Spitting Oriole Injures Ankle

Spring Training

Forget about that spring training meeting between Roberto Alomar and John Hirschbeck. Baltimore’s all-star second baseman will miss most of the exhibition season because of a sprained left ankle.

A test on Alomar’s ankle revealed a moderate to severe strain, and the Orioles said Wednesday the seven-time all-star could be sidelined up to four weeks.

Alomar, who is on crutches, twisted the ankle on a wet floor at home in a charity basketball game a week ago.

Alomar certainly won’t be in uniform on March 17, when the Orioles play the Boston Red Sox at Fort Meyers in an exhibition game that will be worked by unpire John Hirschbeck, whom Alomar spit on last September after being ejected from a game in Toronto. Hirschbeck’s first regular-season game with the Orioles is scheduled for April 22, when the Chicago White Sox are at Camden Yards.

Alomar was given a five-day suspension for the spitting incident and will sit out the first five games of the 1997 season.

Belle claims he didn’t bet on baseball

Baseball’s other bad boy, Albert Belle, reported for his first camp with the White Sox and issued a written statement saying he didn’t gamble on his own sport.

“I want to make one thing clear: I have never bet on baseball,” Belle’s statement said.

Belle, who until now had spent his entire big league career with Cleveland, promised to answer baseball-related questions today. He said during a deposition that he lost as much as $40,000 gambling on sports other than baseball.

Players get first arbitration victory

Boston knuckleballer Tim Wakefield became the first player to win in salary arbitration this winter, and owners ensured themselves a winning record when Chicago Cubs infielder Rey Sanchez settled Wednesday.

Wakefield was awarded $2.5 million by arbitrator James Duff, who heard the case Tuesday, rather than the $1.55 million offered by the Red Sox. Wakefield, a 28-year-old right-hander, led Boston in wins last season, going 14-13 with a 5.44 ERA in 32 starts. He made $450,000.

Owners have won three of four cases decided this winter, defeating Tom Goodwin, Aaron Sele and Darryl Kile.

World’s top athlete to help Giants

Olympic decathlon champion Dan O’Brien will join San Francisco for its workout Saturday at Scottsdale, Ariz. The Giants’ new off-season conditioning program was based in part on the system used by U.S. decathletes to prepare for the Atlanta Games.

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