Wells, Wolcott Sign Contracts With Mariners

Bob Wells and two other right-handed pitchers have been signed to contracts by the Seattle Mariners, club vice president Woody Woodward said Friday.

The others are Bob Wolcott, who was second on the team in starting assignments with 28 last year, and Derek Lowe, who spent last season in the minor leagues.

The Mariners now have all but six of the 39 players on their roster under contract.

Last season was the best for Wells, 30. He was 12-7 in 36 appearances with a 5.30 earned run average.

Wolcott, 23, was 7-10 with a 5.73 ERA.

Lowe, 24, was 6-9 with a 4.54 ERA at Class AAA Tacoma after being called up in May from AA Port City in North Carolina.

Sandberg helps Cubs over M’s

Ryne Sandberg and Sammy Sosa homered in the fifth inning and the Cubs beat the Mariners 6-2 Friday in the first game at Chicago’s new HoHoKam Park in Mesa, Ariz.

The spring park, built on the site of the old stadium by the same name, seats 12,500 and cost $18 million.

Sandberg and Sosa homered off Mac Suzuki.

Brian Raabe drove in both runs for Seattle.

Japanese ace sours on San Diego

A day after San Diego was awarded the rights to Hideki Irabu, his lawyer vowed that the Japanese pitcher would retire rather than sign with the Padres.

“This player will never sign any contract with San Diego - ever,” Jean Afterman said Friday. “When he does get the club of his choice, there will be a no-trade clause - no trade to San Diego. Not because of the players, but because the ownership and management of San Diego treated him like a piece of property, a piece of meat.”

Irabu, a 27-year-old right-hander who led Japan’s Pacific League in ERA the last two seasons, wants to sign with the Yankees and New York wants to sign him. But his team in Japan, the Chiba Lotte Marines, agreed in January to give the Padres exclusive negotiating rights.

Cecil Fielder’s wife makes court appearance

The wife of New York Yankees slugger Cecil Fielder was arraigned in Brevard County Court in Viera, Fla., this week on charges she resisted arrest without violence.

Police say Stacey Fielder ignored officers’ orders to stay away from a Feb. 8 accident scene involving her son and cousin. Her attorney said she just wanted to make sure her 10-year-old son wasn’t injured.

Bonilla sensitive to barbs

Bobby Bonilla had a delightful reunion with his former Baltimore teammates, exchanging greetings and high fives before the Florida Marlins played the Orioles at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

But the goodwill ended when it came to Orioles manager Davey Johnson.

Johnson barbed Bonilla last week at a charity breakfast for Oriole fans, saying Marlins left fielder Moises Alou would be spending a lot of time chasing balls in the corner if Bonilla plays third.

“He’s just a big hot-air balloon, so I don’t pay him no mind,” Bonilla said. “He’s in his own fantasy world, and I hope he enjoys it there.”

The two had a running feud last season, starting when Johnson made Bonilla the designated hitter.

Deion goes 0-fer in return

Deion Sanders, playing his first baseball game since 1995, went 0-for-2 Friday for Cincinnati against Texas.

Sanders started despite the death Friday of his stepfather, Willie Knight. Sanders batted leadoff and played center field for three innings.

Sanders left the majors after finishing the 1995 season with San Francisco. He played in the NFL for Dallas in 1996.