Angels release Appier after poor performance

Anaheim, Calif. — The defending World Series champion Anaheim Angels dispatched their third pitcher in three days Wednesday when they released struggling right-hander Kevin Appier.

Appier, 35, was 7-7 with a 5.63 ERA in 19 starts this season while pitching with a sore elbow and a strained right forearm that kept him on the disabled list for 13 games.

Appier, the ninth overall pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 1987 amateur draft, has a career record of 168-134 — including seven seasons of 14 or more victories — and is just 13 strikeouts away from 2,000. He made the All-Star team once with the Royals in 1995.

Cubs snare Glanville

Chicago — The Texas Rangers traded center fielder Doug Glanville to the Chicago Cubs Wednesday in exchange for minor-league outfielder Jason Fransz and cash. Glanville hit .272 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 52 games for the Rangers. He signed a $1 million, one-year contract with Texas in the offseason after five seasons with Philadelphia.

Oakland acquires Guillen

Cincinnati — The Oakland Athletics bulked up their outfield by getting Jose Guillen from the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday for right-hander Aaron Harang and two minor-league pitchers. Guillen was the Reds’ top hitter, filling in during Ken Griffey Jr.’s two serious injuries. He was hitting .337 with 23 homers and 63 RBIs in 91 games.

Split schedule unlikely for Expos in 2004

Montreal — Expos players and their union are unlikely to approve having the team play home games in different sites next year.

The team met Wednesday with the players’ association, which negotiated the agreement that allowed 22 of the Expos’ home games to be moved this season from Montreal to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“We want to play 81 games in one city,” said catcher Brian Schneider, the Expos’ player representative.

The Expos are being sought by Northern Virginia; Portland, Ore.; and Washington, D.C. Baseball owners still haven’t determined where the team will play next season, and Puerto Rico has offered to host the team for all 81 games.

Crowding, electrical woe caused Coors accident

Denver — The company that maintains escalators at Coors Field said Wednesday that overcrowding and a misconnected wire caused a malfunction that injured more than 30 people at a Colorado Rockies game earlier this month.

Trevor Nink, president and CEO of Kone Inc., said company tests found a wire was inadvertently connected to the wrong terminal, which caused a delay of about three-quarters of a second before the escalator’s brakes took hold.

Under normal conditions, that wouldn’t be a problem, Nink said. But overcrowding on the three-story escalator caused it to reach a speed beyond the capacity of the brakes.

Mondesi’s debut delayed

Miami — Rush-hour traffic and a busy airport delayed outfielder Raul Mondesi’s arrival at Pro Player Stadium, and he was scratched from the lineup shortly before game time Wednesday by his new team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mondesi was acquired in a trade Tuesday with the New York Yankees.

Houston’s Oswalt ailing

Houston — Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday for the third time this season after re-injuring his groin. Oswalt left Tuesday’s 6-3 loss to Atlanta in the third inning.

Lieber throws off mound

Tampa, Fla. — New York Yankees pitcher Jon Lieber threw off a mound Wednesday for the first time since his abdominal injury. Lieber, who had reconstructive elbow surgery last August, still expects to pitch in minor-league games next month.

Rusch placed on DL

New York — The Milwaukee Brewers placed pitcher Glendon Rusch on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained groin Wednesday and purchased the contract of right-hander David Manning from Triple-A Indianapolis. Rusch, a former Royal, is 1-12 with a 7.21 ERA in 20 games this year.

Neagle has surgery

Cincinnati — Colorado Rockies left-hander Denny Neagle had season-ending surgery Wednesday to repair a ligament in his pitching elbow.