PLANT CITY, FLA. - It didn't take long for Deion Sanders to make a few waves in a tranquil Reds training camp.
In responding to questions about the legacy of Jackie Robinson, Sanders said his game uniform would be tailored to mirror Robinson's appearance in a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform 50 years ago, when Robinson broke the color barrier in major-league baseball.
''High, baggy pants,'' said Sanders. He also said racism still exists in baseball. ''Every day,'' he said. ''It's disguised a lot more.''
When asked to elaborate, Sanders replied, ''If I was a white man doing what I've done in sports, accomplished the things I have, things would be much different.''
Someone wondered how.
''The first white man that's able to do what we do, he's going to be on the back of a milk carton, and it ain't going to be because he's lost,'' Sanders said.
Sanders said that while African-American athletes have enjoyed greater endorsement opportunities, ''we've been criticized dearly.'' Fans watching a white player of similar skills would be ''more accepting, more amazed, more appreciative of a guy's talents.''
Deion's day
Sanders started in center field and batted leadoff against Yankees left-hander Kenny Rogers. He popped out in his first at-bat, struck out looking in his second and struck out swinging in his third, and is hitless in five exhibition at-bats.
Sierra clears air
Ruben Sierra told manager Ray Knight on Saturday morning that he is content to be a part of the Reds organization and that his reaction to being a designated hitter in Thursday's intrasquad game was misunderstood.
Angry at reports that he disapproved of that role, Sierra requested a meeting with Knight to smooth over any hard feelings. Knight had none and had not seen the reports. He has said that Sierra, acquired from the Detroit Tigers in the offseason, has proved coachable and likable.
Sierra has said that he felt persecuted by the media in the past and said Saturday that this was another instance in which the worst was assumed.
Torre holds ground
A day after Sierra defended himself against disparaging comments from Joe Torre's book, Chasing the Dream, Torre's Yankees arrived for an exhibition game.
Torre did not back down from his bound remarks, among them that Sierra was the most difficult player he ever managed.
''I just wanted to relive what went on over the course of the year,'' Torre said. ''He didn't seem to catch on to our team concept. I tried to be firm and understanding.
He just didn't seem to get it.
''I wrote certain things about the season. That was one of them. We made a change, and the change helped us.''
In the interest of honesty, Torre said, he left out nothing.
''If I'm going to write a book, everything isn't the sixth game of the World Series,'' he said. ''There's gotta be stuff leading up to that. This is my opinion. It's no big deal. He's entitled to his.''
Kelly homers twice
Mike Kelly, who last spring won a big-league job, only to lose it before April was
over, hit two solo homers.
''I probably just played myself out of the lineup last year,'' Kelly said.
He had a .195 average (8-for-41) when the Reds sent him out on April 20, and had only eight more big-league at-bats the rest of the season. Kelly played 88 games at Triple-A Indianapolis, batting .209.
''This game, a lot of it's about perseverance,'' said Kelly, at 26 in his seventh professional season.
Other notes
Curtis Goodwin and Willie Greene signed one-year contracts Saturday. Roger Salkeld, who pitched 1ô innings Saturday and allowed a double, three walks and two runs, remains unsigned.
GAME REPORT
MERCKER RETURNS TO FASTBALL
DAUGHERTY: OK, DEION, IT'S TIME TO PLAY BALL
