The Seattle Mariners fired general manager Bill Bavasi yesterday, as the team lags with the worst record in baseball after starting the season with playoff hopes.

Vice president/associate general manager Lee Pelekoudas will assume Bavasi's duties.

"Change is in order," Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln said in a release. "We have determined new leadership is needed in the GM position. With a new leader will come a new plan and a new approach. A search will begin immediately for a permanent GM, and Lee will be a candidate for the position."

Bavasi was in his fifth season as Seattle's general manager, only once turning out a club that finished with a winning record. That was last year when Seattle won a surprising 88 games and was in contention for a playoff spot into September.

A call to Bavasi's cell phone was not immediately returned.

Bavasi was hired after the 2003 season replacing Pat Gillick. He inherited an aging team that just two years earlier had won 116 games but failed to make the World Series. He also was asked to rebuild a lagging minor league system, which Bavasi has done, but the major league product has struggled.

Bavasi locked up slugger Richie Sexson and third baseman Adrian Beltre after the 2004 season. But neither has provided the expected offensive production, and Sexson is routinely booed at Safeco Field.

Bavasi has also missed with the signing of pitcher Jarrod Washburn ($37 million, 20-36 record with Seattle) and the offseason signing of pitcher Erik Bedard (4-4) and Carlos Silva (3-7) has not made a difference.

Yankees

Chien-Ming Wang will be on crutches and wear a boot for at least six weeks after his right foot was injured running the bases Sunday in Houston. It was not certain when Wang would be able to pitch again. An examination in New York showed he had partially tore a tendon and a sprained foot. Wang, 8-2 with a 4.07 ERA in 15 starts, joins injured Yankees starters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy on the disabled list.

Rangers

Texas released right-hander Sidney Ponson even though he had a 4-1 record and 3.88 ERA for a starting rotation among the worst in the majors. Ponson was designated for assignment June 6, and general manager Jon Daniels has said Ponson was dumped "for disrespecting teammates and club personnel."

Elsewhere

Severe thunderstorms drenched historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y., forcing the cancellation of the final Hall of Fame Game. Despite a determined effort to play the game between the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs, the storms packed too much rain and pelted the field with bursts of hail before officials called it off just after 2:30 p.m. Major League Baseball announced in late January that this would be the final Hall of Fame Game because of scheduling problems. It was the last remaining exhibition game on the major league schedule.