Reds

National League president Bill White will ask the Cincinnati Reds next week about the former team doctor's allegations that the Reds did not provide quality medical care for players, a league spokeswoman said yesterday.Katy Feeney said league officials have seen only newspaper stories about Dr. Michael Lawhon's parting shot at the Reds when he quit Monday as the team's physician."The league will, I'm sure, look into it and see where it all comes from," Feeney said. "Obviously, players' health is a concern."

Brandon Eierman made a leap of faith and it has paid off handsomely for the 16-year-old Columbia Reds baseball player.Confronted last spring with the choice of whether to play another season at the 15-16 level, or whether to challenge himself in 17-18 ball, Eierman chose to move up.Now his summer team has two shots at playing in national tournaments, and his hitting is one of the key reasons.Eierman, hitting third in the order, has batted .343 (35-for-102) with three doubles, four triples and four homers.

CINCINNATI -- Much ado has been made of the "Nasty Boys" in the Cincinnati Reds bullpen, but Rob Dibble, a key member of that group, doesn't buy the image."

PHILADELPHIA -- If the Philadelphia Phillies intend for Sid Fernandez to add some bulk to their thin pitching staff, it appears they'll have to battle the Cincinnati Reds for him.The agent for Fernandez, released Sunday by the Orioles, said yesterday that while several clubs had inquired about his client, the Reds and Phillies clearly were the front-runners."

Catcher Joe Oliver and pitcher Jack Armstrong walked out of the Cincinnati Reds spring training camp in Plant City, Fla., yesterday to protest their renewed contracts."

First baseman Hal Morris broke a bone behind the knuckle of his right index finger when he was hit by a pitch and will be lost to the Cincinnati Reds for four to six weeks.Morris finished second to Terry Pendleton for the National League batting title last year.Reds All-Star shortstop Barry Larkin twisted his right knee and bruised his left arm while chasing a pop fly. It isn't known whether he will miss any games.* YANKEES: Partners are scheduled to meet today amid reports that George Steinbrenner and Leonard Kleinman have reached a settlement of their dispute over Kleinman's lawsuit against commissioner Fay Vincent and over the $1 million Kleinman contends the club owes him.* BRAVES: Outfielder Deion Sanders, batting .447 and with a league-high 17 hits, including one home run and five triples, said that, despite another year on his contract with the NFL's Falcons, he wants to remain with the baseball team until the end of season.

PITTSBURGH -- The Cincinnati Reds' Danny Jackson went about his pre-game preparations as usual yesterday realizing he might not have had to pitch."In my mind," he said before the Pittsburgh Pirates' 3-2 victor over his team last night, "I believe I am pitching Friday one way or the other."Jackson, the Reds' scheduled starter in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series, said: "I threw on the side as though I am pitching. And if that changes after the game, I'll change my mental approach."

Cincinnati Reds manager Lou Piniella lost patience yesterday with his players, suggesting in an profanity-filled tirade that they stop worrying about themselves and start thinking more about the team.Piniella erupted during a group interview with reporters after an 8-4 victory over the Montreal Expos that left Cincinnati six games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.Piniella was in a lighthearted mood immediately after the game, but a question about reliever Randy Myers turned him sour.

First baseman Hal Morris broke his right hand when he was hit by a pitch yesterday and will be lost to the Cincinnati Reds for four to six weeks.Cincinnati was hurt further when shortstop Barry Larkin twisted his right knee and bruised his left arm in a collision with outfielder Glenn Braggs. It could not immediately determined whether Larkin would miss any games.Morris, who finished second to Terry Pendleton for the National League batting title last year, was hit by Charlie Leibrandt in the first inning of the Reds' 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

DETROIT -- Orioles general manager Roland Hemond called Brad Pennington on Thursday and told him to pack his bags, a trade was in the works and could be completed within 24 hours.Pennington begged Hemond to tell him where he was headed, but Hemond wouldn't say. "Just wait," Hemond said. "You'll be happy."The GM wasn't kidding. Pennington was ecstatic yesterday when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Single-A minor-leaguers Danny Clyburn, an outfielder, and Tony Nieto, a pitcher. The Reds were the team that Pennington followed growing up in Salem, Ind.The week before, when the Reds were among the first teams to ask about Pennington, he had said he wanted to go to Cincinnati: "If that happens, that would be sweet."