Denny Neagle

HittingRyan Klesko, Braves: grand slam.PitchingDenny Neagle, Braves: 9 innings, 0 runs, 4 hits.Al Leiter, Mets: 9 innings, 0 runs, 5 hits.Pub Date: 6/17/98

Moves Auto racing IRL: Panther Racing announced signing of driver Buddy Lazier for Indianapolis 500. Baseball ANGELS: Assigned P Mark Watson to minor league camp. BRAVES: Claimed minor league IF Jason Bourgeois off waivers from Rangers; optioned him to Triple-A Richmond. DEVIL RAYS: Released P Denny Neagle (Arundel) and OF Tom Goodwin. Optioned P Doug Waechter to Triple-A Durham. Assigned C Pete Laforest to minor league camp. MARINERS: Optioned P Jorge Campillo to Triple-A Tacoma.

HittingChipper Jones, Braves, 2-for-5, HR (8th), double, 2 RBIs.Walt Weiss, Braves, 3-for-4, 2 RBIs.Andy Sheets, Padres, 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs.PitchingManny Aybar, Cardinals, 6 innings, 6 hits, 2 runs.Denny Neagle, Braves, 9 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs.Pub Date: 4/19/98

At least six players on the World Series champion Boston Red Sox were tested yesterday in Fort Myers, Fla., as part of baseball's program to curb steroid use. Team vice president Mike Port said six to 12 players were tested, but he was not allowed to give out names. He was contacted Wednesday by the independent company handling the tests. "We never get the results," Port said. "I guess, as best I know, the only news that a club might get is that which might be less than desirable. Otherwise, no news is good news."

Overseas duty for 2 O'sA major-league all-star team will resume Japanese postseason tours for the first time since 1992, playing an eight-game series from Oct. 31-Nov. 10.Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey, Albert Belle, Alex Rodriguez, Mike Piazza, Chuck Knoblauch, Andres Galarraga and Ivan Rodriguez are among the players already selected for the major-league roster."I think it's awesome," Anderson said. "I've been wanting to go for four years."Others also already selected are Robin Ventura, Eric Young, Todd Hundley, Brady Anderson, John Franco, Tom Glavine, Pedro J. Martinez, Denny Neagle (Arundel)

On the field: George Steinbrenner can't say Kenny Rogers didn't contribute anything to the New York cause last night. Denny Neagle had retired the first eight hitters he faced when Rogers came to bat for the first time in his career in the third inning. Rogers lashed a liner that went off the glove of third baseman Chipper Jones for a single.In the dugout: When Neagle fell behind Darryl Strawberry in the count three balls and no strikes in the second inning, the Braves shifted their infield, with shortstop Jeff Blauser moving to the first-base side of second.

What the Orioles did yesterday: Enjoyed their only spring training day off.What the Orioles will do today: Head to West Palm Beach to play the Atlanta Braves for the fifth time. Right-hander Rocky Coppinger will oppose left-hander Denny Neagle (Arundel High), who was roughed up by the Orioles last week in Fort Lauderdale.You know it's spring training when: Fans disapprove of a common strategic maneuver. With Orioles runners on second and third and one out in the eighth inning Tuesday, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Bill Russell brought in left-hander Scott Radinsky to pitch to left-handed hitting Brady Anderson and protect a one-run lead.

Quote: "I still believe we did the right thing at the time."-- Phillies scouting director Mike Arbuckle after losing the rights to last year's No. 2 draft pick, J. D. Drew.It's a fact: The Atlanta starters in this three-game series -- Denny Neagle, Greg Maddux and Dennis Martinez -- have 503 career wins; Montreal's three scheduled starters have won a total of two.Who's hot: Gary Sheffield is 16-for-36 (.444) with two homers, nine RBIs and seven runs in 10 games for the Dodgers.Who's not: For the third consecutive game, no one on the Reds had more than one hit. The Reds have had back-to-back hits only three times in the past three games.

Baseball Astros: Recalled P Tim Redding from Triple-A New Orleans. Purchased contract of C Scott Servais from New Orleans. Transferred P Kent Bottenfield from 15-day to 60-day DL. Placed OF Orlando Merced on 15-day DL with right oblique muscle strain. Optioned P Tony McKnight to New Orleans. Devil Rays: Released OF Gerald Williams. Activated OF Jose Guillen. Giants: Placed 1B J.T. Snow on DL. Indians: Activated OF Dave Roberts from 60-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A Buffalo. Mets: Optioned P Dicky Gonzalez to Triple-A Norfolk.

AMERICAN LEAGUE He said it "It was a huge thrill to meet him because I've been a big fan of his my whole life." Alex Rodriguez, Rangers shortstop after meeting former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman, who threw out the first pitch in Texas' home opener On deck The Indians' five-year, 455-game sellout streak at Jacobs Field could end tonight. NATIONAL LEAGUE On deck Denny Neagle, former Arundel High star, makes his Rockies de but today in Colorado. He said it "My teammates had to help me out. They said, `Curtain call.

DENVER - The Colorado Rockies hope to sign Denny Neagle (Arundel) to a five-year contract, believed to be worth $45 million, sometime in the next two days. Colorado general manager Dan O'Dowd said the Rockies are closer to a deal than the teams reported to have made four-year offers - the Boston Red Sox ($40 million) and the Los Angeles Dodgers ($44 million). O'Dowd and Neagle agent Barry Meister met all day and well into the night Thursday and Friday before Meister returned to Chicago for a special family occasion.

BEFORE THE Los Angeles Dodgers played the Oakland Athletics in the World Series a dozen years ago, I wrote that the Dodgers were doomed to lose because they had more former Orioles, such as Rick Dempsey and John Shelby, in uniform and the Orioles had lost 21 straight games at the start of that season. When the Dodgers won in an upset, Shelby found me in the clubhouse and poured a beer on my head. "That's for doggin' us!" he shouted. The Ex-Oriole Factor has never worked as well as its more famous older brother, the Ex-Cub Factor, which has uncannily picked a number of World Series winners based on the number of former Cubs on each team, with the team employing the more "cursed" Cubs seldom winning.

Quote: "I watched some of the videos of the last time we played and we couldn't get him out. Obviously he's one of the best and I just didn't want to upset him." - Athletics pitcher Gil Heredia of Giants' Barry Bonds, whom he struck out three times It's a fact: The four homers yielded by Jim Brower are the most allowed by an Indians pitcher in one game at Jacobs Field since the park opened in 1994. Who's hot: The Dodgers' Gary Sheffield, who had no homers in eight games before the All-Star break, homered for the fourth time in three games since the three-day hiatus.