Boone Expected to Succeed McRae as Royals’ Manager

Former Angel catcher Bob Boone is expected to be named manager of the Kansas City Royals today or Saturday, succeeding the recently fired Hal McRae.

Boone would not comment when reached at his Orange County home on Thursday, but sources said he had won an organizational tug of war over Chicago Cub coach Tony Muser, and that the Royals expected to hold a news conference before the end of the weekend.

Boone, 46, spent the 1994 season as a bench coach with the Cincinnati Reds, for whom his son, Bret, played second base. He managed the Oakland Athletics’ triple-A Tacoma affiliate in 1992 and ’93 after a 19-year playing career in which he established a record of 2,225 games caught before Carlton Fisk broke it by one in 1992.

Boone spent 10 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, seven with the Angels, including the 1982 and ’86 American League West champions, and was with the Royals for his final two seasons.