Baerga

Here's a list of the eight present and former Padres who went into yesterday's action ranked among the major leagues' leading hitters:Player.. .. .. ..Team.. .. ..Avg.John Kruk.. .. ..Phillies .. .379Tony Gwynn.. .. .Padres.. .. .367Roberto Alomar.. Blue Jays.. .342Gary Sheffield.. Padres.. .. .335Tony Fernandez.. Padres.. .. .333Fred McGriff.. ..Padres.. .. .333Shane Mack.. .. .Twins .. .. .322Carlos Baerga.. .Indians.. . .311

Cardinals: Delino DeShields has hit in a team-high eight straight games.Indians: David Justice has reached base safely in all 25 of his starts.Mets: Six of Carlos Baerga's 17 hits are doubles.Reds: John Smiley had allowed at least six runs in each of his previous four starts. Catcher Joe Oliver made his first start of the season after spending the first month on the disabled list with a thumb injury.Pub Date: 5/04/97

Hitting Henry Rodriguez, Cubs: 3-for-4, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs. Craig Biggio, Astros: 3-for-5, HR. Vinny Castilla, Rockies: 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs. Carlos Baerga, Mets: 4-for-6. Eric Young, Dodgers: 4-for-5. Pitching Randy Johnson, Astros: 9 innings, 0 runs, 13 strikeouts. Steve Trachsel, Cubs: 7 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs. Jason Schmidt, Pirates: 8 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs. Pub Date: 8/13/98

HittingDerek Bell, Astros: Game-winning HR.Carlos Baerga, Mets: 4-for-5, double, HR (first game).John Olerud, Mets: 3-run HR (second game).Mark Kotsay, Marlins: 4-for-5, triple.PitchingMike Remlinger, Reds: 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 0 walks.Kevin Millwood, Braves: 7 innings, 8 hits, 0 runs, 8 strikeouts, 1 walk.Pub Date: 9/16/98

BaseballBrewers: Placed 2B Fernando Vina (strained left quadriceps) on 15-day DL. Recalled IF Lou Collier from Triple-A Louisville.Padres: Signed 2B Carlos Baerga and OF Wayne Kirby to minor-league contracts; assigned them to Triple-A Las Vegas. Recalled P Will Cunnane from Las Vegas. Will ask unconditional waivers on P Ed Vosberg.Rockies: Purchased contract of IF-OF Terry Shumpert from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Optioned IF Chris Petersen to Colorado Springs.

Chris Berman, ESPN sportscaster His all-time favorite baseball nicknames: 1. John "Tonight, let it be" Lowenstein. "We are in Baltimore, so that's got to be No. 1. What else could it be?" 2. Bert "Be home" Blyleven. 3. Eddie "Eat, drink and be" Murray. 4. Von "Purple" Hayes. "That's my favorite in the best music nickname category." 5. Julio "Won't you let me take you on a sea" Cruz. His other favorites include: Frank Tanana "Daiquiri," Carlos "Onif by land, two if by sea, and three if" Baerga and Jim "Two silhouettes on" Deshaies.

CLEVELAND -- Greg Swindell pitched an eight-hitter and Albert Belle doubled twice and scored twice, as the Cleveland Indians beat the slumping New York Yankees, 5-2, last night.Swindell (2-5) earned only his second win despite lowering his ERA to 2.39. He gave up one earned run, walked none and struck out five in his second complete game. The left-hander allowed just four base runners after the third inning.In six of Swindell's nine starts, the Indians have scored two runs or less.The loss was New York's sixth in the past seven games.

HittingCarlos Baerga, Mets: 3-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs.Bill Mueller, Giants: 4-for-6, double, 2 RBIs.PitchingShane Reynolds, Astros: 9 innings, 5 hits, 0 runs, 9 strikeouts.Masato Yoshii, Mets: 9 innings, 9 hits, 1 run, 9 strikeouts, 3 walks.Denny Neagle, Braves: 7 1/3 innings, 8 hits, 0 runs.Kirk Rueter, Giants: 8 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 3 walks.Jason Schmidt, Pirates: 8 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks.FieldingCarl Everett, Astros: Diving catch in center on sinking liner by Expos' Brad Fullmer in fourth.

ATLANTA -- Hank Peters redeemed his name with the Cleveland Indians. Now, the Indians might provide redemption for the biggest disappointment of his career.Remember '79.That's what Peters told John Hart, Dan O'Dowd and Co. before leaving Cleveland to return home to Baltimore after Game 4 of the World Series.They worked together for the Orioles once, and then they went to Cleveland, laying the groundwork for the Indians' first Series appearance since 1954.Peters, 70, is retired now, but he reminded Hart and O'Dowd of how the Orioles collapsed against Pittsburgh when he was their general manager in '79.And two members of that Orioles team, Dennis Martinez and Eddie Murray, preached the same gospel in the Indians' clubhouse.