Baseball

Baylor's cancer called treatable

PORT ST. LUCIE -- Mets coach Don Baylor has been diagnosed with cancer in his bone marrow but hopes the chemotherapy treatments won't cause him to miss any games.

"I know what I have to do and I plan to do it," Baylor said Thursday. "It's a good time to get it done and get it behind me. It's treatable, so why not treat it now?"

Baylor, 53, will treat the multiple myeloma with four days of oral and intravenous chemotherapy beginning Tuesday, the day after the Mets open the season against Baylor's former team, the Cubs.

"There's a fairly high upfront success rate, somewhere in the vicinity of 60-70 percent," Dr. John Olichney said about the possibility of complete remission. "The problem is that there are recurrences."

The Mets also said right-hander David Cone, trying to come back from a one-year absence, will stay in Florida when the team breaks camp to build his stamina.

PUCKETT TRIAL: The woman accusing Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett of sexual assault testified she was terrified and tried to escape when he dragged her into a restaurant restroom. The woman was the first witness called by prosecutors as the trial opened in Minneapolis.

ASTROS: Right-hander Shane Reynolds was put on waivers by Houston, which decided to use young right-hander Tim Redding and left-hander Jeriome Robertson in its rotation.

A'S: Right-handed reliever Jim Mecir, a former Devil Ray, had a simulated game canceled because of tightness in his left quads.

BRAVES: Left-hander Mike Hampton, a former Crystal River standout, allowed an unearned run in four innings in a 7-2 win over the Astros.

MARINERS: Shortstop Carlos Guillen has a mild left hip strain.

PADRES: Outfielders Brady Anderson and Roberto Kelly failed to make the team as nonroster invitees. Kelly, 38, was granted his release. Anderson, 39, accepted assignment to Triple-A Portland.

RANGERS: Rookie third baseman Mark Teixeira and fellow third baseman Hank Blalock will open the season on the 25-man roster. ... Right-hander Colby Lewis was named the No. 4 starter.

REDS: Chuck Harmon, who in 1954 became the team's first black player, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch April 4 at the first game at Great American Ball Park.

ROYALS: Outfielder Carlos Beltran was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle. Michael Tucker will open the season in centerfield, and Brandon Berger and Dee Brown will split time in right.

WHITE SOX: Right-hander Danny Wright went on the 15-day DL with an inflamed right elbow.

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