Tacoma Stars

VS. WICHITA WINGS* WHEN: Tomorrow, 7:35 p.m.* WHERE: THE Arena.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.VS. TACOMA STARS* WHEN: Sunday, 6:05 p.m.* WHERE: The Arena.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.* OUTLOOK: If the Blast (7-6) was scheduling the perfect opponent to play after a trip to England, Wichita might top the list. The Wings (6-9) have not won in Baltimore in seven straight tries.With the Stars, it's a different matter, however. Not only do they have the best record in the Western Division (8-5), but the Stars beat the Blast the last time out, 5-4, in Tacoma.

The Major Soccer League playoffs begin in San Diego a week from today. The date is set with only one detail yet to be settled. Who will play the Sockers in the opening round?Will it be the Blast, third-place Cleveland Crunch, fourth-place Wichita Wings or Tacoma Stars? All have a chance to finish in the fourth, and final, playoff spot.The race has boosted league attendance in the past nine games to an average of 9,800, but it has been hard on coaches."You're like an elastic band in a season like this," said Blast coach Kenny Cooper.

BASEBALL (AL) * Seattle Mariners -- Activated Ken Griffey Sr. (outfielder) from the 15-day disabled list. Optioned Dave Burba (pitcher) to Calgary of the Pacific Coast League.FOOTBALL (NFL) * Detroit Lions -- Signed Gary Hadd (defensive lineman).* Kansas City Chiefs -- Signed Herman Ford (cornerback).* San Francisco 49ers -- Traded John Levelis (linebacker) to the New York Jets for past considerations.HOCKEY (NHL) * Minnesota North Stars -- Recalled Derian Hatcher (defenseman) from North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League, and Cal McGowan (center)

The Major Soccer League playoffs begin in San Diego a week from today. The date is set with only one detail yet to be settled. Who will play the Sockers in the opening round?Will it be the Blast, Cleveland Crunch, Wichita Wings or Tacoma Stars? All of them have a chance to finish in the fourth, and final, playoff spot.The race has boosted attendance in the past nine games to an average of 9,800, but it has been hard on coaches."You're like an elastic band in a season like this," said Blast coach Kenny Cooper.

Baltimore Blast defender Mike Stankovic has been fined $1,000 and given a one-game suspension by Major Soccer League commissioner Earl Foreman for hitting Tacoma Stars midfielder Steve Kinsey in the face during a Feb. 24 game at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash."

The Major Soccer League playoffs begin in San Diego a week from today. The date is set with only one detail yet to be settled. Who will play the Sockers in the opening round?Will it be the Blast, Cleveland Crunch, Wichita Wings or Tacoma Stars? All of them have a chance to finish in the fourth, and final, playoff spot.The race has boosted attendance in the past nine games to an average of 9,800, but it has been hard on coaches."You're like an elastic band in a season like this," said Blast coach Kenny Cooper.

Arbitrator George Nicolau has asked attorneys for Major Soccer League forward Dale Mitchell and Kansas City Comets owner Chris Clouser to hit the law books.After listening to nine hours of testimony in a grievance suit brought by Mitchell, Nicolau said he would make a ruling within 48 hours of receiving the research information, due in his office by next Tuesday.Mitchell, who was traded by Kansas City to the Blast last month, is asking to be made a free agent. He is charging the Comets "fraudulently induced" him to sign and then traded him.Mitchell claims the Comets made promises "above the actual contract, knowing they could not be put in writing, knowing no other team would have a responsibility to abide by a verbal agreement."

TACOMA, Wash. -- The worst news for the Blast last night was that forward Gary Heale was not going to play for the Tacoma Stars.That meant second-year forward Shawn Medved was going to get full shifts for Tacoma in its Major Soccer League game at the Tacoma Dome.Medved, who had two goals Friday to power the Stars to a 4-2 win over the San Diego Sockers, responded by scoring Tacoma's first three goals as the team battled to a 3-3 tie after three periods.And the Stars added fourth-quarter goals by Neil Megson and Carl Valentine to post a 5-4 victory over the Blast, playing with little-used Steve Powers in goal for the second straight game.

TACOMA, Wash. -- The worst news for the Blast last night was that forward Gary Heale was not going to play for the Tacoma Stars.That meant second-year forward Shawn Medved was going to get full shifts for Tacoma in its Major Soccer League game at the Tacoma Dome.Medved, who had two goals Friday to power the Stars to a 4-2 win over the San Diego Sockers, responded by scoring Tacoma's first three goals as the team battled to a 3-3 tie after three periods.And the Stars added fourth-quarter goals by Neil Megson and Carl Valentine to post a 5-4 victory over the Blast, playing with little-used Steve Powers in goal for the second straight game.

TACOMA, Wash. -- Maybe the Baltimore Blast should mail in the game and stay in Baltimore instead of showing up at the Tacoma Dome.Of the past eight games between the two teams here, the Tacoma Stars have won seven.The latest was last night, when the Stars' Gary Heale, stationed at the right post, scored on a cross from Ralph Black with 27 seconds left for a 5-4 Tacoma victory."Obviously, to lose a game on that type of situation is tough," said Blast coach Kenny Cooper. "But a lot are going to be won or lost that way."

Baseball Boston Red Sox -- Added P Peter Hoy, P Paul Quantrill, OF Jeff McNeely and SS John Valentin to their major-league 40-man roster.Detroit Tigers -- 1B Dave Bergman filed for free agency.Florida Marlins -- Named Dean Jordan VP of communications.Pittsburgh Pirates -- Named Mark Driscoll executive director of broadcasting and advertising sales.St. Louis Cardinals -- Named Jack Krol manager of Class AAA Louisville; Scott Melvin manager of rookie league Johnson City; and Mauricio Nunez manager of rookie league Arizona club.

VS. TACOMA STARS* WHEN: Tonight, 10:30 p.m.* WHERE: Tacoma Dome.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.VS. SAN DIEGO SOCKERS* WHEN: Sunday, 9 p.m.* WHERE: Sports Arena.* RADIO: WCAO-AM 600.* OUTLOOK: The Blast begins an important two-game road trip in Tacoma tonight. Coach Kenny Cooper has told his team the first game sets the tone. But the Stars, like the Blast, are 1-2 in the early going and both are in need of a victory in this one."We've got a chance to come back from this road trip .500 or better," said Cooper.

To say there is some pressure for the Baltimore Blast to win on the road this weekend would be an understatement.Baltimore has won only one game away from the Baltimore Arena (1-14) since Jan. 4. That includes its only road game of this season, an 8-6 loss to the Wichita Wings on Oct. 25.The rocky road leads the Blast (1-2) to Tacoma, Wash., tonight for a game against the Stars and to San Diego on Sunday for a game against the Sockers.Coach Kenny Cooper said the Blast showed signs of coming together in its home game, a 4-3 victory 12 days ago against Tacoma.

Even the eternal optimist, Baltimore Blast coach Kenny Cooper, said the Major Soccer League reached an all-time low on Aug. 7 when it came within five minutes of folding.It took a late decision by former owner Donald Carter to return as majority owner of the Dallas Sidekicks to save the MSL for a 14th season, which will begin tomorrow night when the Blast plays the Sidekicks at 7:35 at the Baltimore Arena.The Blast and Sidekicks will have the stage to themselves on opening night. The rest of the league won't begin play until next week.

BASEBALL (AL) * Seattle Mariners -- Activated Ken Griffey Sr. (outfielder) from the 15-day disabled list. Optioned Dave Burba (pitcher) to Calgary of the Pacific Coast League.FOOTBALL (NFL) * Detroit Lions -- Signed Gary Hadd (defensive lineman).* Kansas City Chiefs -- Signed Herman Ford (cornerback).* San Francisco 49ers -- Traded John Levelis (linebacker) to the New York Jets for past considerations.HOCKEY (NHL) * Minnesota North Stars -- Recalled Derian Hatcher (defenseman) from North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League, and Cal McGowan (center)