Enquirer news services

Stanley King, the agent for deceased Red Dernell Stenson, has told the New York Daily News he feels there is more to the outfielder's death than is now known.

Officially, police are calling Stenson's death a random crime that began as a robbery and kidnapping and ended with Stenson, 25, being shot, execution-style, in a residential area of Chandler, Ariz., and run over with his own vehicle. The whodunnit is much more complex.

"My gut and common sense tells me this was not purely a random act of violence," says King, Stenson's New Jersey-based agent.

So far, four men have been arrested, including two half-brothers who police say recently arrived in the Valley after driving from Illinois. Another suspect in the case, Robert Lee Maye, jumped bail and disappeared last week after being charged with hindering the investigation. As first reported in the Arizona Republic, Maye, a pseudonym, allegedly had been living in Scottsdale for five months under the federal witness program following his testimony in Chicago against members of the notorious Gangster Disciples.

Stenson's agent, family members and authorities told the New York Daily News they are providing investigators with information that Stenson was being stalked by an Indianapolis woman who has repeatedly claimed to be pregnant with his child. Police have already gone to Indianapolis to look into that claim and to follow other leads.

Thomas Stenson says his brother attempted to take out an order of protection in Scottsdale against the woman shortly before he was killed, "but the police did not believe him."

Arizona authorities say they will not release the entire police report until the investigation is complete. According to Chandler Det. Robert Krautheim, "The investigation is so large in scope, we don't know where it might lead us."

It has taken them from Sugar Daddy's Blues, a popular nightclub on Scottsdale Blvd., to Indiana, where they seek information that will help them piece together the murder of a player once trumpeted as the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox system.

TRADE WINDS: Assuming Ken Williams and Dan Evans can put aside their old tensions, the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers could do some business this winter.

The White Sox have a surplus of hitters and are so motivated to move salaries that they are willing to consider trading Magglio Ordonez. The Dodgers are desperate to add some pop to a lineup that produced only 3.5 runs per game last season, the lowest total in the majors.

Although Ordonez is a superb player - he hit .317 with 29 homers and 99 RBI - he's too pricey for almost every team except the Yankees. In the past, he would be the Dodgers' kind of player, but Evans is believed to be authorized only to make deals that involve modest payroll increases. So forget about Ordonez going to Chavez Ravine.

The trade to watch for is this - Carlos Lee (.291-31-113) and Jose Valentin (.237-28-74) to Los Angeles for left-hander Odalis Perez (12-12, 4.52 ERA) and Venezuelan shortstop Cesar Izturis (.251), a slick-fielding, 24-year-old slap hitter who would allow Ozzie Guillen to manage a young version of himself.

SAME GUY: Doug Melvin was the Rangers' general manager when they signed Alex Rodriguez to his $252 million deal, which at its peak pays him $27 million a year. Now he will oversee Milwaukee's downsizing, with $30 million the reported target for the 25-man roster.

"I don't have any problem with the club and what we're doing," Melvin said. "You have to have a vision and plan, and we try to stay with it to get the organization in a little better financial state before we're able to make some moves to add payroll or add free agents."

SHORT HOPS: The Indians put Danys Baez on waivers last week in the hope they wouldn't have to pay him a $500,000 buyout. It didn't work. Look for Baez to be in demand once Cleveland non-tenders him.

• Reggie Sanders will get more offers this winter than Gary Sheffield. Sanders is looking for a two-year deal, and who can blame him? He has played for six teams over the last six years, averaging 23 homers and 72 RBI.

• Pittsburgh and Colorado are among teams interested in signing third baseman Robin Ventura.

• The Cubs hope they can persuade Kenny Lofton to come back as a fourth outfielder and Corey Patterson insurance.

• One National League GM believes the Orioles are playing possum in their early coolness toward Pudge Rodriguez. "I still think they're going to make a strong push for Pudge," the GM said. "They miscalculated last year when they should have signed him. And they have a ton of money to spend."

• Credit Trevor Hoffman for taking the San Diego Discount and re-signing with the Padres for a guaranteed $2.5 million (plus $500,000 in incentives) next year. However, he'll be pitching with a 40 percent tear in his rotator cuff, which might have made it tough to pass a free agent physical.

• Over the past three years with the Rangers, Alex Rodriguez has pocketed an additional $1.55 million in incentives. He could make another $500,000 if he wins the AL MVP award this week.