Flanagan Is Put In Charge Of Orioles

BALTIMORE, Oct. 10 -- The Baltimore Orioles began the restructuring of their front office by informing executive vice president Jim Beattie on Monday morning his contract will not be renewed when it expires on Oct. 31, according to owner Peter Angelos.

Mike Flanagan, formerly vice president of baseball operations, will take over Beattie's title and assume his responsibilities.

"I think the past three years Jim Beattie has been leading the effort with strong assistance from Mike," Angelos said. "Now it will be Mike's chance. I think Mike is very capable and a very bright guy who certainly is adequate to perform the job."

The team will look to bring in another executive to help with the day-to-day operations, but there is no question that Flanagan is the boss and the dual general manager system has been discarded.

"Mike will be absolutely in charge," Angelos said.

Beattie and Flanagan did not return phone calls.

According to a team source, Beattie has been offered a job as a consultant.

The Orioles also started the process of bringing back interim manager Sam Perlozzo, baseball sources said, though a contract may not be finalized for several days. Flanagan's appointment as general manager makes it likely that Perlozzo will be back.

"I can't say anything about that," Angelos said. "He certainly is being strongly considered."

Perlozzo said he was waiting to hear from Flanagan about setting up a possible meeting.

Just how the Orioles fill roles to assist Flanagan is unclear. New York Mets assistant general manager Jim Duquette spoke with Angelos and Flanagan briefly last week but, according to a baseball source, there has been no meeting or interview set up. One Orioles executive mentioned Dick Tidrow, vice president of player personnel for the San Francisco Giants, as a possibility.

According to team sources, Beattie called several employees on Monday morning to tell them of the news.