WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Now that the team's big hitters are gone, Cleveland Indians manager Charlie Manuel says the starting lineup will be a work in progress all season.

        “We're going to change our lineup around more this year,” he said Friday. “We've wanted to do it in the past, but it was working the way we had it, so we didn't mess with it.”

        Manuel has no idea who will hit first, second or third. The rest of the lineup can't be determined until the top three spots are decided.

        “We'll look at a lot of different things in the exhibition games,” Manuel said. “I want to look at some combinations to see how things work.”

        The questions start at the leadoff spot, held mostly by Kenny Lofton since 1992 until he signed with the Chicago White Sox in the offseason.

        Right fielder Matt Lawton, who had a .396 on-base percentage with Minnesota last season, appears to be best-suited for leadoff. Shortstop Omar Vizquel and outfielder Brady Anderson are other possibilities, but both appear to have more liabilities than Lawton as a leadoff man.

        Vizquel's batting average dropped to .255 last season. He said he would feel comfortable hitting leadoff in about 20 games a season, but thinks there are better candidates for the long haul.

        Anderson has been a leadoff man most of his career, but he hit a career-low .202 with Baltimore last season and isn't guaranteed a spot in the everyday lineup.

        The No.2 spot also is unclear. Vizquel has hit there the last several years, but last season's numbers (.255) suggest he should hit at the bottom of the order.

        “I think Omar's going to bounce back,” said Manuel. “I think he can hit between .280 and .300.”

        Ricky Gutierrez, who batted .290 with the Cubs last season, is another candidate to hit second.

        PADRES:

        Shortstop Deivi Cruz is the latest major-league player discovered to be older than his listed age.

        The commissioner's office informed team officials that Cruz is 29, three years older than his biography lists.

        The discrepancy was discovered when Cruz applied for a visa to travel from the Dominican Republic to spring training. With tighter security guidelines, officials are requiring an original birth certificate, rather than just a copy.

        Cruz's original birth certificate shows he was born in 1972, the commissioner's office told the Padres.

        “At least we know now,” Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. “It's unfortunate.”

        Cruz became a free agent after batting .256 with seven home runs and 52 RBIs in 110 games with the Detroit Tigers last year.

        The Padres signed him to a $600,000 contract, though they start spring training anticipating that rookie Ramon Vazquez will be the regular shortstop.

        CUBS:

        Kerry Wood wants stability in his personal life and his professional one, too.

        So, he proposed marriage earlier this month to his girlfriend, Sarah Pates, whom he credits with pushing and motivating him during his offseason workouts.

        Now the 1998 NL Rookie of the Year would like to have an injury-free season, something he has not had in his short but successful career with Chicago.

        “Every time spring training rolls around, my goal is to make 34 or 35 starts and not miss any and stay healthy,” Wood said. “It's always on my mind, every time I take the mound.”

        Wood, who signed a $3.69 million contract earlier this year, went 12-6 with a 3.36 ERA in 28 starts last season, showing he had recovered from elbow surgery that caused him to miss all of 1999.

        But Wood also spent a month on the disabled list last season, from Aug.4 to Sept.7, with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder.

        EXPOS:

        The team agreed to minor-league contracts with outfielder Lance Johnson, a Princeton High School graduate, and right-hander Osvaldo Fernandez, a former Red, to minor-league contracts.

        Johnson, 38, who spent last season in the minors, has a .291 average in 14 seasons, primarily with the Chicago White Sox.

        Fernandez, 33, went 5-6 with a 6.92 ERA for Cincinnati last year.

        GIANTS:

        First baseman J.T. Snow sprained his left ankle while doing fielding drills at the Giants training facility Friday.

        “He's walking pretty normally right now,” said Giants trainer Stan Conte, who called the sprain mild.

        X-rays taken at a hospital appeared to be negative and were to be reviewed by a team doctor later Friday.

        “At this time,” said trainer Stan Conte, “the sprain doesn't appear to be bad, and he should be able to return to workouts in several days.”

        PUCKETT DIVORCE:

        Tonya Puckett, the wife of former Minnesota Twin and Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, has filed for a divorce two months after she told police her husband threatened to kill her during an argument.

        Tonya Puckett, 36, seeks sole custody of their 9-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. She cited “an irretrievable breakdown” in their marriage.

        DODGERS:

        Kazuhisa Ishii's brief bullpen session drew most of the attention at Los Angeles' spring training facility.

        General manager Dan Evans, senior vice president Tom Lasorda, manager Jim Tracy and pitching coach Jim Colborn all wanted to see Ishii pitch for the first time since his arrival two days earlier.

        They were joined by fans, media and even several teammates who wanted to watch the newest Japanese export at work.

        Catcher Chad Kreuter got the closest look and he liked what he saw, although Ishii, who signed a four-year, $12.3 million contract two weeks ago, never got close to throwing his hardest.

        “His mechanics are very solid and very deliberate,” Kreuter said. “It's obvious he's got a good idea about what he's doing.”

        Kreuter said Ishii threw his split-finger fastball and curvebut didn't throw the slider, which the 28-year-old left-hander considers his best pitch.

        TWINS: With a cigar tucked in a corner of his mouth and a bat dangling from his right hand, Tom Kelly looked right at home.

        The old boss showed up for spring training Friday and wandered around in his customary long sleeves and sunglasses while the Minnesota Twins worked out.

        “It's a safety valve having him here,” new manager Ron Gardenhire said. “I can ask TK about something if I have a question. There's no pressure, it's just a bonus. He was one of the ones in my corner trying to help me get this job.”

        Kelly, who retired in October after 15 seasons managing the Twins, will stay in Fort Myers until camp breaks but will likely spend more time with the minor leaguers once they report in March.

        Kelly tried to squelch any hype over his arrival and offered only a few words about his first day as a “guest” coach.

        “It was fun,” Kelly said. “It was out in the sun. It was great. Everything's good.”

        CARDINALS:

        Black leaders accused a legislator of racism for suggesting that fans might want to carry rifles to games if a new stadium was built in predominantly black East St. Louis, Ill.

        A news conference held by the St. Louis Clergy Coalition became a shouting match when the lawmaker, Rep. Jim Murphy, unexpectedly showed up to defend himself.

        Murphy said the remark wasn't racist, noting that impoverished East St. Louis has one of the highest crime rates in the country.

        “Every week, the media puts a scene of a body found in a vacant lot over there,” Murphy shouted at the Rev. Earl Nance, a coalition leader, and others in the group. “Is that where you want to go to the ballpark?”

        Team officials have said they would consider moving across the Mississippi River to Illinois if Missouri doesn't help them replace aging Busch Stadium.

        A funding plan is under consideration in the Legislature. Murphy, a vocal opponent of using public money for the stadium, has said the Cardinals are bluffing.

        Nance, who supports the ballpark proposal, said Murphy's comment was insulting to East St. Louis residents.

Claims by Reese ring true to Young Casey signs 3-year deal SULLIVAN: Sean Casey Reds notebook Indians seek order in offense

Little's jumper sinks Marquette
DAUGHERTY: Practice pays off for Little
Owls' 'D' makes Sato end with 0
Enquirer Tipoff page
Five questions with Casey Jacobsen
Q&A with Perry and Schmidt
Buckeyes return home after tough road trip
Miami coach gives Shorts final chance
UK: Smith suspends Fitch, Daniels in fake ID bust
XU women knock off Duquesne
Big Ten's Iowa visits MU Sept. 7
D'Amico loses mount
Grizzlies paddle Ducks 4-2
Kobe nails game-winner
Shawn Kemp suspended for violating terms of drug program
Coming up this week
Mercy posts stunning win
Purcell proves records mean nothing, ousts No. 4 CNE
Roundup: Boys hoops
Roundup: Girls hoops
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Boys swimming: Bombers in position for state title
Girls swimming: Historic effort for Ursuline's Myers
Swimming results
Wrestling: East, West among best
Wrestling results
High schools schedule

• Return to Reds front page...