use several relievers at the end of games until Joe Borowski returns from an arm injury.
Manager Eric Wedge made the decision a day after Betancourt had to be replaced in the ninth inning of a 4-2 win over Oakland.
"I talked to Betancourt today," Wedge said, before the start of an interleague series against the Reds. "I explained to him what I'm seeing and where he's at. He understands. I think we're capable of using any of those guys."
Borowski has been out since April 15 with a strained right triceps. He threw 30 to 35 pitches without problem Friday in a simulated game. The Indians plan to have him pitch in a minor league game next week as part of a rehabilitation assignment.
Wedge would like to see Borowski pitch a couple of times in the minors before he's activated.
Nationals activate Young
BALTIMORE -- First baseman Dmitri Young was activated from the 15-day disabled list by the Washington Nationals, who used him as their designated hitter in the first of three interleague games against the Baltimore Orioles.
Manager Manny Acta hopes the switch-hitting Young will spark Washington's offense.
"He is a guy who doesn't go into slumps," Acta said of Young. "He's a natural hitter from both sides of the plate. We need some offense right now and he can give it to us."
Aaron Boone started at first base for Washington on Friday, a day after the Nationals placed first baseman Nick Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with a tear in the tendon sheath in his right wrist. Johnson is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Former Nationals minor leaguer suspended for failing drug test
NEW YORK -- A pitcher who played last year in the Washington Nationals' minor league system was suspended 50 games by the commissioner's office after a positive drug test.
Aaron Jackson, a 22-year-old right-hander, is not currently with an affiliated team. He was 6-5 with four saves and a 5.04 ERA last season with Class A Hagerstown. He spent the previous four years in pro ball.
The suspension would take effect if he signs with a team.
Holliday sits with bad back
DENVER -- Matt Holliday was removed from the Colorado Rockies' starting lineup because of tightness in his lower back.
Holliday was originally in the lineup against the Minnesota Twins, but his back didn't loosen up sufficiently after treatment and he was replaced in left field by Ryan Spilborghs.
"He's been battling it for a couple of days," Rockies head trainer Keith Dugger said. "He tried to get loose. It's precautionary. He didn't have any injury of any sort, it just kind of came on. It's not a disk or anything like that, it's a tight back."
Dugger said Holliday is day to day and he could pinch hit Friday night if his back responds to treatment.
Red Sox minor leaguer being treated for lymphoma
BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox minor leaguer Anthony Rizzo, an 18-year-old first baseman, is being treated for lymphoma and there is "an excellent chance of cure and complete recovery," the team said.
Rizzo was diagnosed with Limited Stage Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma and the treatment is expected to last six to eight months. He is being treated on an outpatient basis at Massachusetts General Hospital and plans to return home to the Miami area in a few days to continue treatment.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Rizzo, drafted in the sixth round last year out of high school, is hitting .373 with 11 RBI at Class-A Greenville. He last played April 26.
