Tigers May Look at Bowa

If the Detroit Tigers conduct a search for a new manager, Angel third base coach Larry Bowa will be among the initial group of candidates to replace the fired Buddy Bell, according to a baseball source.

Larry Parrish, who was named interim manager when Bell was let go this month, will be strongly considered for the permanent position, and it’s possible the team will not even interview outside candidates.

Bowa has not managed in the big leagues since 1988, when he was fired by the San Diego Padres after one full season and two months, but he has been a finalist in recent years for managing jobs with the Red Sox (twice), Phillies, White Sox and Marlins.

The Tigers have not asked the Angels for permission to interview Bowa--that process won’t begin until the season ends--but Bowa, who has spent the past two seasons on Angel Manager Terry Collins’ staff, would jump at the chance to manage again.

“All I care about right now is winning this division, and I want to do that very badly,� Bowa said Friday, “but in the back of my mind I’m thinking, that would be a very interesting team to manage.�

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The Angels bolstered their bench Friday by acquiring left-handed hitting first baseman Mark Johnson from the Cincinnati Reds’ triple-A team for a player to be named. To make room on the 40-man roster, double-A pitcher Brian Cooper (8-10, 7.13 earned-run average) was designated for assignment.

Johnson, 30, hit .300 with 22 home runs, 33 doubles and 75 RBIs in 117 games this season for Indianapolis. He played three seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1995-97), hitting .239 with 117 runs, 30 homers, 40 doubles and 104 RBIs in 284 major league games.

“I’ll tell you one thing, he can hit a fastball a long, long way,� Collins said. “We have two left-handers on the bench with Orlando [Palmeiro] and Reggie [Williams], but they don’t have much sock.�

Johnson, who won’t be eligible for the playoffs should the Angels qualify, also gives Collins the option of pinch-hitting for first baseman Chris Pritchett and replacing him with a better defensive first baseman than utility player Craig Shipley, who had been filling that role.

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Collins said Ken Hill, who suffered three bruised fingers when he was hit by a line drive against Minnesota on Wednesday night, will make his next start Monday night against Tampa Bay. Jeff Juden will start Tuesday night against the Devil Rays. . . . Darin Erstad, sidelined since Sept. 2 because of a severely strained left hamstring, ran for the first time since the injury Friday. The Angels hope he can return by late next week. . . . The Angels completed the Gregg Jefferies trade by sending right-handed pitcher Doug Nickel, who went a combined 11-8 for Class-A Cedar Rapids and Lake Elsinore this season, to Philadelphia.

Today

ANGELS’ STEVE SPARKS (9-2, 4.47 ERA)

vs.

ORIOLES’ MIKE MUSSINA (13-8, 3.45 ERA)

Camden Yards, Baltimore, 10:15 a.m. PDT

TV--Channel 11. Radio--KRLA (1110), XPRS (1090)

* Update--Troy Glaus’ left wrist felt fine Friday, but the rookie third baseman, struggling with a .219 average and one hit in his last 19 at-bats, did not start for the second consecutive game. “He has to put the lineup out there that he feels has the best chance of winning,� Glaus said of Collins’ decision to start Shipley at third. “I understand it, and I have to accept it.� Asked if he thought he might benefit from a few days off, Glaus said, “I don’t know, I’ve never had a couple of days off.� Collins said Glaus will probably start today.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Next Series for Angels

Who: Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Where: at Tampa Bay

When: Monday, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, 4 p.m.