Grapefruit

TWO HITS FOR WIETERS In the Orioles' 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Fort Lauderdale Stadium in the first game of the split-squad series, top prospect Matt Wieters went 2-for-3 with a run scored, raising his Grapefruit League average to .440. But it wasn't the typical two-hit day for the switch-hitting catcher as both of his hits were of the infield variety. Wieters hit a high chopper over the head of Cardinals starter Kyle McClellan and then legged out the hit in the second inning.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -Nonroster pitcher Brad Hennessey is not reading too much into his starting assignment in the first exhibition game of the Grapefruit League season, but that doesn't mean there isn't much to read into. "It's spring training," he said. "I guess you just try go to with it. Not a big deal." That's probably the best way to approach your spring debut, but it actually might be a big deal. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz didn't downplay the significance of the former San Francisco Giants right-hander making the first exhibition start against another major league club, though he conceded that Jeremy Guthrie would have made the start if he hadn't been preparing to join Team USA this week.

9 p.m. [MLB Network] It's just spring training, but it's a four-hour show. As the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues wind down, there is lots to keep track of. Such as, is it too soon to say Joe Girardi's job is in danger? Does Manny Ramirez want a new contract yet? And whom does Alyssa Milano (left) have on her fantasy team?

As I was planning a lunch for friends, I decided on a soup and salad menu. A combination of ruby red grapefruit segments, sliced avocado and cooked shrimp tossed in a small amount of curried apricot mayonnaise then mounded in grapefruit halves made a perfect counterpoint to the season's steamy weather. With it, I served iced tea, a chilled cucumber soup and fresh berries with shortbread cookies for dessert. Betty Rosbottom writes for Tribune Media Services. GRAPEFRUIT, SHRIMP AND AVOCADO SALAD IN GRAPEFRUIT SHELLS Serves 4 SAUCE: 1/3 cup regular or reduced fat mayonnaise (but not nonfat mayonnaise)

Recently I attended the annual meeting of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, a group of cooking teachers, food writers, chefs and others involved in the world of food. This year the meeting was held in Phoenix, and I, like others, couldn't wait to try some of the town's well-known restaurants. Although I dined in several of the myriad Southwestern establishments there, it was a small Italian spot that I liked most.At Pizzeria Bianco, in downtown Phoenix, I watched the chef work in front of a wood-fired oven and pull out paper-thin pizzas with all manner of inventive toppings.

Q. More than 20 years ago, I was diagnosed with agoraphobia and generalized anxiety disorder. After nine years of therapy, six psychologists and several ineffective prescriptions, I was given Ativan. This drug was a miracle for me. I experienced absolutely no side effects, and taking it made a difference like day and night.I was told from the beginning that Ativan is addictive, so I have been careful not to take more than the recommended dose. I've never taken it for more than seven days in a row, and it has allowed me to live an almost normal life.

Q. Does grapefruit interfere with Pravachol the way it does with other statin-type cholesterol-lowering drugs?A. No. Pravachol is not metabolized by the same enzyme that is important for Lipitor, Mevacor or Zocor. Consequently, grapefruit does not raise blood levels of Pravachol as it does for other statins.Write to the Graedons in care of The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278, or e-mail to pharmacy@mindspring.com.Pub Date: 07/25/99

Q. My dermatologist prescribed Propecia to treat hair thinning, but I was surprised to read in the accompanying literature that it is for men only. I take Premarin and wonder if there will be a drug interaction.A. Propecia (finasteride) has been shown to reverse male pattern baldness in men. To date, we haven't seen any studies of its effectiveness in women, though it might possibly work.Women of childbearing age must avoid Propecia, as this drug could affect the sexual development of a fetus.

A malfunction in a clothes dryer caused a fire in a Westminster apartment house yesterday afternoon, displacing nine people, authorities said.Firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the first-floor laundry room when they arrived at 62 Liberty St. about 1 p.m.Firefighters from Westminster, Reese, Pleasant Valley and Manchester brought the blaze under control within 15 minutes.Three adults and six children displaced by the fire were being assisted by Red Cross volunteers.State fire marshal deputies determined that a malfunction in the dryer ignited nearby combustibles.

Make a grapefruit juicier by pricking the skin in several places with a fork, then microwaving on high, uncovered, for about 20 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes before cutting.- Food Lover's TiptionaryPub Date: 10/18/98

9 p.m. [MLB Network] It's just spring training, but it's a four-hour show. As the Grapefruit and Cactus leagues wind down, there is lots to keep track of. Such as, is it too soon to say Joe Girardi's job is in danger? Does Manny Ramirez want a new contract yet? And whom does Alyssa Milano (left) have on her fantasy team?

JONES ON FIRE Adam Jones again hit a long home run, clearing the sign to the immediate right of the large blue hitting background behind center at Tradition Field in the third inning. The homer was Jones' third of the Grapefruit League season, and it raised his spring average to .389. JOHNSON RETURNS Right-hander Jim Johnson made his first Grapefruit League appearance after a bout with shoulder tendinitis, pitching the eighth inning and giving up the winning run on a triple by former Oriole Fernando Tatis and an ensuing throwing error by shortstop Chris Gomez.

SHUT DOWN The Orioles managed just three hits and five base runners in six scoreless innings Tuesday against Washington Nationals starter Shairon Martis. The right-hander, who pitched a no-hitter for the Netherlands in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, allowed two opposite-field singles to Nick Markakis and an infield single to Adam Jones. He also walked Ty Wigginton and hit Ryan Freel. Martis loaded the bases with one out in the fourth but got Orioles designated hitter Matt Wieters to fly out. RAY SHARP AGAIN Reliever Chris Ray continued his strong spring training, pitching a scoreless ninth.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -With Jeremy Guthrie not expected to pitch this weekend for the United States in the final rounds of the World Baseball Classic, the Orioles have asked their No. 1 pitcher to rejoin the club and start preparing for his expected Opening Day start. "I thought it was time for him to come back and get on his regular turn here," said pitching coach Rick Kranitz, who watched Guthrie allow six runs (two earned) on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings in Team USA's loss to Venezuela at Dolphin Stadium on Wednesday.

TWO HITS FOR WIETERS In the Orioles' 6-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Fort Lauderdale Stadium in the first game of the split-squad series, top prospect Matt Wieters went 2-for-3 with a run scored, raising his Grapefruit League average to .440. But it wasn't the typical two-hit day for the switch-hitting catcher as both of his hits were of the infield variety. Wieters hit a high chopper over the head of Cardinals starter Kyle McClellan and then legged out the hit in the second inning.

FREEL ALL OVER Ryan Freel started at second base, and by the end of the game he probably wished he had missed the bus. He had a solid game at the plate, bouncing a double over the center-field fence to lead off the first inning and driving in a run with a single in the fourth, but he was hit by pitches in his other two plate appearances and is taking some lumps as he moves around the infield on defense. Freel has not gotten off to a great start at the plate, but the 2-for-2 performance raised his Grapefruit League batting average from .182 to .250.

PAULEY FIRMS UP Starting rotation candidate David Pauley made his third appearance and second start of the Grapefruit League season and pitched three solid innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out three. Though no one is putting a lot of weight on these early games, it was a good time for him to be effective because he had given up eight hits and five runs over 3 1/3 innings in his first two appearances. NO SLOWING WIETERS Top prospect Matt Wieters replaced Luke Scott in the designated-hitter slot in the fourth inning and immediately delivered a run-scoring, opposite-field double to left.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -Nonroster pitcher Brad Hennessey is not reading too much into his starting assignment in the first exhibition game of the Grapefruit League season, but that doesn't mean there isn't much to read into. "It's spring training," he said. "I guess you just try go to with it. Not a big deal." That's probably the best way to approach your spring debut, but it actually might be a big deal. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz didn't downplay the significance of the former San Francisco Giants right-hander making the first exhibition start against another major league club, though he conceded that Jeremy Guthrie would have made the start if he hadn't been preparing to join Team USA this week.

2008 Hagafen Sauvignon Blanc From: Napa Valley, Calif. Price: $18 Serve with: Shabbat dinner; white-fleshed fish This, lively, dry kosher wine hasn't given up a molecule of its fruit in the flash-pasteurization process. It's an intensely flavored, mouth-filling wine with hints of pineapple, grapefruit, lime and herbs. Kudos to Hagafen, which continues to produce wines with interfaith appeal, for getting this wine into the market while it's at the peak of its freshness.

State fund, Annapolis join in tree plantings As part of a reforestation and beautification program, the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund joined with Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer and the Annapolis city council to plant more than two dozen trees around Annapolis Walk Community Center, near MAIF's Forest Drive headquarters. MAIF Deputy Executive Director John Banghart said of Friday's planting: "MAIF has been and remains committed to working toward a greener, more environmentally friendly business model."