Enquirer wire services

CHICAGO - Gary Hughes, a longtime scout and special assistant to Reds general manager Jim Bowden, was hired Wednesday as a special assistant to Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry.

Hughes, 61, has been in pro ball the last 36 years, working with San Francisco (1967-1977), the New York Yankees (1978-1985), Montreal (1986-1991), Florida (1992-1998), Colorado (1999) and the Reds (2000-2002).

He spent the 1999 season as Colorado's vice president of player personnel. Hughes then joined the Reds in December of that year as that team's director of pro scouting/special assistant to the general manager.

Hughes' move is the latest in the Reds' front office.

Previously, Doc Rodgers was reassigned from assistant general manager to a special consultant. Kasey McKeon was reassigned from scouting director to major-league scout.

Part of Hughes' duties with the Cubs will be to evaluate players involved in potential trades.

Baseball America selected Hughes as one of the top 10 scouts of the 20th century and as baseball's best player development executive for the decade of the 1990s.

INDIANS: Cleveland is going to try to knock free agent Jim Thome's high socks off.

The club will begin efforts to re-sign Thome today when it meets with the team's career home run leader and his agent, Pat Rooney, at Jacobs Field.

Cleveland owner Larry Dolan, general manager Mark Shapiro and other prominent members of the Indians' front office will participate in the meeting.

The Indians plan to make their first contract offer for Thome, who hit a club record 52 homers last season and is the most coveted slugger in this winter's free agent market. They're hoping to hit a home run with the proposal.

"Our meeting will be a strong effort to communicate our respect, our admiration and our desire to have Jim Thome remain a Cleveland Indian," Shapiro said.

Thome filed for free agency earlier this week, but the Indians are the only team the popular first baseman can talk money with until Nov.13. After that, he is free to negotiate with all teams.

YANKEES: Roger Clemens would rather get his $10.3 million, then start talking about a 2003 contract.

The pitcher declined to exercise a $10.3 million player option for 2003, the team said Wednesday. But the option was really an illusion designed to lower the Yankees' payroll figure during the past two seasons because the five-time Cy Young Award winner gets a $10.3 million buyout.

DODGERS: Brian Jordan, who hit .347 and drove in 30 RBI in September to help keep Los Angeles in playoff contention, exercised his right Wednesday to demand a trade.

MARINERS: Former major-league managers Terry Francona and Jim Riggleman were the latest candidates to interview for the Seattle Mariners' managerial vacancy, each spending about four hours with team officials Wednesday. They were the third and fourth candidates interviewed. Mariners bench coach John McLaren and pitching coach Bryan Price did so Monday.

Francona spent last season as bench coach in Texas, while Riggleman was bench coach with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

JAPANESE SERIES: The Yomiuri Giants won the Japan Series on Wednesday, completing a four-game sweep with a 6-2 victory over the Seibu Lions.

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