Baltimore manager says team not at fault

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove, was devastated this week when pitcher Steve Bechler, 23, died of heatstroke.

Hargrove has taken an immediate inventory of the way the Orioles conducted their workouts, what they asked from the players and what was done for Bechler when he was stricken.

“I concluded there was nothing more that we could have done,” Hargrove said. “It was like the movie ‘Perfect Storm.’ An amazing number of circumstances had to converge at the same time to cause his death.”

Owner Peter Angelos has called on major-league baseball to ban ephedrine, a stimulant that may have contributed to the death of Bechler.

Jailed Canseco worried about custody battle

Miami — Jose Canseco, in his first interview since being jailed earlier this week, said the pending custody battle for his 6-year-old daughter is more important than a possible return to baseball.

Speaking Thursday from Miami-Dade County Jail, the six-time All-Star outfielder said his first few days in jail have been uneventful but embarrassing following his probation violation and sentencing Tuesday.

“I’ve only been here two-to-three days,” Canseco said. “Everything’s been all right so far. I’ve never been in prison or in jail before, so I don’t know what to expect.”

Canseco said he will meet with his lawyers in the next few days to see where he stands legally.

Canseco could remain in jail until a March 17 sentencing hearing for violating terms of his probation for a 2001 fist fight at a Miami Beach nightclub. The arrest stemmed from a probation officer’s report that he was not taking his sentence seriously and had failed to begin anger-control classes and community service.

Rose won’t partake in stadium ceremonies

New York — Pete Rose can just about forget participating in the ceremonies that open the Cincinnati Reds’ new ballpark on March 31.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig doesn’t plan to consider Rose’s application for reinstatement before opening day, a high-ranking baseball official said Thursday on the condition of anonymity.

Rose met with Selig in November and Rose’s agent met with Bob DuPuy, baseball’s No. 2 official, the following month. Rose’s application for reinstatement seemed to be gaining momentum before a report that a $151,689 lien was placed on his Los Angeles-area home by the Internal Revenue Service.

Boston outfielder signs for two years

Fort Myers, Fla. — Kevin Millar agreed to a $5.3 million, two-year contract with the Boston Red Sox on Thursday, ending complicated offseason negotiations that nearly took him to Japan.

The contract includes a $3.5 million player option for 2005 that would become guaranteed if Millar has 800 plate appearances the next two seasons.

The outfielder made $1,050,000 with Florida last season.

Steinbrenner explains Jeter comments

Tampa, Fla. — George Steinbrenner was trying to motivate All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter with his offseason comments.

“I was trying to get him completely focused,” the New York Yankees’ owner said Thursday.

In a December interview with the New York Daily News, Steinbrenner said: “How much better would he be if he didn’t have all his other activities? I tell him this all the time. I say, ‘Jetes, you can’t be everything to everybody. You’ve got to focus on what’s important.”’