Cincinnati Reds manager Ray Knight made peace with Reggie Sanders and Eric Anthony on Saturday after criticizing them for refusing to play in an exhibition game.
"I was angry, and I said some things I felt honestly about," Knight said at Plant City, Fla. "I'm not going back on any of that stuff, but they understand me."Knight was upset when he had no right fielder for a game against St. Louis on Thursday.
Sanders said he couldn't play because of a bruised right calf and Anthony refused to take Sanders' place, Knight said. The manager angrily criticized them after the Reds lost 9-6 in 11 innings.
Knight said he met with general manager Jim Bowden and trainer Greg Lynn to discuss what he called a "communication problem" stemming from Sanders' injury. He said the injury was more serious than he was led to believe.
Phillies
Darren Daulton continues to have problems learning how to play the outfield.
In Saturday's 15-11 loss to Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., the catcher turned left fielder was charged with his second error of the spring when he charged Otis Nixon's ground single and the ball got past him.
Daulton is struggling at bat, too. After going 1-for-3 Saturday, he's hitting .150.
Athletics
Steve Karsay, coming back from elbow surgery, threw 17 pitches, just seven of them strikes in one inning on Saturday against the Giants. He gave up a double and hit Shawon Dunston on the foot with a pitch, but did not allow a run.
Karsay, who had a ligament reconstructed in his elbow last June, has not pitched in a regular-season game since May 1994.
A's pitching coach Bob Cluck said Karsay's velocity hit 92 mph in his first performance last Monday, and was at least that good on Saturday.
Giants
Osvaldo Fernandez, scheduled to be San Francisco's No. 4 starter, allowed six runs and eight hits in 21/3 innings against Oakland. He balked twice, allowed two homers and walked two. He had been scheduled to pitch four innings, but threw so many pitches in the first inning that his stint was shortened.
"They hit everything I threw, high pitches and low pitches," said Fernandez, called for the balks because of faulty footwork while trying to pick off runners at first.
Yankees
Second baseman Pat Kelly will likely start the regular season on the disabled list. The results of a MRI taken Friday in New York showed tendinitis in his right shoulder.
"There is no reason to rush him," manager Joe Torre said. "Getting him healthy is what we're most concerned with. If takes an extra week, that's okay."
Kelly will be kept out of drills ten days. Tony Fernandez has been starting at second in Kelly's absence.
Torre apologized to Scott Kamieniecki for a statement earlier this week saying there were only six pitchers competing for five positions in the starting rotation. Torre said Saturday that Kamieniecki will be given every opportunity to earn a spot.
Kamieniecki pitched three innings Saturday, allowing two unearned runs and two hits.