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Around the NL

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 30, 2001

Reds holding out hope for Griffey

SARASOTA -- Manager Bob Boone may wait until right before the season opener to decide whether Ken Griffey is in the Reds' lineup.

Griffey was walking and feeling better Thursday after getting more treatment on his pulled left hamstring. He won't play again in spring training, but hasn't ruled out the season opener Monday against Atlanta.

"We'll see in a couple of days," an upbeat Griffey said. "It wasn't as sore today."

Griffey hurt the hamstring while rounding third base on Monday and had to be helped off the field. He has gotten several hours of therapy each of the past three days and made major improvement.

"Junior is a lot better," Dr. Timothy Kremchek said. "The swelling is down, he's got a lot more mobility and there's less pain. It's still a possibility for opening day. We'll know more on Sunday."

BREWERS: It took only a few hours of practice for manager Davey Lopes to conclude Miller Park is going to be a hitters' haven.

"All my guys that can hit out of the ballpark were smiling. It looks like a hitters' park to me," Lopes said after the team's first workout at its new, $399-million home.

"Balls that normally don't go out, that didn't go out in County Stadium, will go out here. That's what the fans want to see."

CUBS: Sammy Sosa hit his ninth home run of the spring as Chicago beat Anaheim 7-5.

Sosa said he and his teammates were ready for the opener Monday against Montreal at Wrigley Field.

"Definitely, I am ready to go," said Sosa, who led the majors with 50 homers last year. "I'm ready to go to Chicago. I can see everybody's ready. We've played well in spring training. We're pretty optimistic."

Also, closer Tom Gordon will stay in Mesa, Ariz., when the rest of the team travels to Jackson, Tenn., for an exhibition game Saturday against its Double-A West Tennessee club.

Gordon, who hurt his right triceps lifting weights, will throw in a minor-league game and be evaluated after it.

Chicago hopes he can open the season on the active roster.

METS: Opening day starter Al Leiter finished a scoreless spring with four shutout innings in a 16-4 victory against Baltimore.

Leiter did not allow a run in 19 2/3 innings, going 4-0 in six exhibition outings. He gave up one hit and struck out four.

Leiter will start for the Mets on Tuesday at Atlanta.

"The results are there, I feel healthy and my arm feels fine and you don't have that baggage of wondering when it's all going to click," he said. "There is some merit do it, no doubt about it."

ROCKIES: Colorado signed first baseman Todd Helton to his nine-year contract extension worth $141.5-million.

Helton hit .372 with 42 home runs and 147 RBI last season.

"I think that what this contract lets me do is go out and play and statistically not worry about what happens," he said. "There's no denying that's a lot of money, and with that comes a lot of responsibility."

Also, infielder Mike Bell will have surgery in Denver to repair a broken bone in his left arm.

SUSPENSIONS: Cubs pitcher Julian Tavarez and Giants third baseman Russ Davis were suspended for the first few games of the season and fined for fighting during Monday's spring training game in Mesa, Arizona.

Tavarez was suspended for the first five games of the regular season, beginning Monday, and Davis was suspended for three.

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