Angels let go longtime athletic trainer Ned Bergert and scout Dale Sutherland

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The Angels have parted ways with two longtime employees, declining to renew the contracts of head certified athletic trainer Ned Bergert, who had been with the organization for 36 years, and major league scout Dale Sutherland, who had been with the team for 19 years.

Scouting director Eddie Bane and three amateur scouts, Jim Bryant, Bart Braun Jr. and Jeff Scholzen, were fired last week.

General Manager Tony Reagins declined to discuss the moves, calling them ‘personnel decisions as we evaluate the baseball operations side of the organization.’

Bergert joined the Angels staff as an assistant trainer in 1979 after beginning his professional career for the club’s Quad Cities minor league affiliate in 1975. He was promoted to head athletic trainer in 1990.

In 2005, Bergert received the Athletic Trainers Service Award by the National Athletic Trainers Assn. The national award is given to trainers who have achieved a degree of excellence in their profession both on and off the field.

Athletic trainer Rick Smith, who has been with the team for 33 years, and assistant athletic trainer Adam Nevala, who has been with the team for six years, will be retained, team spokesman Tim Mead said.

Sutherland joined the Angels as an amateur scout in 1991 and was promoted to major league scout in 1997. He was the scout who was primarily responsible for the team claiming David Eckstein off waivers from the Boston Red Sox and for acquiring Chone Figgins from the Colorado Rockies for Kimera Bartee.

Eckstein and Figgins helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series.

Sutherland’s brother, Gary, is a special assistant to Reagins.

-- Mike DiGiovanna