Roger Mcdowell

In 1986, Greg Harris saved 20 games for the Texas Rangers. At the end of the next season, he was not offered a contract. Last year Harris was, by several yardsticks, the Phillies' most effective pitcher. Last night, he was given his outright release. Here he goes again. "I'm not really surprised," Harris said after the announcement was made. "I asked for a chance and I got it. For a while. "Now I'm not getting enough work, so this is probably the best thing.

Two wild pitches by Harrisburg's William Brennan in the 10th inning gave the Reading Phillies a 5-4 victory over the Senators last night. Reading's Tony Longmire walked while leading off the home 10th. He was sacrificed to second by Sean Ryan, then went to third on a wild pitch while Brennan was trying to walk Casey Waller intentionally. Longmire scored on another wild pitch while Brennan was facing Cary Williams. Williams was 3 for 4, with a run scored and an RBI single that capped a three-run Reading rally in the eighth.

Phillies vs. Braves, 7:05 Citizens Bank Park. TV: Comcast SportsNet. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM); WUBA (1480-AM) Spanish. Ticket info: About 10,000 tickets remain for tonight's game. Braves update: Atlanta starters entered last night having allowed just 13 home runs in 203 2/3 innings, the best mark in baseball. The Phillies were second in the majors with 54 home runs ... The Braves are just 1-11 in one-run games, including a 5-4 loss to the Phillies 2 nights ago ... The Braves entered last night 5-15 on the road, the worst mark in the majors.

This is the time of year when baseball's action takes place, not between the white lines, but on the dotted lines. And so it was yesterday, with a blitz of contractual news coming out of Veterans Stadium as the deadline to file for salary arbitration passed. Headlining the financial flurry was a three-year, $6 million contract for reliever Roger McDowell. Floyd Youmans and Dave Hollins also came to terms on one-year deals, leaving 23 unsigned Phillies. Meanwhile, the seven remaining Phillies eligible for arbitration - Don Carman, Jeff Parrett, Darren Daulton, Steve Jeltz, Randy Ready, Dickie Thon and Curt Ford - all filed.

Life is no Sunday drive in the bullpen cart when you're The Closer Who Can't Close Anymore. No more lounging around the clubhouse until that dramatic trot to the bullpen in the seventh inning. No more handshakes and high-fives as the dugout empties and the credits roll on TV. Just that daily battle to avoid thinking about the disaster the night before. Just that lonely hope that things can't possibly get any worse - can they? Just that little voice in your brain, telling you that you're not going to vanish off the face of the earth, like Bob James and Ron Davis and DeWayne Buice.

Atlanta's McDowell placed on administrative leave We think Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell , a noted prankster, is not laughing now. The club placed him on administrative leave Friday while it investigates allegations that he was crude and brutish toward fans last Saturday in San Francisco. Specifically, he made homophobic comments toward three men during batting practice and made graphic gestures with a bat. When another fan, Justin Quinn , complained that his 9-year-old girls were in the stands, McDowell, bat in hand, walked up to Quinn and barked: "How much are your teeth worth?"

Gary Gaetti, angry at what he considered a low offer from the Kansas City Royals following a career season, agreed yesterday to a $2 million, two-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals. "Their offer was what I considered to be light considering what I did for them," said Gaetti, who had a career-high 35 home runs and 96 RBI last season. "It made me feel like I was demanding, and had I got what I thought I was worth, would have been pulling their teeth out. " "We needed to add some offensive pop to our infield," St. Louis general manager Walt Jocketty said.

The Minnesota Twins had been robbed, but they weren't ruined. Moments after centerfielder Otis Nixon took away Rich Becker's bid for a winning home run, Pedro Munoz hit an RBI single in the 10th inning last night that gave the Twins a 4-3 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers. Kirby Puckett followed Becker with a ground-rule double, and scored on Munoz's third hit of the game. Puckett tied Harmon Killebrew for the Twins' record of 1,047 runs. The Rangers remained one-half game ahead of Milwaukee for the wild-card lead.

Rookie Rondell White turned a rare start into a one-man show. White drove in all seven Montreal runs with a homer, double and two singles yesterday as the host Expos beat the fading Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-4, for their sixth straight victory. "I'll probably never do that again, so I really should appreciate it," White said. "With people on base, I tend to concentrate more," he said. "After I got my first hit, I started to relax. After my second hit, everything was a bonus.

ATLANTA - His eyes red and voice wavering, Roger McDowell returned as the Atlanta Braves' pitching coach Friday and apologized for his crude conduct that led to a suspension. He spent two weeks away from the game and promised there will be no repeat of such actions. "I've always said this is the best office in the world," the 50-year-old McDowell said before pausing to gather himself. "When I put the uniform back on, I felt how fortunate I am to be able to put this uniform on and represent the organization.

ATLANTA - His eyes red and voice wavering, Roger McDowell returned as the Atlanta Braves' pitching coach Friday and apologized for his crude conduct that led to a suspension. He spent two weeks away from the game and promised there will be no repeat of such actions. "I've always said this is the best office in the world," the 50-year-old McDowell said before pausing to gather himself. "When I put the uniform back on, I felt how fortunate I am to be able to put this uniform on and represent the organization.

McDowell suspended for crude remarks Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell was suspended for two weeks without pay Sunday by Major League Baseball for inappropriate comments and gestures he made toward fans before a game in San Francisco on April 23. The suspension is retroactive to Friday, when McDowell was placed on administrative leave by the Braves. He also was fined an undisclosed amount, will be required to complete sensitivity training, and will have to apologize directly to the fans involved, Justin Quinn and his family.

Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell was suspended for 2 weeks without pay yesterday by Major League Baseball for inappropriate comments and gestures he made toward fans before a game in San Francisco. The suspension is retroactive to Friday, when McDowell was placed on administrative leave by the Braves. He also was fined an undisclosed amount for the April 23 incident. McDowell will be required to complete sensitivity training and will have to apologize directly to the fans involved, Justin Quinn and his family.

Phillies vs. Braves, 7:05 Citizens Bank Park. TV: Comcast SportsNet. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM); WUBA (1480-AM) Spanish. Ticket info: About 10,000 tickets remain for tonight's game. Braves update: Atlanta starters entered last night having allowed just 13 home runs in 203 2/3 innings, the best mark in baseball. The Phillies were second in the majors with 54 home runs ... The Braves are just 1-11 in one-run games, including a 5-4 loss to the Phillies 2 nights ago ... The Braves entered last night 5-15 on the road, the worst mark in the majors.

The sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers from Peter O'Malley to Rupert Murdoch's Fox Group is the main topic for baseball's three-day quarterly meetings, which start today in St. Petersburg, Fla. The sale, for about $350 million, is expected to be approved Thursday. Fox would immediately take over operation of the team. Colorado Rockies chairman Jerry McMorris, head of the search committee for a commissioner, is to give an update at tonight's executive council meeting and tomorrow's National League meeting.

The U.S. Golf Association yesterday offered four-time U.S. Open champion Jack Nicklaus special exemptions into the U.S. Open through 2000, which would allow him to extend his streak of consecutive majors played beyond next month's Masters. The Augusta tournament would be his 145th major. When Nicklaus was not among those given exemptions by the USGA in January, it appeared that his streak would end at Augusta National. "The invitation was a surprise to Jack," Nicklaus spokesman Scott Tolley said from North Palm Beach, Fla. "He told USGA officials he would call them back this week.

The Baltimore Orioles, held in check offensively for most of the game, rallied to win in a scene reminiscent of last season, with one important difference - it came against a lefthander. Cal Ripken's sixth career grand slam capped a six-run seventh inning last night that carried the Orioles to an 8-4 win over the visiting Anaheim Angels. Eric Davis went 4-for-4, including a homer, and his single in the seventh inning was a key ingredient in the comeback. The uprising came against Chuck Finley (0-2)

The Boston Red Sox signed lefthander Steve Avery to a one-year contract, hoping he can rebound from a ribcage injury and lead a staff that lost Roger Clemens. Avery, 7-10 with a 4.47 ERA last season with Atlanta, became expendable after the Braves obtained lefty Denny Neagle in a trade with Pittsburgh. Avery was the MVP in the 1991 National League Championship Series, but was less successful in last year's postseason. In Game 4 of the World Series against New York, he walked Wade Boggs with the bases loaded in the 10th inning, forcing in the go-ahead run in an 8-6 Yankees win. Avery, 26, who missed nearly two months last season with the rib problem, is 72-62 lifetime in seven seasons, all with Atlanta.