FanFare 9/4/02

Baseball

Bill Mueller is heading back to San Fransico. The Cubs dealt the third baseman to the Giants for a minor league pitcher late Tuesday.

Baseball owners will meet Thursday in Chicago for a ratification vote on the labor contract agreed to by their negotiators last week.

Pedro Martinez, who missed his turn in the rotation Tuesday night against the Yankees because of an injury, played catch Monday for the first time since starting against the Yankees on Aug. 28. It's also not clear what exactly Martinez's injury is. He said it's more his groin that's bothering him, even when he walks around. But Red Sox manager Grady Little said the injury is originating in the hip.

Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca and his coaching staff received contract extensions through the 2004 season.

The Cubs placed Mark Prior on the disabled list with a strained hamstring, an injury that will take at least three or four weeks to heal.

Basketball

A passenger in a luxury car driven by Bulls guard Jalen Rose was hospitalized after being shot in the face during an attempted carjacking, police said. The NBA player was not hurt and the passenger's injury was not life-threatening, Los Angeles police officer Ed Funes said.

Lin Dunn resigned as coach and general manager of the WNBA's Storm.

Colleges

Bob Knight will pay $25,000 to a former assistant coach after signing an agreement in which he admitted to shoving Ron Felling in anger, Felling's attorney said.

Dustin Ward didn't have much success in his debut as the No. 1 quarterback at Illinois, but he did just enough to hang onto to his job. Coach Ron Turner this week said Ward is still the team's top quarterback, despite Saturday's 33-20 loss to Missouri, and will start this weekend against Southern Mississippi.

NFL

The Rams signed safety Chad Cota to a one-year contract. Also, the Rams placed rookie safety Steve Bellisari, their sixth-round pick, on injured reserve with a knee injury. Bellisari was injured in the Aug. 16 preseason game against the Bears.

The Rams also claimed defensive end Bryce Fisher off waivers from Buffalo, and released wide receiver Francis St. Paul and defensive tackle Nate Hobgood-Chittick. The Rams signed Hobgood-Chittick on Monday after he was released by the Chiefs.

The Rams signed offensive guards James Broyles and Andy King, tight end Dauntae' Finger and running back Mike Malan to the practice squad. All four had been among the final cuts.

Kansas City tackle Willie Roaf, who was arrested over the weekend for allegedly driving under the influence, will face no disciplinary action by the Chiefs, coach Dick Vermeil said.

The Seahawks reached a five-year $28.5 million contract extension with outside linebacker Chad Brown.

-- From wire reports