Mediation Stops in Name Lawsuit

The Angels and the city of Anaheim have broken off discussions with the mediator assigned to help the parties settle the city’s lawsuit against the team, the Angels said Friday.

The two sides entered into mediation at the urging of a state appellate court. The parties held the last of their mediation sessions on Friday and now await the court’s ruling on whether the Angels can continue to play as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a name the city alleges violates the team’s stadium lease.

“The city and the Angels have been in mediation since April 1,” team spokesman Tim Mead said. “We’ve been unable to reach a resolution at this time. Though the mediation has been completed, the parties have committed to each other to continue discussions to reach resolution.”

Mead would not discuss what issues prevented a resolution, but there was no evidence the parties could resolve the fundamental one -- the Angels want “Los Angeles” in their name and the city does not. Anaheim co-counsel Andy Guilford suggested in a court hearing that the city believed the team might be liable for $300 million in damages, significantly more than the $183.5 million owner Arte Moreno paid to buy the team.

The appellate court ruling would be binding only until the outcome of the trial, scheduled to start Nov. 7.

City spokesman John Nicoletti did not return a call for comment.

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The concept was a solid one: Bat Jeff DaVanon, one of the few Angels not allergic to walks, ahead of American League MVP Vladimir Guerrero. The collective league response was even better: Don’t walk DaVanon.

“I couldn’t really take pitches batting there,” DaVanon said. “Everyone wanted to pitch to me instead of Vladdy.”

And, with DaVanon not walking and not hitting, Manager Mike Scioscia dropped him to ninth in the lineup Friday. Chone Figgins batted second, with DaVanon saddled with a .175 batting average and .244 on-base percentage.

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Showers are in the forecast for Anaheim today. The Angels last had a home game rained out on June 16, 1995 -- three days after Garret Anderson hit his first major league home run.