Cuban Players Lost At Sea

Rough seas and windy weather dimmed rescue hopes Wednesday for four Cuban baseball players and a coach who left their homeland a week ago on a flimsy boat bound for the United States.

Members of the Miami-based group Brothers to the Rescue flew over the waters between the communist island and Florida, but found no sign of the missing players.

“If they haven’t made it to land, in these conditions, I doubt very seriously they’d be alive,” said Jose Basulto, who heads the group which flies regular missions looking for Cuban rafters.

The group of defectors, including four members of the national team, left Cuba on March 10.

All five of the missing were banned from baseball on the island last July because Cuban authorities suspected they were planning to defect. They are:

Jorge Luis Toca, 23, a first baseman.

Angel Lopez, 25, a catcher.

Jorge Diaz, 23, a second baseman.

Orlando Chinea, pitching coach, believed to be 41.

Michael Jova, a 17-year-old shortstop from Cuba’s junior Olympic team.

Orlando Hernandez, half-brother of 1997 World Series MVP Livan Hernandez, is due to report today to the New York Yankees, who earlier this month signed him to a $6.6 million, four-year contract. Orlando Hernandez and seven others fled the island on a rickety boat Dec. 28.

“When we told Orlando about those missing ballplayers, he broke down and cried,” said Rene Guim, a spokesman for Hernandez’s agent, Joe Cubas. “The only thing we’re doing is praying right now.”

Turner speaks his piece

Despite an impassioned plea by Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner to block media giant Rupert Murdoch from buying the Dodgers, major league owners are expected today to approve the $311 million sale.

In a two hour meeting, Turner, whose own media company, Time Warner, rivals Murdoch’s empire, addressed owners, but refused to speak afterward. A grim-faced Dodgers President Peter O’Malley left without comment, but acting Commissioner Bud Selig said the sale will be put to a vote this morning.

That is critical for O’Malley, whose family has controlled the club since 1950. Sources said Selig would not allow a vote unless he knew it would pass.

Turner and his fellow owners will get another chance to express their views before the sale is put to a vote.

In an effort to cut 15 minutes from the average time of nine-inning games, owners said that pitchers must throw the ball within 12 seconds after a hitter settles into the batter’s box with no one on base.

The average time of a nine-inning game was 3 hours, 1 minute in the American League last season, up from 2:52 in 1991. In the National League, it was 2:52, up from 2:46.

Florida Marlins president Don Smiley was given approval by the ownership committee to become the team’s controlling owner if he can complete his purchase from H. Wayne Huizenga.

Surgery scares Schilling

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling, who has used smokeless tobacco for 15 years, must stop or risk developing cancer.

Schilling quit cold turkey on Monday, days after having a white lesion removed from his mouth.

“The sad thing about it is I had to wait until I had no choice,” Schilling said. “I would like to think I know what it’s like to be addicted to drugs. I made the choice to dip, but I didn’t choose the addiction.”

Nilsson has surgery

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder David Nilsson could be out at least six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee, the team said.

Nilsson had surgery performed on the same knee during the off-season.

Mariners lose twice

Jeromy Burnitz and Bobby Hughes hit home runs, and the Milwaukee Brewers had 15 hits off four Seattle Mariners pitchers in a 12-7 victory at Peoria, Ariz.

It was the Mariners’ only split-squad game of the spring. Seattle also lost 5-3 to the Chicago Cubs in Mesa.

The Mariners got home runs from Alex Rodriguez and Edgar Martinez. Martinez went 3 for 3.

For the Cubs, Manny Alexander drove in four runs, including a sacrifice fly that sent home Matt Mieske to break a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning.

Seattle starter Billy Swift pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits.

At other parks

Andres Galarraga drove in five runs and Denny Neagle pitched five innings, running his scoreless streak to 14, as Atlanta beat Cleveland 10-0.

Darin Erstad hit his first two spring training homers and drove in five runs, leading Anaheim over Arizona 9-0.