Allen Will Remain In Charge of Reds

John Allen will stay in charge of the Cincinnati Reds, after all.

Allen, who has run the team since Marge Schott stepped aside June 12, was formally proposed by the Reds owner on Thursday and approved Friday by National League president Len Coleman. Allen’s title will be managing executive.

“Clearly John has done as excellent job in the interim period and he moves forward with the full support of my office,” Coleman said in New York.

Schott had put Allen, the team’s controller, in temporary charge of the Reds on June 12 after she agreed to give up day-to-day control of the team following a series of remarks that upset other owners.

Schott had said in a July 10 memorandum to her staff that Allen wouldn’t be her permanent replacement and attempted to propose General Manager Jim Bowden, who ran the club during her previous suspension in 1993.

But Coleman refused to approve Bowden, saying running the team’s business and baseball divisions would be too much. He said Bowden could run the team only if he stepped down as general manager.

“This is what I have trained my whole life to do and it’s what I want to do,” Bowden said. “I strongly endorsed John Allen to Mrs. Schott. I think she made the right decision for the organization.”

Allen was not immediately available for comment.

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Diegomar Markwell, a left-handed pitcher from Curacao who turned 16 on Thursday, agreed to terms with the Toronto Blue Jays on a 1997 contract that included a signing bonus believed to be about $750,000.

“He’s a player we’ve been looking at for two years,” said Bob Engle, the Blue Jays’ assistant general manager.

“The velocity on his fastball is fairly average,” Engle said. “But he’s fairly mature for his age and we feel he’s going to throw harder as he gets older. He’s also got a true curveball with very good rotation. He’s going to be a power pitcher.”

Major League Baseball prevents teams from signing players younger than 16. Markwell was available as a free agent because only Canadians and Americans are eligible for the amateur draft.

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Robin Ventura said there are no bad feelings between him and teammate Frank Thomas after a dugout run-in Thursday in Yankee Stadium.

Thomas, meanwhile, refused to discuss the incident, bristling at reporters who asked him to do so.

On Thursday night, Ventura was trying to calm down an angry Thomas down and keep him from being ejected for a second straight game. Thomas, angry over a call that eventually led to a seventh-inning strikeout, took exception.

Television replays showed teammates trying to restrain Thomas, who pulled angrily away and began screaming in the direction of Ventura as he went to the on-deck circle.

Thomas was still angry Friday, this time not at umpires or Ventura. But at the media for making him look bad in a national spotlight.

“I have nothing to say about anything. You people don’t know what went on,” Thomas said.

Ventura claimed there were no problems between him and Thomas.

“Everything was fine yesterday,” he said. “I was just trying to win a game.”

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The Chicago Cubs released veteran infielder Felix Fermin and recalled outfielder Ozzie Timmons from the minors.