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Sports notebook

By Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 20, 2000

Baylor correct to challenge him

After ripping manager Don Baylor for not giving him enough respect earlier this season, Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa said Baylor knew what he was talking about when he challenged him to be a better player.

"It's good sometimes that people say something (negative) about me because that's good motivation," Sosa said. "I work harder and get better."

Sosa has lost 15 pounds since spring training, going from 236 to 221, and is playing better in rightfield.

"It's night and day," centerfielder Damon Buford said. "Now he's the prototypical rightfielder who makes all the plays. You can't ask for more."

Sosa acknowledged that losing weight has helped.

"Maybe I was a little bit overweight," he said. "But for the last three or four years my manager was telling me he didn't want me to steal bases. He wanted me to drive in runs and be more productive."

He has remained productive at the lower weight, with 18 home runs in his past 36 games through Friday.

DODGERS: Los Angeles has had six home sellouts, and the common thread is not the hated Braves or hated Giants being in town. The sellouts have come on Backpack Day, Opening Day, Pokemon Trading Card Day, T-Shirt Night, Sports Watch Night and Rally Towel Night. ... Leftfielder Gary Sheffield has 22 homers at Dodger Stadium, matching the record catcher Mike Piazza set in 1997. ... After a leadoff single by Jay Payton in the first inning, Todd Pratt went sprawling on a high-and-tight pitch and catcher Chad Kreuter caught Payton leaning the wrong way. It was the first pickoff by a Dodgers catcher this season.

GIANTS: Right-hander Joe Nathan, activated from the disabled list, will be used in long relief.

METS: Rightfielder Derek Bell's homer gave him seven hits and seven RBI in 15 career at-bats against Chan Ho Park.

PIRATES: Third baseman Aramis Ramirez (bruised left hand) left after being hit by a pitch in the second inning. It was the second time this week he was hit on the hand, and he was taken to a Cincinnati hospital for a bone scan.

REDS: Second baseman Pokey Reese (tight left hamstring) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game. ... Barry Larkin (sore left knee) didn't play. He remains one hit shy of 2,000. ... Saturday's paid attendance of 34,370 brought the club's season total to 2,030,505 in 61 home dates, the fastest Cincinnati has reached 2-million.

ANGELS: Darin Erstad, the major-league hit leader with 189, left with a muscle spasm in his left rib cage in the fourth inning. He is day-to-day.

ATHLETICS: Jason Giambi (shoulder) and Randy Velarde (neck) sat out.

INDIANS: Manny Ramirez's 13 grand slams tie him for second on the active career list with Harold Baines. Ken Griffey and Robin Ventura have 14.

MARINERS: Jamie Moyer and Houston's Jose Lima have given up 10 or more runs in back-to-back starts this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no pitcher had accomplished the feat since Alex Kellner did it for the 1950 Philadelphia Athletics.

ORIOLES: Baltimore is a season-high 151/2 games out of first place.

RED SOX: Pedro Martinez left without allowing a run for the eighth time in 22 starts. ... Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra began the game in a 2-for-16 slump, matching his season-worst stretch. He went 1-for-2 with two walks. ... The crowd of 33,222 was the 46th sellout crowd this season and the 36th in a row.

ROYALS: Johnny Damon tripled to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. He has 106 runs, tied with Seattle's Alex Rodriguez for the league lead.

TIGERS: Juan Gonzalez's first-inning single extended his hitting streak to a season-best 11 games.

TWINS: Brad Radke has pitched at least six innings in 22 of 27 starts.

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