SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Giants have removed Spec Richardson as general manager and replaced him with former catcher Tom Haller.
Owner Bob Lurie said Tuesday that Richardson had been offered a consultant's job if he wanted to stay with the organization.
Richardson, nmed baseball 'Executive of the Year' three years ago, had been in charge of the team's day-to-day operations for six years, but the team had slipped badly since 1978 when the team led the Western Division for most of the season.
Lurie said 'the record speaks for itself.'
'I'll always have the greatest respect for Spec,' said Lurie, 'but during the last two years, we seemed to be going b wiy.
Richardson's recent deals had gone sour, especially the one that brought second baseman Rennie Stennett from Pittsox7a five-year, $3 million contract. Stennett had been relegated to the bench this season by 37-year-old Joe Morgan.
Lurie said Haller had done a good job building the San Francisco farm system with draft choices.
Haller, 44, a catching standout with the Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, did not make any rash promises.
'I don't look for miracles,' he said. 'It will take two or three years to make the team a bona fide contender.'
Richardson, who broke into baseball in 1946 in Columbus, Ga., spent 14 years with the Houston Astros as business manager and general manager. He was fired in 1975, but later that year was appointed general manager of the Giants when the National League took over the club from Horace Stoneham.
Richardson was retained when Lurie bought the club in 1976.
Richardson said he was suprised by his demotion. But he addeed that 'in this business you know it's going to come sooner or later. I've only been fired twice since 1946, so that's not too bad.'
He said he had not decided whether to take up Lurie on his offer to remain with the club.
