The Boston Red Sox learned they will be without All-Star Nomar Garciaparra for at least two weeks, while the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians kept their stars for two more years.
On a day that Mark McGwire and Omar Vizquel agreed to two-year contract extensions, the biggest news Wednesday came from Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Fla., where Garciaparra is out with an injured right wrist.
The two-time defending AL batting champion hopes to be ready for opening day. But if rest doesn't fix the problem, he didn't rule out surgery.
"If (the doctors) were thinking about it, they didn't tell me and I didn't want to hear it right now," he said. "Hopefully, this works, even if there has to be rehabilitation."
The frustrating thing for the All-Star shortstop is the puzzling nature of the injury, which dates back to September 1999. But Garciaparra played all of 2000 with only mild discomfort in the wrist and led the AL with a .372 average.
Garciaparra will wear a removable cast for one to two weeks and take anti-inflammatory medication.
McGwire and St. Louis agreed to a two-year extension worth about $30 million, two officials familiar with the negotiations said on the condition they not be identified.
The new deal runs through 2003, the season McGwire could be approaching Hank Aaron's home-run record of 755.
McGwire, 37, missed most of the second half of last season with a knee injury and had surgery during the offseason.
St. Louis called a news conference for today at its training camp in Jupiter, Fla., to announce the deal.
In Winter Haven, Fla., Vizquel agreed to a $15 million, two-year contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2004.
Vizquel, who signed a six-year deal in 1995, had grumbled in the past about being underpaid. He arrived at camp four days after the voluntary reporting date, fueling speculation he was upset after Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter signed colossal deals and other shortstops passed him on the pay scale.
In Vero Beach, Fla., Gary Sheffield is still waiting for his contract extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I haven't softened my stance, and I won't," Sheffield said.
Last week, he criticized Dodgers chairman Bob Daly and again said he'd prefer a trade.
Frank Thomas and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf denied they had made any changes to the slugger's contract, one day after he reported to camp in Tucson, Ariz.
Pirates first baseman Kevin Young was struck on the right elbow by a foul ball as umpire Jim Reynolds demonstrated the newly enforced strike zone. Young is expected to be sidelined four or five days and likely will miss the first weekend of exhibition play.
Geoff Blum and Britt Reames were among five players who agreed Wednesday to one-year contract with Montreal.
Former Boston infielder Manny Alexander won't be charged with steroid possession after a court ruled Wednesday there was insufficient evidence for a criminal complaint. Boston police found the steroids in Alexander's car last June. He was released by the Red Sox following the season and signed a minor league contract with Seattle.
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