Kenny Rogers

Quote: "I seem to concentrate more with the bases loaded." -- Indians' Omar Vizquel after hitting his fourth grand slam It's a fact: The game at Tampa Bay was the first in the majors played on FieldTurf, a new artificial surface that looks and plays more like grass. Who's hot: The Rangers are averaging 8.6 runs after five games. Who's not: The Angels' Kent Mercker is 46-47 since pitching a no-hitter for the Braves six years ago. On deck: Former Yankees teammatesDavid Wells and Kenny Rogers are the starters today when the Blue Jays visit the Rangers.

Who's hot Kenny Rogers of the Twins has not lost in Oakland in his past 34 games. Who's not The Tigers have been shut out a major league-leading nine times this season. Line of the day Geoff Jenkins, Brewers LF AB ..... R ..... H ....... RBI ...... HR 5 ........ 3 ...... 3 ......... 4 ........... 3 He said it "It's nice to feel healthy - every time I say that, I look for a piece of wood to knock on." Kevin Brown, Dodgers pitcher, on playing well and staying off the disabled list On deck Gil Meche of the Mariners goes for his sixth victory to night as he faces the slumping Royals.

The Sun is excerpting a sampling of what fans are saying at the message boards at baltimoresun.com. To read more or post your opinion, go to baltimoresun.com/talk. On Kenny Rogers Keep a very close eye on him, and eject him if the "dirt" shows up again. For not washing his hands? Seriously - at this point that is all that is proven. What do you attribute the rest of his night's pitching performance on? Dirt/tar gone, he still mows them down.

Kenny Rogers Roasters, the Florida chicken chain founded by the country crooner, plans to open 15 locations in Maryland by the end of 1995.The company has 147 outlets now, and plans to have 500 by the end of 1995, company spokesman Barry Epstein said.The chain's chief executive is John Y. Brown, who co-founded Kentucky Fried Chicken with Col. Harlan Sanders and later was governor of Kentucky."It's like the McDonalds of rotisserie chicken," Mr. Epstein said. Mr. Brown owns about 40 percent of the privately held company, with 20 percent of the stock belonging to Mr. Rogers.

At Oriole Park at Camden YardsDay .... Time .... TV ....... StartersTonight ... 7: 05 .. 54, 50 .... Kenny Rogers (2-1, 3.91).................... ........... vs. Scott Kamieniecki (2-0, 3.00)Tomorrow .. 1: 35 .. HTS ....... Jimmy Haynes (1-0, 5.64).................... ........... vs. Jimmy Key (2-1, 4.37)Sunday .... 1: 35 .. HTS ....... Tom Candiotti (1-3, 2.83).................... ........... vs. Doug Drabek (1-3, 7.52)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Athletics updateThe A's are coming off a series victory against the Minnesota Twins, taking the first two games at the Oakland Coliseum before suffering a 4-2 loss in the finale Wednesday night.

Following the leads of Kenny Rogers, Col. Harlan Sanders and Roy Rogers, boxing great Muhammad Ali will put his name on the marquee of a chicken restaurant chain, officials for the new company said yesterday.Muhammad Ali's Rotisserie Chicken, based in Baltimore, intends to open its first store in Silver Spring in August, said spokesman Matt Amodeo.The company wants to open five more locations in the Baltimore-Washington area "and then branch out nationally," Mr. Amodeo said.The president and chief executive of the company is Talib Rashada, a food wholesaler who lives in Ellicott City.

NEW YORK -- New York Yankees manager Joe Torre again has been forced to let Mother Nature make his pitching plans, which appears to put his club at a disadvantage in the rain-delayed 92nd World Series.The storm that washed out Game 1 last night will make both teams play through tomorrow's travel day, leaving Torre no alternative but to use struggling left-hander Kenny Rogers to pitch Game 4 at Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium. The delay appears to work in favor of the Atlanta Braves, since manager Bobby Cox already planned to go with four starting pitchers.

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.