Griffey Jr.

Cincinnati Reds: Ken Griffey Jr. missed the Reds' workout in Sarasota, Fla., on Wednesday because of a viral infection in his stomach and will be out for a couple days.

Griffey went to Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Tuesday night, complaining of fever, chills and stomach pains. He was treated and sent home. Doctors say he has a virus.

Griffey had a CAT scan and blood test, which were normal. He did not stay overnight at the hospital.

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals have taken a low-key approach with Rick Ankiel this spring, but manager Tony La Russa said Wednesday that he'd like the 22-year-old lefty to be one of the team's five starters this season, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Based on what he's seen so far in spring training, La Russa said that Ankiel would be one of the five starters. "He could help make us real good," La Russa said, "and without him it would be hard to be real good."

Ankiel has been flawless throwing from a bullpen mound and in three sessions against hitters, most recently on Tuesday. The command that mysteriously vanished during the 2000 playoffs and remained absent last spring and early last season has returned without any loss of velocity.

His next test is a start Sunday against the Montreal Expos.

"I feel like I want to feel. I'm satisfied I'm right where I want to be" Ankiel said after Wednesday's morning workout.

Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said that the club is intentionally playing down Ankiel's progress for two reasons: He has yet to clear the hurdle of facing major-league hitters, and there is no rush to build expectations as Ankiel works through the problems that plagued him the past two seasons.

Minnesota Twins: First baseman Doug Mientkiewicz left the Twins' spring training opener Wednesday after fouling a pitch off his right leg in the second inning.

	Mientkiewicz

Mientkiewicz fell down in pain, got up but had to sit down again and eventually walked to the dugout with a slight limp. The injury was diagnosed as a contusion; he was removed for precautionary reasons. The Twins said he should be back in the lineup for Minnesota's next game.

Todd Sears pinch hit for Mientkiewicz and drove in two runs with a single off Cincinnati's Danny Graves to put Minnesota up 5-0.

New York Yankees: Outfielder Rondell White will not hit or throw for at least 10 days because of a strained left rib cage.

	White

"It's probably going to be a 10-day period before we're on a day-to-day basis," Yankees manager Joe Torre said Wednesday. "Hopefully, it will responded to treatment. We anticipate Rondell White will be ready for opening day."

White was hurt swinging a bat Tuesday in an indoor cage.

"Guess I tried to swing to hard," White said. "It's nothing major. I'll be out there in a couple weeks and will be ready for the season."

Meanwhile, left-hander David Wells reported no problems after a bullpen session Wednesday, and remains on target to make his first game appearance since July on Monday.

Jason Giambi, who experienced tightness in his left hamstring Sunday, is expected to play Saturday against Toronto. ... New York opens the exhibition season Thursday against Cincinnati in Sarasota. Mike Mussina gets the start, and will be followed by Sterling Hitchcock. ... INF Manny Alexander is in camp after clearing up paperwork for his visa. GM Brian Cashman said the problem was not age related.

Kansas City Royals: First baseman Mike Sweeney was hit in the left arm by a Jeff Suppan pitch during the first inning of a Kansas City intrasquad game Wednesday.

Sweeney, who hit .304 with 29 home runs and 99 RBI last year, stayed in the game but left the clubhouse with a support around his elbow. He also was hit in the back by a throw while running the bases in the first inning. He is not expected to miss any games.

"I got drilled all day, but I'll be all right," he said.

On his next at-bat in the third inning, Sweeney had to duck out of the way of a Mike MacDougal pitch that sailed to the backstop.

The game also included Mark Tremonti, the guitarist for the rock group Creed, striking out against Jason Grimsley. Tremonti is a friend of Grimsley and was visiting camp.

Los Angeles Dodgers: First baseman Eric Karros is intent on putting up 30 homers and 100 RBI, number he invariably reaches by season's end.

	Karros

Karros accomplished those goals five times in six years for the Dodgers starting in 1995. Last year, he didn't come close, hitting .235-15-63 in 121 games. He was on the DL from late May to mid-June with a back injury.

Now 34, Karros is determined to get back to where he was.

"I feel as good as I've ever felt both mentally and physically," he said. "I feel like I've done everything I can do this winter, I've put myself in a position to succeed."

Karros spent two weeks in Vancouver, British Columbia, during the offseason with physical therapist Alex McKechnie, who has worked with Los Angeles Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal and is a consultant for the NHL and English Premier Soccer League.

Karros said he spent five or six hours in McKechnie's program every day while in Vancouver, and upon returning home worked out six or seven days a week for up to two hours for 2½ months before reporting to spring training.

Milwaukee Brewers: When second baseman Eric Young signed with the Milwaukee Brewers last month, he had two questions.

	Young

"The first thing he said was, 'What's the stolen base record on this club?' " general manager Dean Taylor recalled. "And when he was told it was 54, he said, 'I'm going to break it.' "

Then, Young looked at manager Davey Lopes and said, "I've got the green light, right?" You bet, Lopes said.

The Brewers haven't had a legitimate base-stealer atop their lineup in a decade, ever since Pat Listach set the club stolen base record as a rookie in 1992.

Milwaukee has had Darryl Hamilton, Fernando Vina, Marquis Grissom and Ronnie Belliard as their leadoff hitters in the nine Opening Days since. At 34, Young no longer lives up to his name, but he brings veteran leadership and his 31 steals last year for the Chicago Cubs were way more than any of the Brewers, who were led by Devon White's 18.

Meanwhile in camp, right-hander Francisco Campos, who starred in Mexico for a decade, displayed his nasty forkball and 93-mph fastball in his first workout Wednesday. Lopes said Campos, 29, will be given the opportunity to win a spot in the starting rotation.