The Province from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 8

The Province Sports Friday, September 24, 1999 TTciciures right leg The Toronto Blue Jays have lost Carlos Delgado for the season after the star first baseman fractured his right leg. Delgado, 27, suffered the injury in Wednesday's 14-9 win Over the tjvfj. ft Boston Red Sox when he fouled a ball off his right leg in the eighth inning. "It sucks, it really sucks," Delgado said. "I would have loved to have finished the season strong and on a good note.

Del Baseball m'm Ml C's season could end with loss tonight in Vegas VANCOUVER 2 CHARLOTTE 4 By Lowell Ullrich Sports Reporter LAS VEGAS The way the playoffs were going, you couldn't help but wonder if the parent Oakland A's had a secret stash of player talent at their Arizona spring training home that they kept sending to the Vancouver Canadians. If they do, they better make a call, and quick. Otherwise the C's season could be over tonight. Vancouver had to juggle their playoff rotation after losing yet another prospect earlier in the week, and dropped a 4-2 decision Thursday to the Charlotte Knights. Charlotte took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five Triple A World Series.

It was a pivotal contest for the C's, not because scheduled starter Brett Laxton had left for the big leagues, but because they will be forced to throw Double A recall Kevin Gregg tonight. Laxton was in Baltimore Thursday instead of taking his turn in the Vancouver rotation. The Pacific Coast League's all-star right-hander gave up three earned runs in 4 innings for sagging Oakland in a 9-6 win, his first major league start. The Canadians thought they could weather the recall, because of two strong playoff outings by 21-year-old Barry Zito, who has only been in Vancouver three weeks. Wrong.

Zito couldn't make It out of the fourth inning, when the Knights began sitting on his breaking pitches. "These guys swing at hanging pitches, and they didn't miss much. That's what beat us," said C's catcher Danny Ardoin. Jeff Abbott and Jeff Liefer hit homers off Zito, whose outing had nothing on that of Charlotte starter Jon Garland. The 20-year-old Knights right-hander didn't allow an earned run, fanning eight in 7 innings.

So the C's must rely on Gregg. The situation Is similar to his Game 5 start in the first round of the playoffs in Salt Lake City, when Vancouver staged a heart-pounding rally to advance. "If you're gonna get beat, I think we got Chris Relke The Province Vancouver Canadians designated hitter Mike Nelll fouls one off in the first Inning of Game 3 of the Triple A World Series Thursday in Las Vegas. The Charlotte Knights beat the C's 4-2 and can close out the series In four games with a win tonight. gado had played in 152 games and had a consecutive game playing streak going back to 1998 of 235 games, third longest in franchise history.

Delgado was hitting .272 with 44 home runs and 134 RBIs Fenway gets key ally With plans afoot to build a new Fenway Park, the fabled field received a boost Thursday from a historic preservation group trying to save it from destruction. Historic Massachusetts put Fenway at the top of its annual Top Ten list of landmarks endangered by neglect, inappropriate development or insensitive policy. The small non-profit group typically works to protect little-known local landmarks. With 33,871 seats, Fenway is the smallest in the majors. It is also the second oldest, having opened on April 20, 1912.

Developers and the Red Sox want to demolish most of it and build a new, stadium on adjacent land. M's talk to Gillick Pat Gillick, general manager for Toronto's 1992-93 World Series winners and two Baltimore playoff clubs, has met with the Mariners to discuss their vacant GM job. Gillick, 62, joins former Yankees and Houston Astros GM Bob Watson in the hunt for the job being vacated Oct. 31 by Woody Woodward. Cal knifed Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken, 39, underwent apparently successful back surgery Thursday to end the pain that finished his season nine hits short of the magic 3,000 mark.

Gary Arthur, who knows something about running a lame-duck franchise in Vancouver, commented on the future of the Vancouver Grizzlies: "There's going to be some bitter resentment from fans," he said. "And though they'll have their sponsors in place, it'll get tougher and tougher in that regard as long as there's uncertainty." through it to try and win two in a row," said Vancouver manager Mike Quade, referring to his use of three relievers Thursday. If they're still breathing Saturday, Mark Mulder will pitch for Vancouver, providing the A's don't call him up too. CANADIANS Attendance at the game was announced at 3,910. C's general manager Selig wants to ditch designated hitter Milwaukee Brewers.

Now he must get the players' union to go along with his plan. Unless he offers to expand current rosters, it won't happen. The union's too strong," Neill said, noting many high-salaried players are DHs. C's hitting coach Roy White, who was a DH briefly during his Yankees career, now has to evaluate minor league players who have no interest playing the position "I haven't met too many who say they love the DH (in the minors). I've always liked it.

but it they took It out of the game I wouldn't be that upset," White said. UMck inate guys who can't play positions," said Neill, who wouldn't otherwise have had an at-bat in the Triple A World Series Thursday because of a groin injury. "But there are too many great players who are able to keep hitting homers and put people in the parks. (Sammy) Sosa and (Mark) McGwire can play their positions. But look at (Jose) Canseco.

Look at all the people he puts in seats. He's not going to play the outfield anymore. People have accepted and embraced (the DH). Selig, however, no longer embraces the concept, a reversal of his position in 1972 when he voted for the DH as owner of the LAS VEGAS Like the ad says, chicks dig the long ball. So why is most powerful person In the game trying to get rid of a group of players who have glorified the modern-day version of the sport more than any other? Major league commissioner Bud Selig this week said he will seek the elimination of the designated hitter in the American League.

That change, should it occur, would also be felt in the minors, where the DH has also been employed since 1972. The resident DH with the Canadians sees both sides of the longstanding issue. Selfishly. Mike Neill is all for the idea. That could help me because it would elim.