Ability

George Kokinis, the Ravens' pro personnel director, sizes up the Bills: Strength of offense Receiver Eric Moulds. If you want to say Terrell Owens, Torry Holt and Marvin Harrison are the NFL's elite receivers, then Moulds is right behind - if not among them. He has quickness to get separation and strength to go over the top of defenders downfield. A complete receiver, Moulds can stretch the field and do the dirty work underneath. Strength of defense Cornerback Nate Clements. Like Moulds, he is under the radar as far as a top name in the league.

Last year, President Bush vetoed a congressional measure that would have imposed sanctions on countries and companies that developed or used chemical or biological weapons. Bush objected that the bill would not give the president the ability to waive sanctions if he thought that would be in the national interest. The bill would have slapped sanctions on Saddam Hussein and his suppliers, but a year ago the Bush administration was more concerned with cultivating his friendship than curbing his ability to make war.Now the world is a different place.

Baltimore lost one of its heroes last week, when Jacques Schlenger died. Many people knew him as a brilliant lawyer; others of us also knew him as a builder of this community and a person who touched many lives individually. One of Mr. Schlenger's greatest legacies is his contribution to The Leadership, a program of the Greater Baltimore Committee that has since 1984 supported the development of many of Baltimore's promising civic leaders. I was fortunate to have Mr. Schlenger as my mentor in that program in 1985, and we continued our close relationship over the years.

WASHINGTON -- To get a job in today's economy, simply being able to read, write and do arithmetic is not nearly enough, according to a Labor Department report released yesterday.Even entry-level blue-collar workers must be able to read diagrams and manuals; write memos justifying expenses or interpreting graphs; maintain numerical records and interpret statistics; reason how such things fit together; and work with other people in applying insights to solving daily problems in the business world, the report says.

With his standing in the polls low and slipping, U.S. Senate candidate Alan L. Keyes got more bad news yesterday when a major source of campaign financing decided to use its money in more "winnable" races.In a letter the Keyes campaign released yesterday without comment, the candidate was told by the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee that he would get none of the approximately $400,000 he was eligible to be given under Federal Election Commission guidelines.Mr. Keyes faces first-term incumbent Democrat Barbara A. Mikulski.

On the campaign trail, Gov. Bill Clinton had this to say about ending the ban on homosexuals in the military: "If I'm elected president, I think my job, rather than to inquire about the private lives of people who might serve, is to get the best people I can to serve this country." This very simple guideline is often rejected or forgotten in the debate over the president-elect's reiteration that he will issue an executive order rescinding the ban.Many opponents argue that the military should not be asked to put fairness above its mission to defend the nation.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT was the greatest president of this century. His greatness lay in his ability to give the nation hope in the midst of crushing Depression and to lead it to victory in World War II. But what was the wellspring of his vitality, of his joy in political battle, of his ability to identify so closely with millions of Americans whose lives differed so completely from his?Was it his intelligence, his intuitive sense about where destiny was leading, his ability to articulate and manipulate?

On deck Jim Tracy said the Dodgers will use a three-man rotation vs. the Cards: Odalis Perez, Jeff Weaver and Jose Lima. He said it "I can only let my baseball ability talk for me. It's like I'm running for political office. It's a shame. It's like I have to politick to get asked back here." Barry Larkin, Reds shortstop, who hasn't been offered a contract Who's hot The Angels were 20-8 in their last 28 road games and 28-13 over their last 41 away from home. Who's not The White Sox had no 10-game winner for the first time in fran chise history.

Pitches -- His fastball is average. He'll throw 87 to 92 [mph]. He pitches at about 88, 89. He has a slider/slurve in-between thing that he throws for strikes and a changeup when he needs it, but he doesn't use it very often. Ability -- He has average life [movement] on his pitches. He's a quick worker and he throws strikes, no matter what he did [Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox]. He threw strikes in the minors. Ceiling -- He translates to a solid bullpen guy or a fourth or fifth starter in the majors.

Give Maryland's Cathy Nelson the ball and she will create a shot.It may be for herself. It may be for a teammate. But as one of the most creative attack players in Division I women's lacrosse, Nelson always will make something happen.She relishes the chance to make the split-second decisions."That's what makes the game so exciting," said Nelson, a third-team All-America pick last year. "It's fun to see how your opportunities open up, how you can draw the double team and get other people open or how you can challenge one-on-one."