The Angels hired Baylor on Wednesday to replace Jim Eppard, who wasn't retained by manager Mike Scioscia.

The 64-year-old Baylor had been Arizona's hitting coach for the past three years. He is the former manager of the Rockies and Cubs.

Baylor won the AL MVP award while playing for the Angels in 1979, batting .296 with 36 homers and 139 RBIs.

He spent six seasons with the then-California Angels, hitting 141 homers.

Eppard and bench coach Rob Picciolo were let go by the Angels last week when the club confirmed Scioscia and general manager Jerry Dipoto were staying. Third base coach Dino Ebel was promoted to bench coach.


TOO EARLY FOR HURDLE


Manager Clint Hurdle and general manager Neal Huntington helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to their first winning season in more than two decades in 2013.

Still, Pittsburgh owner Bob Nutting said it was too early to talk about whether the club would extend the contracts of Hurdle and Huntington beyond 2014, when both expire.

“It's premature to have a discussion,” Nutting told radio station 93.7 The Fan, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I don't like speculating about individuals. Right now, the feeling inside and outside the organization is very positive, very strong for both those guys. Whether it's a Manager of the Year candidate (Hurdle) or an Executive of the Year candidate (Huntington). Both had extraordinary seasons.”

Nutting also told the newspaper that he is interested in bringing back veteran RHP A.J. Burnett, who pitched the last two seasons for the Pirates. Burnett is eligible for free agency after the season, and the Pirates likely would have to increase their payroll significantly to keep him.

“I think what we've seen the last several years, without losing focus on our development system … is we've been able to increase our commitment to major league payroll,” Nutting said. “I certainly would like to see that continue as we move forward. It's far too early in the process for us, internally, to pick a number (for 2014) and certainly not one we are going to talk about at this time.”

The Pirates finished the year 94-68 and won the National League Wild Card Game before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS.


RIPKEN NOT JOB HUNTING


Cal Ripken Jr. has not been contacted by any of the four major league teams looking for a new manager, and he has no plans to make the first move, The Washington Post reports.

“I’m not lobbying for any managing job,” Ripken said.

Still, the newspaper reports, the 53-year-old Hall of Famer was vague about whether he would be interested in a job if a team contacted him.

“I’m curious as to what the process is when somebody gets interviewed for a managing job,” he said. “But if you’re not serious about taking it, it’s the wrong thing to do.”

Ripken also said: “You don’t fully know [your own interest level] until you’re able to analyze it.”

Ripken has been not been affiliated with MLB since he retired from the Baltimore Orioles in 2001, and he has no managerial experience at any level. But that hasn't stopped his name from popping up in relation to teams with managerial vacancies, particulary the Washington Nationals. The Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners also are looking for new skippers.

Ripken's daughter is now out of college while his son Ryan is a freshman at  Indian River (Fla.) State College. That has led to speculation that he may be interested in returning to the game.

“I meant it when I said, when I got away from baseball, that I was going to be there for my kids until they went off to college,” Ripken said. “It’s almost like it’s still holding me a little bit, because Ryan’s in that stage where I like watching him and I like helping him. But he’s moving more on his own.

“What I’ve always said is if an opportunity comes, I would be in position now to listen and explore it. So that’s all I said. Everybody else is running with it. That’s the amazing part. Everybody’s been asking me the same question for 10 years, and there hasn’t been too much of a different answer.”


CRAIN DEAL COMPLETE


The Chicago White Sox say they have acquired two minor league players and cash from Tampa Bay to complete the deal that sent reliever Jesse Crain to the Rays in July.

The White Sox said Wednesday they acquired left-handed pitching prospect Sean Bierman and infielder Ben Kline, who both played at Class A this season.

The White Sox dealt Crain to Tampa Bay on July 29. He was on the disabled list with a strained shoulder at the time and did not pitch for the Rays.

Contributors: Justin McGuire, The Associated Press