Louis Blues

Baseball Toronto Blue Jays -- Agreed to terms with P Paul Menhart, P Lee Daniels and P Aaron Small and 3B Howard Battle on one-year contracts.Pittsburgh Pirates -- Agreed to terms with OF Darren Reed on a minor-league contract.San Diego Padres -- Announced that they have entered into a three-year working agreement with the Veracruz Aguilas of the Mexican Professional Baseball League. Invited P Rodrigo Lopezto their minor-league minicamp.BasketballGolden State Warriors -- Announced they will activate F Byron Houston from the injured list prior to today's game against Detroit.

BASEBALL &American League * CLEVELAND INDIANS -- Purchased the contract of Craig Worthington, third baseman, from Colorado Springs of the Pacific Coast League. Optioned Jesse Levis, catcher, to Colorado Springs of the Pacific Coast League.DETROIT TIGERS -- Sent Dan Gakeler, pitcher, to London of the Eastern League on a rehabilitation assignment.BASKETBALLUnited States Basketball League ATLANTA EAGLES -- Signed James Martin, guard, and Chris Collier, forward.JACKSONVILLE HOOTERS -- Acquired Wes Matthews, guard, from the Atlanta Eagles for Scott Bailey, forward, and a player to be named later.

Dale Patton, the founding president of the Baltimore Blues Society, died Wednesday of cancer at the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care in Towson. He was 51 and lived in Monkton. In his 20 years of bringing blues music to Baltimore, he led a group that now has more than 1,000 members who gather five times a year at the Rosedale American Legion Hall to hear nationally known musicians. "He had the ability to run a major corporation, but he didn't do that. He ran the Blues Society instead, " said Donna Andrews, a friend who lives in Northeast Baltimore.

DETROIT -- Brett Hull scored two goals, making him just the third player in National Hockey League history to score 50 goals in fewer than 50 games, and added two assists, leading the St. Louis Blues to a 9-4 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings last night.Hull, who got the goals in his 49th game, joined Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players to accomplish the feat. Two other players, Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy, scored 50 goals in exactly 50 games.Hull scored both goals during a five-minute power play.

BaseballOrioles -- Obtained OF-3B Bobby Bonilla and a player to be named from the New York Mets for OF Damon Buford and OF Alex Ochoa. Optioned P Joe Borowski to Triple-A Rochester.California Angels -- Optioned P Russ Springer to Triple-A Vancouver. Designated P Tim Fortugno for assignment.Chicago Cubs -- Placed 2B Rey Sanchez on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 24. Purchased the contract of IF Todd Haney from Triple-A Iowa.Chicago White Sox -- Recalled P Mike Bertotti and P Atlee Hammaker from Triple-A Nashville.

BaseballDetroit Tigers -- Made a qualifying offer to C Mickey Tettleton equal to 100 percent of his 1994 salary. Announced that they will not offer a contract to P Joe Boever. Named Skeeter Barnes player-coach and Rick Adair pitching coach at Triple-A Toledo.Montreal Expos -- Named Kevin Malone VP and GM. Signed P Denis Boucher to a minor-league contract.Rochester Red Wings (Triple-A) -- Named Glenn Geffner radio announcer.Palm Spring Suns (WBL) -- Unaffiliated team signed IF Marc Di Carlo and IF Frank Valdez.

BaseballCalifornia Angels -- Activated OF Tim Salmon from the 15-day DL. Optioned OF Garret Anderson to Triple-A Vancouver.Florida Marlins -- Activated P Chris Hammond from the DL. Optioned OF Darrell Whitmore to Triple-A Edmonton.Milwaukee Brewers -- Placed P Mike Ignasiak on the 15-day DL. Recalled P Doug Henry from Triple-A New Orleans.Minnesota Twins -- Promoted P Oscar Munoz from Triple-A Nashville. Promoted P Brett Roberts from Single-A Fort Myers to Nashville.New York Yankees -- Claimed P Rob Murphy on waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

BaseballAmerican League -- Suspended Toronto Blue Jays 2B Roberto Alomar for two games for overly aggressive behavior and throwing equipment during and after a game against Texas on May 17; the suspension is delayed pending an appeal by Alomar.Atlanta Braves -- Released 1B-C Francisco Cabrera from his contract with Triple-A Richmond.Kansas City Royals -- Signed P Kevin Appier to a one-year contract and avoided salary arbitration.Los Angeles Dodgers -- Traded OF Henry Rodriguez and IF Jeff '' Treadway to the Montreal Expos for OF Roberto Kelly and P Joey Eischen; designated the contract of C Noe Munoz for assignment; optioned P Felix Rodriguez to Triple-A Albuquerque; purchased the contract of IF-OF Rick Parker from Albuquerque.

Let's see if we have this straight: Albert Belle delivers a profane and menacing tirade at NBC's Hannah Storm before Game 3 of last season's World Series, declines counseling and now gets to negotiate with baseball officials over the terms of a fine or suspension.Yep, baseball is back.Acting poobah Bud Selig's handling of this matter is Exhibit No. 1 for the prosecution in the case of why baseball desperately needs a commissioner with some semblance of a spine.Ignoring the sizable conflict-of-interest issue over whether the owner of one club can sit in judgment of a player from another club in the same division, Selig's deafening silence in the four months since Belle harangued Storm sends the signal that baseball players not only don't have to cooperate with the media, but also can intimidate them without fear of retribution.