FanFare 10/4/02

Baseball

* The Cardinals might have lost third baseman Scott Rolen for the remainder of the playoffs with an injured left shoulder. Rolen injured his left shoulder when he was clipped by pinch-runner Alex Cintron in the seventh inning of Thursday's 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks. The initial diagnosis was a sprained shoulder, but further tests were planned in St. Louis today.

* St. Louis manager Tony La Russa is irate after a Phoenix-area disc jockey called the widow of Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile and asked if she had a date for Thursday's playoff game. Flynn Kile hung up the phone after KUPD-FM radio personality Beau Duran asked her the question in a call to her Phoenix hotel room, The Arizona Republic reported on its Web site Thursday night. It was not immediately clear if the call was broadcast on the station.

* X-rays of Ben Weber's right index finger revealed no fracture and the Anaheim Angels reliever was listed as day-to-day by the team.

* John Rocker is looking for a job. The Texas Rangers placed the one-time star closer on waivers Thursday for the purpose of his unconditional release.

* Amid rumors that they had defected, two members of the Cuban baseball team, including top pitcher Jose Contreras, didn't show for Thursday's game against Venezuela. The two had permission to travel to Mexico City for personal trips, team spokesman Roberto Pacheco said. He added that if they did not return by Saturday, he would call Cuban officials to request sanctions against them. Contreras and coach Miguel Valdez have not been seen since Cuba's 6-0 victory over the Dominican Republic on Tuesday night in the Americas Series tournament.

* A trusted ex-team employee, three of his co-workers and two other suspects surrendered for allegedly stealing $2 million from the Mets between 1994 and 2000, Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced.

Basketball

* Center Menk Bateer, acquired by Detroit earlier in the week from Denver, was traded by the Pistons to the San Antonio Spurs for a second-round pick in the 2003 NBA draft. The Nuggets sent Bateer, forward Don Reid and a first-round draft pick to the Pistons on Tuesday for forward Rodney White.

Colleges

* At the University of Missouri, 6-1, 160-pound Spencer Laurie gave a verbal commitment to the Tigers on Wednesday. Laurie is the son of former MU basketball player Barry Laurie and former Tiger gymnast Gayle (Anderson) Laurie -- and the nephew of MU benefactors Bill and Nancy Laurie. He averaged 20 points, three rebounds, seven assists and five steals a game last year at Springfield Kickapoo.

* University of Cincinnati basketball coach Bob Huggins is undergoing tests to determine how much damage he suffered from a heart attack, his doctor said.

Golf

* David Duval shot a 7-under 64 -- his best round of the season -- and shared a two-stroke lead after the first round of the Michelob Championship.

* Michele Redman shot a 7-under 65 at the Samsung World Championship and held a one-shot lead over Annika Sorenstam, who had her sixth hole-in-one as a professional.

Hockey

* Forward Todd Warriner, acquired by Vancouver in a five-player deal with Phoenix last season, re-signed with the Canucks.

-- From wire reports