Major League Baseball won't say if Marge Schott's problems with General Motors will prevent her from returning as Reds chief executive officer at the end of this season.
So John Allen, the club's managing executive who took her place June 12, 1996, keeps working day-to-day, unsure of his status after the last out of the World Series.
''I've been told nothing and I just as soon it would stay that way,'' Allen said Wednesday. ''That's not my focus. My focus is on the field.''
Baseball owners meet next week in St. Petersburg, Fla., with Schott's case still unresolved. For the past 14 months, MLB has reviewed GM's allegations Schott used the names of seven Reds' employees to help falsify 57 car sales at the GEO-Chevrolet dealership she used to own in Montgomery.
MLB won't say if a decision is coming next week. Allen says he doesn't wake up wondering if MLB will extend his contract or if he'll be out of a job in November. Schott reportedly is upset with how Allen has handled the job and may oust him if she returns.
Asked if he could work for Schott, Allen said, ''We'd have to see how it played out. I haven't talked about any of this with her. I'd love to stay with the Reds. I love the Reds, but I can't afford to think too far ahead. We're getting ready to play a season. That's a long way off.''
With the Reds' partnership agreement expiring on the last day of the year 2000, speculation is MLB is crafting a deal in which Schott sells the club before meting out another punishment.
Rumors of a sale have been rampant since Schott was suspended a second time for insensitive remarks in June 1996. She has reportedly spoken several times about selling to limited partner Carl Lindner. The limited partners have the right of first refusal on any sale.
''But as far as I'm concerned, they're all just rumors,'' Allen said. ''I'm not all that close to the limiteds, but I do know there is quite a lengthy process that the (National League) and baseball go through before a sale can be done.''
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