Jason Varitek

Who's hot Bernie Williams of the Yankees has homered in five of his past six games. Who's not Ray Durham of the White Sox is in an 0-for-14 slump. Line of the day Jason Varitek, Red Sox C AB R H RBI HR 3 3 3 2 1

New Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has begun the reconstruction of his front office, announcing the hiring of a new amateur scouting director Monday while re-assigning pro scouting director Lee MacPhail IV, one of the top lieutenants in the club's previous regime. Long-time scout Gary Rajsich, who was most recently the Toronto Blue Jays professional crosschecker and spent years with Duquette in Boston, was officially named to replace Joe Jordan, who left the Orioles' amateur scouting post in October to join the Philadelphia Phillies.

HittingManny Ramirez, Indians: 3 HRs, 5 RBIs.Tony Fernandez, Blue Jays: 4-for-4, double, 3 RBIs.Ken Griffey, Mariners: 4-for-6, HR (No. 52), 5 RBIs.Jason Varitek, Red Sox: 2 HRs, 5 RBIs.PitchingSeth Greisinger, Tigers: 8 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts.Rolando Arrojo, Devil Rays: 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 unearned run, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts.Pub Date: 9/16/98

The Orioles appear to be closing in on their next general manager after an excruciating, weeks-long saga that included one official rejection and several candidates' backing out of the process. Club decision-makers planned to meet Saturday night for the second time in two days with Dan Duquette, the former Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos general manager. It's expected that he will be offered the club's top executive spot, especially after he was called back after leaving Baltimore on Friday evening.

Take the All-Star voting out of the fans' hands? I have a better idea. Don't let the players anywhere near it. Since I've been old enough to punch a ballot instead of my older sister, I've been hearing how baseball's midsummer classic has become a popularity contest, it's an outrage and something must be done about it or the integrity of a meaningless exhibition game - except for the gimmick about the winner getting home-field advantage in the World...

AMERICAN LEAGUE Who's hot Jim Thome of the Indians has an extra-base hit in eight straight games, with seven homers in that span. Who's not The Tigers have lost nine of their past 10 games. Line of the day Jorge Posada, Yankees catcher AB R H RBI HR 4 2 3 5 2 NATIONAL LEAGUE Who's hot Pat Burrell of the Phillies has a 14-game hitting streak. Who's not The Dodgers have won only three of their past 14 games away from home. Line of the day Vladimir Guerrero, Expos right fielder AB R H RBI HR 5 3 4 6 1 AMERICAN LEAGUE He said it He said it "I always felt I would live and die with my knuckleball.

American League First base 1. Jason Giambi, Yankees, 943,094. 2. Carlos Delgado, Blue Jays, 430,222. 3. Frank Thomas, White Sox, 417,803. 4. Kevin Millar, Red Sox, 377,119. 5. Rafael Palmeiro, Orioles, 355,245. Second base 1. Alfonso Soriano, Rangers, 1,756,146. 2. Pokey Reese, Red Sox, 587,349. 3. Bret Boone, Mariners, 541,120. 4. Ronnie Belliard, Indians, 226,049. 5. Enrique Wilson, Yankees, 221,041. Third base 1. Alex Rodriguez, Yankees, 1,460,978. 2. Hank Blalock, Rangers, 542,267.

One potential trading partner for the Cubs if they decide to shop Carlos Zambrano are the Red Sox, possibly for Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is owed only $10 million for each of the next two seasons. … There's a lot of debate in Boston about whether catcher Jason Varitek (above) should return. Manager Terry Francona said you have to take emotion out of the equation, which sounds like the end of an era. … Shaun Marcum and other Blue Jays pitchers claimed the atmosphere was "more relaxed" in the Jays' clubhouse without Roy Halladay this year.

Fifth starter candidate Chris Tillman gave up three runs in the first inning of his second exhibition start but said afterward that the results were not indicative of the quality of his performance in the Orioles' 6-5 split-squad loss to the Boston Red Sox at City of Palms Park. "I felt great in that first inning," Tillman said. "We made some minor adjustments in my last side session, and what better time to try them? ? I went out there with a game plan. I went out there to work on some things.

BOSTON - With the Orioles about to play the Boston Red Sox last night for the first time since their July 28 brawl, Major League Baseball reduced most of the suspensions handed down in the aftermath of that fight. Orioles reliever Willis Roberts' suspension was reduced from seven games to five games, and leadoff batter Melvin Mora's was reduced from four games to three. Both began serving their suspensions last night. "I didn't think they'd be completely wiped out," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said.

Orioles reliever Jim Johnson , never one to seek the spotlight, acknowledged that he's happy with the way he has been pitching, but not before reminding a reporter that the season is not yet a month old. Johnson's re-emergence as a top setup man has been one of the encouraging early developments for the Orioles, who at this time last season were preparing to send the right-hander to the minor leagues. With his ERA at 6.52 through 10 appearances last April, Johnson was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on May 1. He had one outing for the Tides before he was shut down with right elbow inflammation.

Fifth starter candidate Chris Tillman gave up three runs in the first inning of his second exhibition start but said afterward that the results were not indicative of the quality of his performance in the Orioles' 6-5 split-squad loss to the Boston Red Sox at City of Palms Park. "I felt great in that first inning," Tillman said. "We made some minor adjustments in my last side session, and what better time to try them? ? I went out there with a game plan. I went out there to work on some things.

One potential trading partner for the Cubs if they decide to shop Carlos Zambrano are the Red Sox, possibly for Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is owed only $10 million for each of the next two seasons. … There's a lot of debate in Boston about whether catcher Jason Varitek (above) should return. Manager Terry Francona said you have to take emotion out of the equation, which sounds like the end of an era. … Shaun Marcum and other Blue Jays pitchers claimed the atmosphere was "more relaxed" in the Jays' clubhouse without Roy Halladay this year.

Take the All-Star voting out of the fans' hands? I have a better idea. Don't let the players anywhere near it. Since I've been old enough to punch a ballot instead of my older sister, I've been hearing how baseball's midsummer classic has become a popularity contest, it's an outrage and something must be done about it or the integrity of a meaningless exhibition game - except for the gimmick about the winner getting home-field advantage in the World...

As soon as the last pitch that Orioles rookie Jeremy Guthrie will likely throw from a major league mound this season settled into the mitt of catcher Ramon Hernandez, Guthrie headed straight to the dugout. His head was down and his thoughts were so obscured by the pain that he felt in his left side that he forgot about the small group of Orioles who had gathered on the mound behind him. Guthrie needed just one warm-up pitch to conclude that he couldn't go on, and his largely successful season, one in which he went from waiver-wire pickup to one of the most dominating starters in the American League in the season's first half, was probably over.

BOSTON - B.J. Surhoff is admittedly not a patient person, so this season has been a test for the 19-year major leaguer. Surhoff, 40, comes to the ballpark every day not knowing if he'll be in the lineup or, if he is, where he'll be playing. Essentially a regular starter by the end of last year, Surhoff has started only seven of the Orioles' first 21 games this year - one at first base and six in left field. "Has it been tough? That's what I have," Surhoff said. "It's either I do that or go home.

New Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has begun the reconstruction of his front office, announcing the hiring of a new amateur scouting director Monday while re-assigning pro scouting director Lee MacPhail IV, one of the top lieutenants in the club's previous regime. Long-time scout Gary Rajsich, who was most recently the Toronto Blue Jays professional crosschecker and spent years with Duquette in Boston, was officially named to replace Joe Jordan, who left the Orioles' amateur scouting post in October to join the Philadelphia Phillies.

Remember the 1996 Orioles? Remember those September nights at Camden Yards when you couldn't get a seat? Remember Brady, Cal, Raffy, Robbie and the boys, and how there wasn't a weak link in the lineup? Damian Moss is new to Baltimore this season, but he's getting a pretty good feel for that bygone era just by facing the Boston Red Sox down the stretch. The Red Sox are making their own mark on baseball history this year, and they continued to etch their place in the record books last night, pounding Moss and the Orioles, 9-2, before 25,265 at half-empty Camden Yards.

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Jason Varitek is making a point. The Boston Red Sox catcher and team captain wants reporters to know that, despite the defending World Series champions' reputation as a group of mad-partying, fun-loving idiots, renegades and rock stars, the essence of this team is dedication and work ethic. Standing in the middle of the spring training clubhouse, Varitek implores the media to look beyond the appearances and quirks of a few characters and instead concentrate on the bond of hard-nosed baseball that unites an eclectic clubhouse.

AMID THE SPORTING clatter and din this holiday weekend, including another Packers comeback over the hapless Vikings, a referendum on the state of Michael Strahan's armpits and way too much airtime - TV and lung - for Shaq and Kobe, one apparent footnote out of Boston commanded significant attention: Jason Varitek was not only signed to a four-year contract, but he was also named captain of the Red Sox. The red "C" stitched on his jersey says a thousand...