Fall League

Is it just wishful thinking or are spring training games already getting shorter?The Orioles needed just 2 hours and 16 minutes to play a game Wednesday night. They regularly have been finishing exhibition games in well under three hours, even though it would seem that the liberal number of substitutions and pitching changes would have just the opposite effect on time of the games.There can be only one logical explanation. Major-league umpires must have jumped the gun on the new speedup guidelines that reportedly were distributed to club officials and umpires over the last few days.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The competition for jobs in the Orioles outfield appears to be limited to right-field candidates Luis Mercedes, Chito Martinez and Rule V draftee Sherman Obando, but manager Johnny Oates has a caveat.Don't count out Triple-A player Jack Voigt.Voigt, who made a brief visit to the major leagues last year, does not figure to compete for the starting right-field job, but he is the kind of player Oates would like to have around when he needs to spell Brady Anderson in left.Oates doesn't know Voigt that well, but he has been impressed with what he has seen and heard of him during the first few days of camp.

BASEBALL American League * AL -- Announced that Sandy Alomar, Cleveland Indians catcher, has dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension and is eligible to return Sunday.* MILWAUKEE BREWERS -- Announced the resignation of Jimmy Bank, traveling secretary.* NEW YORK YANKEES -- Signed Buck Showalter, manager, to a three-year contract extention.National League * ATLANTA BRAVES -- Placed Mike Bielecki, pitcher, on the day disabled list. Recalled Pete Smith, pitcher, from Richmond of the International League.

It's hot. It's August. Deep summer.It's time for swimming pools and barbecues, picnics and iced tea.And it's time to start thinking about the fall/winter bowling season.Here's what in store for the tenpin -- and duckpin -- bowlersat the Carroll County lanes:* County Lanes, Westminster ShoppingCenter, 857-1977 or 876-8430.Tom Biebl is the manager, and Ken Frock Jr. is the assistant manager, mechanic and lane maintenance man."The new system of bowling is in place," Frock said."There's at least three units of oil on the lanes down 23 1/2 feet from the foul line."

The chilly mornings and the first yellowing of the leaves signal the coming of fall sports. However, we still are plugged heavily into softball.Believe it or not, one summer league still is trying to close its books.The Killer Bees and Random House, divisional winners in the Carroll County Women's League seemingly eons ago, square off tonight in the first game of a best-of-three championship series at Springfield State Hospital in Eldersburg.Having postponed this meeting at least five times because rain and difficulties in getting the players out, league president Jim Hoffman said this is it."