Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 49

Thund.iv, lune 19HH The 71 BASEBALL! Bell Leonard traded to Milwaukee NOTES ponders retiring Reds' third baseman says88 may be last The Associated Press SAN DIEGO Cincinnati Reds third baseman Buddy Bell says his lack of playing time isn't the main reason why he's contemplating retirement at the end of the season. Bell, who turns 37 in August, has lost his job to rookie Chris Sabo, leaving him out of the starting lineup for the last seven games. He said Tuesday he might retire at the end of the season. "I've thought about it quite a bit and the situation here now has nothing to do with it," Bell said. "My family's the most important factor.

And, quite honestly, my knees aren't in the best of shape either." Bell, who grew up in Cincinnati, said he decided before the season that this might be his last one. He's coming off arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, and has sprained his left knee three times since spring training, resulting in two stays on the disabled list. Bell said he'd hoped to finish his career in Cincinnati, but the emergence of Sabo might preclude that. Bell is in the final year of a contract that pays him an estimated $840,000. He's hitting .196 with just 51 at-bats.

Sabo is batting .287 in 45 games. "There's not a spot for me," Bell said. "(But) I have not asked for my release nor have I asked to be traded or anything like that." Bell indicated that if the Reds don't want him beyond this season, he might consider an offer to play for another team. Bell agreed to try to play first base while Nick Esasky was on the disabled list. Since Esasky's return, he's wound up on the bench.

"I'm unhappy that I'm not playing, From Wire Reports The San Francisco Giants traded veteran outfielder Jeffrey Leonard to the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday in exchange for inf ielder Ernest Riles. Riles, 27, was in Seattle with the Brewers and planned to join the Giants today. Leonard, 32, will join the Brewers in time for their Friday night game. Leonard, a member of the Giants since 1981, was the Most Valuable Player of the National League Championship Series last fall. He was hitting .256 in 44 games this season with two homers and 20 RBIs.

Riles, a left-handed hitter who plays third base and second base, was batting .252 in 41 games with one homer and nine RBI. He was in his third major-league season with Milwaukee. "With the infield problems we've had, we need a player with Ernest Riles' versatility, and you can't continue to keep a hitter with Mike Aldrete's ability out of the lineup regularly," said Giants general manager Al Rosen. The Cincinnati Reds traded struggling left-handed starter Dennis Ras-mussen to San Diego just hours before he was supposed to start Wednesday against the Padres in San Diego. The Reds acquired right-handed reliever Candy Sierra, who will go into the Cincinnati bullpen.

Reliever Jose Rijo was moved to the rotation and was scheduled to start Wednesday against the Padres. Rasmussen, 29, was 2-6 in 11 starts with a 5.75 earned run average. The Reds acquired him last August 26 from the New York Yankees for right-hander BillGullickson. A 16-year-old South Alabama pitcher, Johnny Ruffin, who is apparently the youngest player drafted this year, is to report to the Chicago White Sox rookie training ently the pros' youngest draft choice this year. The Choctaw County High School pitcher from Butler, was drafted in the fourth round by the White Sox in last week's amateur draft, the 97th player taken overall.

He signed with the White Sox late last week. Pat Lindsey, Ruffin's former Babe Ruth League coach, said scouts originally came to Butler in April to watch Tho-masville's Reid Cornelius, a Mississippi State signee, pitch against Choctaw-County. "But after they got here," he said, "they saw Johnny pitching and all heard was 'Who's that Ruffin started to school at the age of five and graduated on time with his class this year. The 6-foot-2V2 right-hander I will be 17 in July. Tom Kelly, who led the Minnesota Twins to the world championship last season in his first full year as a major league manager, Wednesday had his contract extended through 1989.

Cincinnati outfielder Eric Davis is upset over published speculation that he might be off to a slow start because of drugs. Davis denied using drugs, and said it's unfair that anonymous specula-. tion should tarnish his image. Davis is hitting .239 with eight homers, well below his pace of last sea-. son when he hit .293 with 37 homers.

Da-; vis has suffered several injuries this sea-son and said opponents are pitching him differently. The Cincinnati Enquirer published story this week quoting an anonymous; National League executive as saying that "baseball people were speculating that the Reds centerf ielder was involved with drugs." The newspaper pointed out: that Davis is a friend of outfielder Eddie Milner, who was suspended after suffering a drug relapse in spring training. "That's something that can affect me the rest of my life," Davis told The Cin-: cinnati Post for a story published Wednesday. "It's nothing to play with. If I checked into drug rehabilitation, then they can say I'm on drugs." Bob Quinn was named vice presi- dent and general manager of the New York Yankees Wednesday and said group of six people would make the club's baseball decisions.

Quinn, 51, who had been vice presi-': dent of baseball administration, said de-; cisions would be made by consensus be-; tween Lou Piniella, Gene Michael, Stan. Williams, Clyde King, Eddie Lopat and Quinn. Piniella, who quit as GM on May; 29, will remain with the club as a vice, president, the Yankees announced. 4 The Associated Press Cincinnati's Buddy Bell says his 37-year-old knees aren't what they used to be. but I do understand why I'm not playing," he said.

"I've played as a regular for 16 years. I'm not ecstatic about not playing. If I was happy that I was not playing, I shouldn't be here to begin with." However, he said he's not angry with manager Pete Rose. "It's not a confrontation. That's not the situation," Bell said.

Bell asked Rose last week whether the ballclub plans to trade or release him. Rose said there were no such plans. "This isn't a very comfortable situation," Bell said. "On the other hand, it's out of my control." Bell came to the Reds from Texas in a July 1985 trade for Duane Walker. He was installed as the starting third baseman and hit .219 the rest of the season.

He's been one of the Reds' most steady players the last two years. He hit .278 with a career-high 20 homers and 75 RBIs in 155 games in 1986, and followed with a .284 average, 17 homers and 70 RBIs in 143 games last year. Steinbrenner upset at umpires for not apologizing to Martin The Associated Press MC's Busby and USM's Lindsey sign From Special Reports Wayne Busby, a junior shortstop from Mississippi College, -signed with the Chicago White Sox Wednesday night. Busby was picked between the 10th and 20th rounds in last-week's amateur baseball draft, said ChiSox scout Rod Fridley Busby, a Jackson native and Forest Hill graduate, hit with eight home runs, 15 doubles, two triples, 33 RBIs and 48-runs for MC. He also had a .936 fielding percentage.

"This ia a chance of a lifetime," Busby said. "I knew I was; going to be put in the draft, but I didn't know I would be drafted" Busby will leave today for the rookie league in Darrell Lindsey, a senior right-handed pitcher from; Southern Mississippi, signed Wednesday with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Jackson native is scheduled to report to the; Phillies' rookie-league camp in Denton, this week. Lindsey, who played at Northwest Rankin High School, was select-" ed in the 31st round of the draft. Lindsey was 8-5 this season with a 5.06 earned-run average-and 114 strikeouts.

In four years at USM, he had a 29-24 re-! cord, a 4.42 ERA and 374 strikeouts. He holds USM career pitching records for victories, strikeouts, appearances (71), starts (55), complete games (23) and innings pitched (381 Lindsey is the second USM player to sign this week. Outfielder Scooter Love signed with Milwaukee Monday. White Sox fans send bidder socks The Associated Press CHICAGO Fans of the White Sox are mailing their white socks to the mayor of St. Petersburg to protest the Florida city's bid to lure the American League baseball team from Chicago.

But Mayor Robert L. Ulrich of St. Petersburg says he still is waiting for the socks to arrive and reminded White Sox fans of his shoe size noting he prefers his socks without holes. "I haven't gotten a single pair yet," he said. "Just remember that I wear size 10." The socks-sending campaign has been organized by the Chicago Tribune newspaper in full-page ads urging city residents to send their white socks "one, or a pair, striped or plain, clean or dirty" to Ulrich.

By Tuesday night, about 50 pair had been collected in a plastic container in the Tribune building's lobby. St. Petersburg is trying to lure the Chicago White Sox south with a new stadium and financial incentives. The Florida Legislature approved on Tuesday spending $30 million in state money to help St. Petersburg finish construction of a domed baseball stadium for the White Sox.

Gov. Bob Martinez said he would sign the bill. Steinbrenner said the umpires' statement made it sound like they were giving Martin permission to come out on the field. "It's not their right to take away any privileges from a manager," he said. "They cannot selectively prosecute Billy." Martin had threatened to sue the umpires if they carried out their threat to treat him differently than other managers.

Although the umpires have changed their position, Steinbrenner said he is still willing to test the issue in court. "If they want to argue this in a court of law, we'll do it," he said. "Their selective prosecution would be overturned in a minute." Ueberroth said "all managers need to be treated the same on the field of play. At the same time, we will not tolerate abuse of umpires. We have to have the game played equal." Martin, who was fined $1,000 and suspended for three games for the dirt-throwing incident on May 30, did not come out of the dugout during his first game back from suspension Monday night.

He came out on the field four times, without incident, during Tuesday night's 4-3 victory over Boston. "I did the things a manager has to do," Martin said. "I got right back into it." NEW YORK As quickly as their war with Billy Martin ended, major league umpires found themselves in a battle with Martin's boss. New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was upset by the umpires' reaction to Martin's apology for kicking and throwing dirt at umpire Dale Scott during a game in Oakland last month. Shortly after the Yankees manager apologized Tuesday night, the umpires' union issued a statement saying Martin would be "permitted to go on the playing field to question umpires." Earlier, the union had accused Martin of "taproom behavior" and said he would no longer have the same privileges as other managers.

But Steinbrenner was angry that the umpires did not issue their own apology to Martin after he promised never to kick dirt on an umpire again. Commissioner Peter Ueberroth had told both sides Tuesday to stop feuding. "Billy went his mile and apologized," Steinbrenner said. "They didn't go their mile." Although he was not satisfied with the umpires' statement, Steinbrenner said Ueberroth was. "I told him my disappointment in the way it was worded," Steinbrenner said.

"He seemed to feel it was OK." GOLF New Mexico golfer leads JuCo tourney Holding on LPGA great Whitworth keeps playing despite 2-year slump Scores, 2E mf i i I ZZ- Ballesteros, twice a Masters champion and a two-time winner of the Brit-' ish Open, has played a restricted American schedule since being stripped of his PGA Tour membership for failure to appear in the minimum number of tournaments in 1985. Ballesteros, recognized as one of the world's leading performers, also said in Spain earlier this year he was considering a return to American competition in 1989. "I said I would think about it, not that I would do it," he said Wednesday. "There's a difference. "I have not made a decision.

It's too early. I am playing in this year. I haven't started thinking about next year," he said, smiled, and offered an eloquent shrug. "Maybe. Maybe," he said.

As a non-member of the American PGA Tour, he is limited in the number of events he can play in this country. Should he decide to compete in the United States on a more extended basis, he was asked, would he make it a full-time return and play a heavy schedule? "It's the only way I can," he said. Ballesteros, long a supporter of the European tour, said he would consider shifting his base of operations because "the European tour has grown up. "It's almost as good as the American tour now. It doesn't need the support it once did," he said.

Ballesteros made the remarks after a final practice round for the $700,000 Westchester Classic, which begins today on the Westchester Country Club course. From Special and Wire Reports Ulf Santesson of New Mexico Junior College took over the lead Wednesday in the second round of the National Junior College Athletic Association golf championships at Scottsdale, but host Scottsdale Community College retained the team edge. Santesson posted a 139 for 36 holes, followed by teammate Per Nyman at 141. Jim Lemon of Scottsdale was third at 143, and teammate Hub Goyen III was fourth at 144. David Noto of Alabama's Alexander City Community College was fifth with 145.

Two Mississippi players made the cut, which was at 159. Kenny Graves of Hinds Community College shot a 72, giving him a two-day total of 154. Pat Floyd of Meridian Community College just made it at 81-78-159. Scottsdale's team posted 574, trailed by Alexander City at 586 and New Mexico at 587. Brevard Community College of Florida, the defending champion and ranked second nationally, was in fourth place with 599, followed by Odessa Junior College of Texas with 603.

The 72-hole tournament winds up Friday on two courses, each slightly more than 7,000 yards, at the McCor-mich Ranch Golf Club here. Seve Ballesteros of Spain said in Harrison, N.Y., he is considering a return to fulltime competition on the American golf tour. "Maybe," he emphasized. And then he repeated: "maybe." The Associated Press PITTSFORD, N.Y. Kathy Whitworth, the elder stateswoman of the LPGA Tour who has won more tournaments than any other American professional golfer, is mired in a slump she fears may be terminal.

Whitworth knows that people are wondering the same thing when they watch her tee shots fade into the rough or her approach shots bounce off the green. Every mistake brings up the same question: isn't it time to retire? "I'd rather play two years too long than two years not enough," said the 48-year-old Whitworth. "I don't want to look back and wish I'd played one last year. Everyone else who's retired has told me, 'Hang on as long as you But it's not easy with this slump that started more than two years ago and has only gotten worse. This year, she missed the cut in six of the nine tournaments she played.

Her best finish was a tie for 37th in the Chrysler-Plymouth Classic last month. Whitworth will be back in action today, after a three-week rest, when the $300,000 Rochester International tournament gets under way at the par-72, Locust Hill Country Club course in the Rochester suburb of Pitts-ford. How shi will play is anyone's guess. "When I think about when I played well, it.wasn't because I hit a lot of great shots all the time, but because when I did make a mistake or hit a bad shot I was able to correct it right away," Whitworth said. Now, however, she's unable to identify what is going wrong and that gets to be frustrating and leads to a lot of doubt, a lack of confidence and being afraid to hit the ball at all.

She hopes to do what she always done when she slipped into difficult times on the golf course, and that is keep playing until things get better. They always have in the past. "When you're getting down to the end of your career you just don't know if you've got enough time to work it out," she said. "It's very discouraging." Not as discouraging as it could be, though. "I want to be really good and sick and tired of golf before I hang it up and I'm not," Whitworth said.

"There are weeks when I think I just want to go home, but I always manage to say, 'Maybe next week will be The fire is still there." Rochester is one of her favorite stops on the tour, partly because she broke the record for most wins by an American golfer, male or female, with her victory in 1984. Sam Snead holds the men's record of 84 victories. WTiitworth has 88. Whitworth, in her 30th year on the tour, is in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame. She has been the tour's leading money winner eight The Associated Press Kathy VVhitworth's career may be winding down.

with a 50th place finish in Rochester the biggest change is the improved condition of the courses. Modern agronomy and computerized watering systems have put an end to the day? when "you considered yourself lucky if you had green grass on the green," Whitworth said. The game has become a contest of strength, not accuracy or shot-making, because of the well-managed courses, she said. times and was the first woman to reach $1 million in earnings on the tour. She started the tour in 1958 when purses were small, players were scarce and sports pyschologists, metal woods and college-educated greenskeepers were no where to be found.

"It's like night and day," she said. Aside from the increased prize money Whitworth said her first win was worth about $900, which she could win.