Baker Owes Back Taxes of More Than $1 Million

Former San Francisco Giant manager Dusty Baker owes more than $1 million in back taxes and penalties because of some bad investments he made in the early 1980s.

Baker’s Oakland-based tax attorney, Karen Hawkins, said Friday that Baker invested in four tax shelters on the advice of his brother.

Hawkins said the situation would be resolved by the end of this year.

Baker will interview with the Chicago Cubs on Monday about their managerial opening. The team said Baker’s tax situation will have no bearing on his candidacy.

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The Angels’ 2003 schedule doesn’t include a Sunday night home game for the first time since Disney bought the team in 1996.

Disney borrowed the concept of 5 p.m. Sunday starts from its hockey team, the Mighty Ducks, believing families might prefer a late-afternoon game to a 1 p.m. game.

But Angel players -- and other employees -- preferred to spend Sunday nights with their families, and opposing teams complained the later starts caused them to arrive too late at their next destinations.

On Sundays this year, the Angels drew an average of 33,924 to 5 p.m. games and 32,270 to 1 p.m. games. For now, all Sunday games next year are scheduled for 1 p.m., though one or two could be moved to 5 p.m. for a national ESPN broadcast.

The Angels’ season opener -- and World Series championship ceremony -- is scheduled for Monday, March 31, against the Texas Rangers at Edison Field.

The spring training schedule includes the renewal of the Freeway Series against the Dodgers, for the first time in four years. The teams will play March 28 at Dodger Stadium and March 29 at Edison Field.

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Bill Bavasi, the Dodgers’ director of player development and a former Angel general manager, on Friday turned down an invitation to interview for the Baltimore Orioles’ general manager job. “I want to be a GM again, and I would have been very willing to move -- that would have been an exciting thing for my family,” Bavasi said. “But I’m not sure if I’m the right guy for them and if this is the right move for me, so I’ve respectfully declined with thanks.”

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Dodger General Manager Dan Evans called the agent for Jesse Orosco to express interest in the reliever Friday, but he wasn’t ready to offer a contract to the left-hander. “Jesse is one of the guys we’re considering,” Evans said.

The San Diego Padres, meanwhile, have contacted agent Alan Meersand about Orosco, and the Angels also are believed to be interested in him. Orosco prefers to remain with the Dodgers but can begin negotiating with other teams Tuesday.... The Dodgers declined to pick up Chad Kreuter’s $1.2-million option for 2003, choosing instead to pay the reserve catcher a $300,000 buyout. Kreuter becomes a free agent.

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Miscellany

Ryan Newman set a rookie record with his series-leading sixth pole of the season, taking the top spot at Phoenix International Raceway for Sunday’s Checker Auto Parts 500.... Kevin Harvick barely held off a late charge from Ted Musgrave and won the Chevy Silverado 150 NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at Phoenix International Raceway.... World champions Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao of China opened their Grand Prix season with a victory in the short program of the pairs event at the Nations Cup at Gelsenkirchen, Germany.... Angel Cabrera of Argentina shot a one-over-par 72 but maintained his four-stroke lead after the second round of the Volvo Masters at Sotogrande, Spain.... Mi Hyun Kim of South Korea made six consecutive birdies en route to a seven-under 65 for the first-round lead in the Mizuno Classic at Otsu, Japan.... LeBron James, the 6-foot-7 senior at St. Vincent-St. Mary High in Akron, Ohio, who could be the top pick in next year’s NBA draft, will have his school’s games offered on pay-per-view in 14 northeast Ohio counties.