Newsday (Nassau Edition) from Hempstead, New York • 73

1 Larkin Wins NL MVP THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Dante Bichette almost won the Triple Crown. Greg Maddux is the best pitcher of his generation. Barry Larkin, however, was deemed the most valuable, winning the NL MVP award and renewing the debate over what this honor is really all about. The Reds shortstop was the surprise choice yesterday as voters clearly looked beyond the statistics, instead considering the all-around contributions he made to the NL Central champion and making him a convincing choice. "If you look at sheer numbers, there are guys who have more homers and RBI," Reds second baseman Bret Boone said.

"But it's nice to see people look at 'most He was really great on our team. He was our Larkin, in Mexico for a cruise when the award was announced, starred for the Reds with his bat, glove and clubhouse presence. He became the first shortstop to win the NL MVP since Maury Wills in 1962. Larkin hit .319 with 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 51 stolen bases. He is likely to win his second straight Gold Glove next week.

And, when the Reds needed a kick, he was the one who called team meetings. Athletics Will Hire Howe. Art Howe will be hired as manager of the Athletics today, a source with the team confirmed yesterday. Howe, the former manager of the Astros and bench coach for the Rockies this past year, will be introduced at a news conference at the Oakland Coliseum, said the source, who spoke on the condition he not be identified. The Oakland Tribune and San Francisco Examiner reported Howe's hiring in Thursday's editions.

His hiring will fill the last remaining managerial vacancy among the 28 clubs. Howe said he was very impressed with A's president Steve Schott during their meeting. "It was good to learn what he expects from his manager and from the organization as a Howe told the Tribune. Valentine to Manage Tides By David Lennon STAFF WRITER The Mets announced yesterday that Bobby Valentine will be the manager at Triple-A Norfolk next season. "It's an honor to be asked said Valentine, who managed the Tides in 1994 before agreeing to manage in Japan.

"When I left, a lot of people thought it was a bad Valentine is the all-time leader in managing victories for the Texas Rangers, compiling a 581-605 record from 1985-1992, and there is no doubt he wants to get back to the major leagues. Could he be heir apparent to Dallas Green? "That has never been Valentine said. "There are no promises, no contractual agreements, because that subject has never been talked about. I'm fortunate to be hired as the Triple-A manager. I hope to help Dallas and the major-league squad." Steve Phillips, the Mets minor-league director, swiftly tried to squash the notion that Valentine was brought back as insurance.

MEADOWLANDS LAST NIGHT Saratoga Ball 3 5 Bye Now 6 B- Tiffany Sparkle 7 Chinese Lady CO 9 View Of Fortune B-Recideanne 7 Time: 22.1; 46.2: 59.4: 1:14: Alan Seewaid. PRICES: (7) $7.20 $4.00 $5.20. Exacta (7-6) $87.00. $1.020.60. Pick-3 (7-10-7) Bella Ferrara, My Chasey Lynn, 1 Miles.

3YO Up. Claiming $5,000. Purse 2-Duplicate Bid Exuberant Hemi $6.500. Winner-B 5, By Naskra-Syrian Queen Fortunate Dream By Damascus Our Nominee 0 Horse Prince 5 PP 6 4 3 Fin. Odds 2.30 One Michael Wahoo Charles 3 5 5-Syrian Alley 4-Positano Danzer 5 4 4 2-12 29.10 Time: 22.2: 46.59: 1:12.4: 1-Soaring Dow 1 2 3.80 Patrick Bottazzi Jr Polo Drive 3 3 2 7 3 4-nk 9.90 PRICES: (1) $23.40 2 $8.40 Judge Slew 7 7 6 5 6 2.00 (2) $3.20.

Exacta Carson 8 5 6 5 5-no 3.80 Happy (10-9) Jimmy Drinon 2 2 3 7 7 48.80 $332.00. Pick-3 (1-7-10) Round My Door 6 8 8 8 8 8 40.90 Northern Spruce, The Queen's Time: 23.3: 47.3: 1:39.4: 1:53: Clear Fast. PRICES: (5) $6.60 $4.00 (4) $28.80 Purse Trainer-Terry Griffith 5 Fillies. $3.40. Exacta $172.00.

Medieval Victory-Make (1) (5-4) ta Mac WINNER PICKED BY MARK BERNER Horse PP 1 Mile. 3YO Up. Claiming $5,000. Purse 7-Surprise Memorie 8 3 2 Hidden $6.500. Trail By Winner-8 Gleaming 4, By Danzig Connection- 3-Sally 6-Taylor's The Future Mayor 00 8 2 Horse PP Fin.

Odds 1-Catchtheconnection 1 1 1-6 2.90a 2-Ken's Landing 2 4 3 29.20 7-Justice Triumphs 7 6 3 3.20 NO Grosty Gold 3 3 4 4 5 4-2 64.80 More Law 5 5 5 5 6 6.70 Crazy And Wild 4 2 2 2 4 1.60 Stormy Stage 6 8 8 7 7-3 5.40 Shoot And Scoot 8 6 6 7 8 8 2.90a Time: 22.3; 46.2; 1:11.3: Clear Fast. Trainer-Frank Costa PRICES: (1) $7.80 $4.60 (2) $20.40 (7) $3.00. Exacta (1-2) $116.80. Double (5-1) $29.20. Trifecta (1-2-7) $442.80.

Scratched Happy Hour. 3 1 Purse Mile. man-Free 3Y0 $8,500. Irish Up. Man Winner-Ch F.

Medieval Claiming 4, By Man Dr. SchwartzBy Horse PP Fin. Odds 7-Lady Schwartzman 6 5 4 3 2 4.80 1-Baldee 1 12.50 4-Whatsthesensataikn 4 2 2 2 3 3.60 Savanna Danna 2 3 5 5 4 4-1 2.40 Waquoit's Squaw 3 4 3 4 5 1.50 Spirited Morning 5 6 6 6 6 6 15.90 Time: 23.3: 47.1; 1:12.4: 1:40.3: Clear Fast. Trainer-Terry Griffith. PRICES: (7) $11.60 $5.60 (1) $9.80 (4) $2.80.

Exacta (7-1) $102.00. Pick-3 (5-1-7) $183.40. Scratched Caressable. WINNER PICKED BY MARK BERNER 6 Furlongs. 3YO.

Claiming $5,000 Purse $6.000. 4 Winner-B G. 3, By Carson City-Rapid Rocket By Tudor Grey Horse PP Fin. Odds 10-Hot Prospector 8 8 6 3 1-1 10.70 9-Valid Motion 7 1 2.70 "Our goal was to hire the best Triple-A manager we could," Phillips said. "He was the obvious guy to go to." For Valentine, his dismissal from the Chiba Lotte Marines couldn't have been more timely.

Toby Harrah, who earned International League- Manager of the Year honors after guiding the Tides to an 86-56 record, was hired by the Indians Monday to be their third-base coach. Valentine received a phone call from the Mets shortly after returning from Japan on Saturday. Valentine managed Chiba Lotte to a secondplace 69-58-3 record, its best finish in club history. But Valentine said a handful of members in the organization were unhappy with him and the team bought out the remaining year of his contract. "They were doing things the way they've always been done," Valentine said.

"They didn't like the idea of change, which I was hired to bring with me. They thought it was better to be 100 percent Japanese than be the 100 percent best team in Japan." 4 4 3-2 4.60 2 2 4-2 5.90 7 7 7.90 5 26.30 8 8 7-2 13.80 5 6 8 2.10 Clear Fast. Trainer- (9) $4.20 Trifecta (10-9-2) $314.20. Scratched King. Maidens.

Claiming $7,000. Winner-B F. 2, Memories By Minneso- Fin. Odds 2.60 7 4 2-hd 13.00 3 2 5.60 2 3 4-nk 16.50 6 5 5-2 4.10 5 6 4.50 9 .00 26.10 8 3.10 4 9 9 4.50 Clear Fast. Trainer- (6) $7.80 (3) Trifecta (7-6-3) $605.40.

Scratched Stalkin Rose. 6 6 Rare $16,000. Furlongs. Brick-Just Purse 3YO. Got $12,000.

Paid Fillies. Topsider Claiming Winner-Dbb F. 3, By By Horse PP Fin. Odds 6-Clara Brick 5 5 4 3 1-1 1.80 2-Slick Victorian 2-no 3.70 7-Hanging Fire 6 3 2 2 3-hd 3.50 Tuit 2 6 5 4 13.50 Mary Marguartia 3 2 3 5 5 2.60 Dancing Dawn 4 4 6 6 11.40 Time: 22.3: 46.59: 1:11.4: Clear Fast. TrainerPatrick Bottazzi Jr PRICES: (6) $5.60 $3.00 (2) $3.60 (7) $2.40.

Exacta (6-2) $26.60. Pick-3 (10-7-6) $253.00. Scratched Cease Lass. Front Row Center. 7 6 sert $8,000.

Furlongs. Purse 3YO $10,000. Up. Val De Winner-Dbb L'orne Claiming F. 4, Wine-Ingenue By (Fr) Horse 4-Wine Connoisseur 2-Lodoiska 6-Dance Of Love Life Boat Deferred Income A73 ARENA Devils Trade Goaltender Terreri For Sharks' 2nd-Round Pick in '96 The Devils traded backup goaltender Chris Terreri to the San Jose Sharks for a second-round pick in the 1996 Entry Draft.

Terreri, 31, had been with the organization since 1983. He appeared in four games this season, going 3-0-0 with a 2.57 goals against average. The Devils will be looking to rookie Corey Schwab to fill the role of backup goalie. Schwab has posted a 2.77 goalsagainst-average with a 2-2 record in four games with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League. The Devils could feel the loss of a veteran backup goaltender come playoff time, but General Manager Lou Lamoriello sticks by his decision to look to the future.

"The younger players have been given the opportunity and jumped in and done the job," Lamoriello said. "'We took a pick which we think is a very good Wednesday Night: Whalers 3, Senators 2. Frantisek Kucera scored his first goal of the season with 1:06 remaining to give the host Whalers the victory. TENNIS: Sampras Defeats Becker. Pete Sampras overwhelmed Boris Becker 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) in the second round of the IBM-ATP Tour World Championship in Frankfurt, Germany.

Sampras served powerfully, hitting 12 aces to six for Becker. The American, now 2-0 in the White Group of the round-robin portion of the $3.3 million event for the top eight players in the world, hit 11 serves over 120 mph and never faced a break point against Becker. Becker dropped to 1-1 in the White Group and Wayne Ferreira (1-1) beat Kafelnikov (0-2) 3-6, 7-6, 6-1. In the Red Group, Thomas Enqvist upset Jim Courier 6-3, 6-2 and Michael Chang and Thomas Muster were off. Chang beat Muster on Tuesday in the first match for both.

BASEBALL: Indians Retain Top Players. The Indians have exercised their 1996 options on pitcher Orel Hershiser and outfielder Albert Belle and their 1997 option on reliever Jose Mesa. Belle will make $5.5 million next season, and Hershiser will make $1.5 million. Mesa's base for 1997 is $900,000. Hershiser, 37, was 16-6 record and 3.87 ERA in the regular season, and a 4-1 record and 1.53 ERA in the postseason.

Belle, 29, hit .317 with 50 home runs and 126 RBI this season. Mesa, 29, led the majors with 46 saves in 48 chances this year. He was 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA. NFL: Oilers to Sign Deal with Nashville. Oilers owner Bud Adams will sign a deal this morning to relocate the team to Nashville, according to Nashville mayor Phil Bredesen.

The deal will include a 30-year lease on a new stadium with an option for 10 more years. Houston Mayor Bob Lanier said Wednesday he would make no last-ditch effort to keep the Oilers in town. The Nashville stadium would be paid for primarily through a bond issue and the sale of luxury seats and the rights to buy season tickets. The city council in Nashville and the state Legislature also must approve the deal. LOCAL COLLEGES: Stony Brook Swim Team Wins.

Alex Mills won the 200-yard individual medley (2:14.87) and the 200 butterfly (2:05.10) to lead Stony Brook (1-1) to a 123- 97 win over N.Y. Maritime (0-1) in a non-league men's swimming meet. Mark Sutera swam a 5:32.82 in the 500 freestyle to clinch the win for the Seawolves. ROLLER HOCKEY: 'Jawz' Picked for LI Franchise. The Long Island Jawz is the name of the new Roller Hockey International team that will play 14 home games at Nassau Coliseum next summer.

The nicknames Gladiators, Roller Ducks and Jawz were the three finalists chosen by a two-part promotions asking fans to name the team via call-ins on SportsChannel and WBAB radio, along with Newsday coupon drops and entry ballots from area Herman's stores. Eddie Serrano of Staten Island submitted the winning entry at Herman's. As winner of the Name the Team Contest, Serrano will receive two lifetime tickets for Jawz games and a full roller hockey equipment package from Herman's. Tickets for Jawz games are priced between Full (516) season 747-8000. packages FURTHERMORE: start at Slater $150.

to For Call It more a Career. information, Rams call of- NEWSDAY, fensive tackle Jackie Slater was placed on injured reserve son, day's At yesterday, age effectively 41, three Slater No. ending days was 259, his after the fourth career. oldest playing the his player only in the game list. NFL.

He this is Sun- sea- the THURSDAY, game was on career only player in league history to play 20 years for the same team. Slater likely will postpone an official retirement announcement until after the season because he'll still be NOVEMBER getting paid while on injured reserve. 5 COMPILED FROM STAFF, WIRE REPORTS 9661 Cherokee Kate 2 5 6 6 6 6.40 Time: 22.4: 46.4: 59.1: Clear Fast. Trainer-Osvaldo Rojas PRICES: (4) $3.80 $3.00 (2) $11.20 (6) $4.40. Exacta (4-2) $48.00.

Pick-3 (7-6-4) $52.20. Scratched Mom's Moment, Eager Salute, I Feel The Thunder, Country Streaker WINNER PICKED BY MARK BERNER 8 1 Cool $10,500. Mile. 3YO Corn-Distortion Purse Up. $11.000.

By Shady Winner-Ch Claiming Character M. 6, By Horse PP Fin. Odds dh-1-Azure Aura 2 2 1 2.00 dh-7-Winter's Work 00 3 2 2 0.80 3-Personal Princess 2 4 5 4 3 9.50 More Margin 6 7 7 4 11.10 Stirling Gal 7 6 6 6 6 5-2 21.90 Grammom Rose 5 5 10.00 Dame Wollaston 3 5 4 7 30.90 dh-dead heat for 1st Time: 24: 47.4: 1:40: Clear Fast. -John Dowd PRICES: (1) $2.40 $2.60 (7) $2.20 $2.40 (3) $2.60. Exacta (1-7) (7-1) $4.60.

Trifecta (1-7-3) (7-1-3) $14.20. Pick 3 (6-4- 1) (6-4-7) $12.60. Scratched Hand Me A Star, Things To Come. WINNER PICKED BY MARK BERNER EARNINGS LEADERS THOROUGHBREDS Mnts 1st Bailey 1.218 276 Nakatani 1,277 282 Stevens 895 188 Day 1,089 231 Smith 1,295 250 Dsrmaux 1.058 216 McCarrn 789 146 Dihssaye 914 139 Krone 809 135 Chavez 1,185 211 Trainers Starts 1st Lukas 713 163 Mott 581 149 Mandella 282 60 McAnally 370 58 Frankel 290 61 McGghey 261 61 HIindorfer 802 168 Jones 272 50 Zito 332 45 Jerkens 396 65 Through Nov. 12th Jockeys 2nd 3rd Purses 184 139 $15,444.012 204 182 $13,956,326 138 132 $13.173,758 223 157 $11,392,915 185 187 $11,274,247 177 149 $9.938.484 144 111 $9,809,808 143 145 $7,903,355 136 100 $7,300,523 153 164 $7,299,075 PP 3 4 6 10 2 5 3 Fin.

Odds 0.90 4 4 20.90 5 5 21.50 2 3 1 4-nk 2.50 3 2 5-8 4.00 By De- 2nd 3rd Purses 98 81 $11,800.148 92 71 $10,808.687 47 45 $5.729,896 76 57 $5,430.437 38 46 $5,132,769 55 37 $5,001.206 150 130 $3,158,393 42 44 $3.136,550 53 49 $3,042,182 59 60 $2,997,560.