Sports: Around the AL

Around the AL

Compiled from Times wires

Indians ready with Plan B for rotation

WINTER HAVEN -- Neither Charles Nagy nor Jaret Wright is prepared to start the season in the Indians' rotation. They will be placed on the disabled list and continue their work at the team's extended spring training program. Their progress, or lack thereof, will determine what happens next.

"We have no timetable for them," general manager John Hart said Sunday. "We want them to make a minimum of three starts down here and hopefully get to 100 pitches. Between April 10 and April 15, we'll evaluate them again. Depending on how that goes, they will stay here for another start or go on a rehabilitation assignment to Akron or Buffalo."

So what happens to the rotation?

All along, Hart and manager Charlie Manuel have had a plan to compensate for the loss of Nagy and Wright. Bartolo Colon is the Indians' No. 1 starter, Chuck Finley is No. 2 and Dave Burba No. 3.

Hart said that four pitchers are in the running for the final two spots: Steve Karsay, Steve Woodard, C.C. Sabathia and Tim Drew.

The favorite for the fourth position is Karsay. He is a veteran who started his entire career until the Indians pressed him into duty as a reliever in 1998. The only negative to Karsay returning as a starter is his history of elbow problems and the effect his loss will have on the bullpen.

ANGELS: Manager Mike Scioscia picked left-hander Scott Schoeneweis as his opening-day starter against Texas on April 3.

Schoeneweis has a 2-0 record this spring with a 2.35 ERA in 151/3 innings in four starts.

Also, the team added depth at shortstop, acquiring infielder Jose Nieves from the Cubs for reliever Mike Fyhrie and either cash or a player to be named.

Nieves, 25, most likely will back up shortstop Benji Gil and second basemen David Eckstein and Adam Kennedy, once Kennedy returns from a broken bone in his right hand.

MARINERS: Seattle agreed to a contract extension for the 2002 season with designated hitter Edgar Martinez, who led the league with 145 runs batted in last year.

RED SOX: What had been assumed for the past week was made official when Paxton Crawford was told that he'll start the season as the No. 5 starter.

The news, delivered by manager Jimy Williams and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan, delighted Crawford, who was not happy with some of his pitches after allowing two earned runs and six hits in 31/3 innings in a 3-1 loss to the Reds.

"Of course I'm happy," Crawford said. "But there are things that I need to improve on."

Said Williams: "I like his pitches. I like his presence on the mound."

Crawford admitted that he thought he had, at best, "a 50-50 shot -- nothing more than that," at making the rotation when camp began. But that was before David Cone was shut down with shoulder inflammation, Rolando Arrojo was moved to the bullpen and Tim Wakefield was shifted to relief to cover for the injured Hipolito Pichardo.

"This is another step in the right direction," he said. "I've got to take it and run with it."

Also, first baseman Brian Daubach, who fouled a ball off his big toe on Saturday, had X-rays that found no fracture.