Tampa Bay Times from St. Petersburg, Florida • 26

TIMES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2005 3d BASEBALL NBA foRays Amigeis coach sees fat wot Granik to vacate 2 spot in ing for young executives and new principal owner Stuart Sternberg, especially after reading his philosophies in the e-mailed packet "In reading that his management style and leadership and what he believes to be important to turning the situation around, I have to admit I agree with him," Maddon said. "It was amazing to read those words because I probably would have used those same words in describing different situations, so I was impressed with his outlook and how he perceives things." The Rays are expected to complete the first round of interviews and cut the field as soon as they can arrange a meeting or telephone interview with former Rangers and Mets manager Bobby Valentine, whose Chiba Lotte team is playing in the Japan championships. Other candidates are coaches Tom Foley, Billy Hatcher and John McLaren, Triple-A manager Bill Evers, former Tigers manager Alan Trammell and Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton. Astros bench coach Cecil Coo and would seem to be one of the most appealing given his experience (as a minor-league manager, major-league coach and stints as the Angels interim manager), reputation, communication skills and use of computerized data. After reading the 47-page background packet the Rays e-mailed him and after meeting with team president Matt Silverman and baseball operations chief Andrew Friedman, Maddon said he felt strongly he was the right man for the job.

"It is something I really want," he said on a conference call. "What I am able to do and my background in baseball and the particular situation where Tampa Bay is today is a pretty nice fit "Personally, I don't want to go after any job. Hopefully I get my first job in a place I think is compatible. I think the skills that I have and based on the needs in Tampa, I think it's a pretty good fit" Because Maddon never played in the major leagues, he said managing a young, developing team would be a good place to start And he said he liked the idea of work Korver hit a 3 and an 18-footer on consecutive possessions, and Steven Hunter added a tip-in to pull the Sixers to 69-64 late in the fourth. But Jamal Crawford hit a 3-pointer to help the Knicks lead in double digits.

MAVERICKS 94, BUCKS 86: Dirk Nowiteki had 25 points and 10 rebounds for host Dallas which was tied with Milwaukee at 77 after three quarters, but opened the fourth with a 13-1 run. Marquis Daniels capped the spurt with a short jumper; with 2:50 left that gave the Mavs a 90-78 lead. NETS 118, CELTICS 116 (OT):" Marc Jackson scored 17, including a layup with 1.6 seconds left in OT, helping host New rally from 20 points down. PACERS 97, SPURS 86: Visiting Indiana led by as many as 21" points midway through the. third before defending champi- on San Antonio went on a 22-7 run to make it 77-71 going into the fourth.

The Spurs trailed 84-77 with about six minutes remaining before Anthony" Johnson hit a jumper for Indi- ana and Fred Jones followed with a 3-pointer to rebuild the Pacers' lead to double figures. Associated Press NEW YORK Russ Granik will leave his job as NBA deputy commissioner after this year to become a senior adviser to David Stern. Granik will remain the league's main representative to USA Basketball and board chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame as well as an aide to the commissioner. Granik is in his 30th year with the NBA, and was second in command for the last 22. Tuesday's games GRIZZLIES 95, BULLS 88: Shane Battier scored 20 and Eddie Jones added 17 to lead visiting Memphis.

Trailing 77-75 in the fourth, Battier hit four straight 3-pointers in a 3-minute span for a 12-1 run. His fourth 3 gave Memphis an 87-78 lead with 4:17 remaining. HORNETS 111, HEAT 91: New Orleans' J.R. Smith scored 24 and Chris Paul had nine assists to spoil the homecoming of Sha-quille O'Neal who played three seasons at LSU and returned there for the first time since leaving after the 1991-92 season. KNICKS 80, 76ERS 71: Kyle I'M per on Tuesday said he would like to be considered for the job as well.

Also: The Rays received permission from Oakland to speak with director of player personnel Billy Owens, possibly about an assistant general manager's position. Owens, 34, joined the A's as an area scout in 1999 and has been in his present position for two years. Top outfield prospect Del-mon Young was named the Topps Minor League Player of the Year. Young, who was also named the top minor-leaguer by Baseball America, hit .315 with 26 homers and 99 RBIs at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham. YANKS MAKE OFFER: New York offered Cashman a three-year contract worth more than $5-million, and the team hopes he will decide in the next few days to stay.

Cash-man, who made in the final season of a three-year contract that expires Monday, has not told the team of his intentions. Times staff writer Damian Cristodero contributed to this report, which also used information from Times wires. mm AP White Sox first baseman Paul Game 4 starter Freddy Garcia, who in conversation on the bench called the shot "Yeah, I did," Garcia said Tuesday. "I was talking with Mark Buehrle and said I think he's (ticked off) because he didn't throw out the guy at home plate. And he got a big swing and hit the ball out of the ballpark." MISCELLANY: Unable to use Carl Everett as DH in the NL park, Chicago changed its lineup for the first time in 11 postseason games.

Astros closer Brad Lidge is the third pitcher to give up two go-ahead homers from the ninth inning on in one postseason, joining Tom Nie-denfuer of the 1985 Dodgers and Dan Miceli of the 2004 Astros. MARC TOPKIN, Times staff writer fore 1994 was for the World Series to actually be played every season. So Bud wants to be stadium integrity monitor? That's great I assume hell be getting down on his hands and knees to check the height of the grass at the next World Series stadium. And he'll measure the moisture in the clay on the baselines to make sure a groundskeeper isn't trying to slow down basestealers. And, surely, hell never again allow the Yankees to make an opposing pitcher wait on the mound during an extended version of God Bless America in the seventh inning of a postseason game.

Giving the commissioner the benefit of the doubt and that's not easy given his track record for decisions you could say it is commendable he is trying to make sure the World Series is played in fair conditions. But in trying to make sure it is fair, he has actually made it unfair for the Astros. Unless he was capable of ensuring there was no wind, rain or chill in Chicago for Games 1 and 2, he should not have messed with the game conditions in Houston for Game 3. By MARC TOPKIN Timtt Staff Writor HOUSTON As Devil Rays officials spent three hours Tuesday talking with Angels bench coach Joe Maddon about their manager's job, they moved forward and backward in their effort to add an experienced front office executive. The Rays had a second informal conversation Tuesday with former Astros general Gerry Hun-sicker and appear ready to begin more serious talks.

But another top candidate was eliminated when the Yankees denied the Rays permission to speak with adviser Gene Michael. Hunsicker is also considered a top candidate for the general manager's job in Philadelphia, but the Phillies seem to be moving slowly amid rumors they are waiting to see whether Brian Cashman returns to the Yankees. Reached Tuesday, Hunsicker said he preferred not to comment on his meeting with the Rays. Maddon is the seventh official candidate for the manager's job MLB cites mild night in keeping park open HOUSTON Major League Baseball officials said they went by the numbers in taking die lid off the World Series. Cora- WORLD SERIES missioner NOTEBOOK J5d SBB ordered the Minute Maid Park retractable roof to be open Tuesday and likely again tonight based on the Astros' regular-season guidelines of keeping it open when temperatures are below 80 degrees.

Gametime temperature was 61 on a pleasant Texas evening. "Weather is the determining factor," Selig said. "We've studied weather, winds, we've studied humidity. There isn't a cloud within 800 miles of here I need to get a new life, because I sat and watched the Weather Channel all day determining about low temperatures, high temperatures, medium temperatures." The Astros prefer to play with the roof closed, primarily because it increases their fans' noise and thus their homefield advantage. There is also a theory that balls don't carry as well with the roof closed, which hurts power-laden opponents more than the Astros.

The roof was closed for Houston's first five playoff games, in which they went 4-1, but MLB officials took charge for the Series. The Astros were not particularly happy about the decision, suggesting MLB did it for reasons other than weather. "This is part of our homefield advantage, and for Major League Baseball to try and change that is either ridiculous or they're American League fans," Astros catcher Brad Ausmus said. Romano fromlC postseason. Because, otherwise, this integrity defense is a crock.

And Major League Baseball had no business messing with Houston's homefield advantage. "I think it's ridiculous they're involved in this," catcher Brad Ausmus said. "It's a little bit dictatorial." Selig said the stadium should be operated under the same standards used during the rest of the season. Well, including playoff games, the roof was closed for about 70 percent of Houston's games. So how could it be a farce? The thing we've said with all clubs with roofs is weather is the determining factor," Selig said.

"We don't let clubs do other things that affect or disturb balance." Selig kept insisting it was Houston's own criteria to open the roof when the temperature was below 80 degrees. But where is the cutoff? At the start of the game, the weather had dipped into the 60s. By the end of the evening, the wind Iff wirwirn ilr TAKEN AWAY: A fan gloves Jason Lane's foul ball in the stands, keeping it from Konerko in the second inning. The ball was ruled out of play. Lane later walked.

USF Men's Basketball Ticket plans on sale now starting at $85 USF Women's Basketball Season Tickets on sale now starting at $50 1 JiHiiil 'The o3 .2 if CD Selig insisted there was no intent to take away or provide a competitive edge and cited the precedent of ordering the Diamondbacks to open their roof in 2001. EVERYTHING'S BIGGER: Tuesday's game was the first Series game played in Texas, an even bigger deal to the large number of Lone Star State products and residents among the Astros. The Astros marked the occasion by switching the banner on the centerfield wall to one that said NL champions, sending the crowd into a frenzy as public address announcer Bob Ford introduced "the moment we've been waiting for, for 44 long seasons." ROCKET REPORT: The Astros continue to say they expect Roger chill was expected in the 50s or below. Now, maybe that's not cold for a commissioner from Milwaukee. But for fans and teams in the South, that means watching a game in jacket and mittens.

So shouldn't the Astros be allowed to play in conditions that were approximate to what they were accustomed most of the year? "We've been playing with it closed all postseason, I don't see why we should open it now," pitcher Roy Oswalt said. "I think Chicago had their advantage there cold and windy. They've been playing in it all year and we haven't So let's bring it back home and give the advantage to us now." This just in: Commissioner Bud Selig announced he has given Roger Clemens a cortisone injection and the righthander will be required to start Game 5. Look, let's not be naive about this. The Astros like the roof closed.

They seem to play better when it is closed. Their fans sound louder when it is closed. So, yes, having the roof closed may be an advantage for the Astros. But it's not an unfair advan Clemens to be available to start Game 5 on Thursday. But they are not saying much else about his attempt to recover from the strained left hamstring that forced him out of Saturday's opener.

"He's still sore," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "I still have him penciled in for 5." GOOD GUY AWARD: Braves pitcher John Smoltz won the Roberto Clemente Award for excellence on the field and in the community. 'This truly is the greatest award that a player can achieve," Smoltz said. QUrTE A PREDICTION: Even the most optimistic White Sox people were stunned when light-hitting Scott Podsednik blasted a winning homer Sunday night All except tage. It's not like they open the roof in the top of the inning and close it in the bottom.

The conditions are the same for both teams. Just like the altitude is the same for both teams in Colorado. And the strong winds are the same for both teams in Chicago. It is part of the uniqueness of every stadium that makes the home team more comfortable. And in this case, that includes a roof.

Which is the way it has been for most of this season. "I find it strange that somebody would say we have to open it now," Astros manager Phil Garner said. This just in: Commissioner Bud Selig announced Lance Berkman looks "too cute for words" when he is clean shaven, and ordered the first baseman be given a razor. Selig also kept making a point of saying a precedent had been set That in the 2001 World Series the roof was ordered opened in Arizona. For Major League Baseball, this argument is laughable.

IYece-dent means nothing to these people. The precedent used to be for World Series games to start during daylight hours. The precedent be Lion" JMiV 2800 Gulf to Bov i L. ifejsX Oearwoler HOOTERS "The OriGinal.