Baseball

Goodwill visit a pain in the butt

GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico -- Montreal pitcher T.J. Tucker volunteered to be shot Wednesday.

He's okay. The bullet wasn't real.

"It was a once in a lifetime thing," the former River Ridge standout said.

It was all part of the Expos' goodwill visit to Fort Buchanan, where Tucker and teammates signed autographs, told stories about big-league life and showed kids how to grip fastballs and curves.

Just before the players got ready to leave the military base, a fully packed Army MP asked whether any of them wondered how it would feel to be shot.

When Tucker gamely said he'd try, a soldier provided a protective helmet, marched him 15 feet and turned him around. The MP took aim at Tucker's backside and, with a loud pop, fired a practice round from a simulated 9 mm pistol used for training.

Tucker stiffened but never squawked when he was hit squarely in the left buttock. The shot left six small pink marks in a circular pattern on his pants, which will wash out, and caused several of his teammates to wince.

"It stung a little bit, not bad," said the 6-foot-3, 265-pound pitcher. "I never thought they'd allow it. But when they said okay, I wanted to do it."

There was plenty of enthusiasm to go around at the only active U.S. Army base in the Caribbean.

About 400 children and family members of military personnel turned out for the two-hour visit. Manager Frank Robinson, closer Rocky Biddle and the other Expos rode three Humvees onto the base's ballfield, passed out caps and posed for pictures.

ANGELS SALE: If Arturo Moreno succeeds in buying Anaheim, he would become the first Hispanic person to own a major-league franchise, taking over a team based in a community with a large and growing Hispanic population.

To baseball and industry experts, that could be a match made in marketing heaven.

"It's not just the fact that he has a Spanish name. It's also the fact that he understands the game and is passionate about it," said David Carter, who owns a Los Angeles sports consulting firm. "He can deliver baseball to a very important burgeoning market: young Hispanics."

GIANTS: Closer Robb Nen is scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on his ailing right (pitching) shoulder today in Los Angeles.

PHILLIES: Right-handed reliever Turk Wendell made his first appearance since Sept. 18, 2001, and pitched two shutout innings. He missed last season with right elbow tendinitis.

YANKEES: Closer Mariano Rivera reported no problems one day after throwing 40 pitches in batting practice. The right-hander is on the 15-day disabled list with a right groin strain.

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