Panzetta

BaseballChicago Cubs -- Named Donald C. Grenesko VP and chief financial officer of the Tribune Co. Fired manager Jim Essian, bullpen coach Phil Roof and bench coach Joe Altobelli (former Baltimore Orioles manager).Cincinnati Reds -- Assigned P Keith Brown and former Orioles OF Stan Jefferson to Class AAA Nashville.Oakland Athletics -- Announced P Todd Burns is a free agent after refusing assignment to Class AAA Tacoma. Released IF Vance Law. Sent C Troy Afenir and former Orioles OF Brad Komminsk to Tacoma.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- After a 10-4 victory over the Baltimore Blast before 5,694 last night, the Kansas City Comets moved two games ahead of the Blast in the Major Soccer League's Eastern Division.The margin, however, could shrink back to one because the teams meet again tonight in Baltimore. Blast coach Kenny Cooper is grateful, saying: "I'm kind of pleased we're playing them again right away. We haven't been playing great, but we're still in it."The Comets took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, then finished well after the Blast closed to 4-2 in the third period.

Billy Ronson won another game in overtime for the Baltimore Blast on Friday night, and should be taking bows around the Major Soccer League for his early-season scoring binge.But Ronson (seven goals, 17 assists) said yesterday that a lot of people around the league still are waiting for him to fall off."There are so many people doubting me," said Ronson, who used his knee to knock in the winning goal 3 minutes, 46 seconds into sudden-death overtime against the St. Louis Storm on Friday night at the St. Louis Arena.

ST. LOUIS -- Before last night's game between the St. Louis Storm and the Baltimore Blast, members of the old St. Louis Steamers met in an alumni game.The Storm might want to call on some of the old guard the next time they meet the Blast. St. Louis couldn't do any worse.Despite never trailing in regulation, St. Louis dropped its ninth straight to the Blast last night when Billy Ronson scored 3 minutes, 46 seconds into overtime on the rebound of a shot by Angelo Panzetta, giving Baltimore a 6-5 win that moved Baltimore over .500 on the season at 6-5. St. Louis fell to 4-7.Ronson said, "We work a lot in practice on our breaks.

There was silence around the Baltimore Blast players yesterday as they prepared to leave for tonight's game against the Wichita Wings at the Kansas Coliseum.With seven games left, they are unexpectedly fighting for their playoff lives.Three of four teams in the Major Soccer League Eastern Division make the playoffs, and Baltimore entered the season favored to win a third straight division championship.Even if the team faded a little below expectations, it certainly would finish in the top three easily.

Coach John Tucker worked miracles with his Gilman soccer squad, turning it from an 0-14-1 conference doormat last year into a contender in this year's Maryland Scholastic Association.But his visiting Greyhounds (10-6-2) couldn't do the trick in yesterday's 3-0 tournament quarterfinal loss to 13th-ranked Mount St. Joseph (14-3-1), succumbing to the Gaels' dynamic junior scoring duo of Steve Matcuk (26 goals, 14 assists) and Kenny Angyelof (13, four) on a slick and muddy field.For the Gaels, the second seed from Division II, the victory means a rematch with 15-time tournament champion Calvert Hall (16-0-1, 14 shutouts)

ST. LOUIS -- Before last night's game between the St. Louis Storm and the Baltimore Blast, members of the old St. Louis Steamers met in an alumni game.The Storm might want to call on some of the old guard the next time they meet the Blast. St. Louis couldn't do any worse.Despite never trailing in regulation, St. Louis dropped its ninth straight to the Blast last night when Billy Ronson scored 3 minutes, 46 seconds into overtime on the rebound of a shot by Angelo Panzetta, giving Baltimore a 6-5 win that moved Baltimore over .500 on the season at 6-5. St. Louis fell to 4-7.Ronson said: "We work a lot in practice on our breaks.

The Spirit is to play its first National Professional SoccerLeague game here this afternoon.The 5 p.m. preseason game against the Harrisburg Heat at the Arena is free to the public."

John Tucker has a lot going on.The 31-year-old Gilman European history teacher recently ended half a year of retirement by signing on as a player/coach with the Major Indoor Lacrosse League's Baltimore Thunder.L He also has witnessed the birth of his 5-week-old son, Ryan.And for reversing the fortunes of the Greyhounds' soccer team, the Gilman coach has earned The Baltimore Sun's 1992 Baltimore County/City boys soccer Coach of the Year honor. But just like everything else that's happening in his life, Tucker says, "I'm just grateful to have the chance."

Cleveland Crunch owner George Hoffman seems harmless enough.He loves the recognition that comes with owning a sports franchise, and lives to gloat over a Crunch victory.It's just that Hoffman sometimes lacks tact with opposing players and owners.Such as the night last season when he walked into the Baltimore Blast locker room at Richfield Coliseum and said loudly to a friend: "I wish we could play Baltimore all the time because we usually win."The Crunch just had beaten the Blast for the fourth straight time, and Hoffman's words were the last thing the Baltimore players wanted to hear.