Mendoza

New York Yankees: Yankees reliever Ramiro Mendoza is not likely to be ready to pitch by opening day.

Mendoza has pitched just once this spring because of upper back and neck stiffness.

"I don't think he'll be ready," Torre said Saturday. "Different people heal differently. He feels bad about it."

Mendoza was scheduled to play catch in Tampa. The right-hander went 8-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 56 games last season.

"I want him to take his time," Torre said.

Should Mendoza remain in Florida when the team breaks camp, Mike Thurman is among the possible replacements to fill the spot on the active roster.

In Saturday's game, Rickey Henderson hit a leadoff home run Saturday as the Boston Red Sox lost to the New York Yankees 8-7 in a split-squad game. Henderson took a slow, wide shuffle out of the batters' box, apparently angering Orlando Hernandez.

After Henderson flied out ending the second, the pair exchanged words as they passed while heading to their dugouts.

Hernandez then left his dugout, headed toward Henderson near home plate and had to be restrained by Yankees manager Joe Torre. Henderson said El Duque cursed at him.

"I'm not a big home-run hitter, but when I hit them, I enjoy them," Henderson said.

Henderson, who holds the record for career homers leading off a game, said that if El Duque doesn't like the way he plays "we'll go play in the street."

"Probably when he was crawling around on his knees, I was playing baseball, unless he's as old as I am -- he probably is," Henderson said. "Maybe he needs to grow up a little bit."

Henderson is 43. Hernandez, who refused comment, lists his age as 32, but his birth certificate indicates he is 36.

"Rickey talks to himself after every pitch," Torre said. "It was hot out there. The heat didn't help. It didn't get out of hand."

Pedro Martinez gave up home runs to Juan Rivera, Robin Ventura and Shane Spencer, allowing six runs and six hits in four innings. He said his right shoulder, which caused him to miss much of last season, felt fine.

Hernandez, fighting for a spot in the Yankees' rotation, improved to 3-0 this spring, allowing two runs and four hits in four innings.

	Snow

San Francisco Giants: Giants first baseman J.T. Snow left Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning after being hit by a pitch on the right elbow by starter Glendon Rusch.

"It's been a rough spring for me," said Snow. "I was hurt the second day in camp. And, earlier this week, I had an ingrown toenail removed."

On Feb. 22, Snow sprained his right ankle while participating in an infield drill.

Snow had an elastic bandage wrapped around the elbow and thought he would miss several days before returning to the lineup.

"It's stiff," he said. "It hit the bone and the whole arm went numb."

Snow had words with both Rusch and Brewers catcher Raul Casanova as he walked up the first-base line.

"I told them to throw the ball over the plate," Snow said. "They got angry about me accusing them of trying to hit me. But I told them I didn't say that. I was just venting and I was frustrated that I was hurt again."

	Person

Philadelphia Phillies: Robert Person was picked Saturday to be the Phillies' opening-day starter, and manager Larry Bowa sent Nelson Figueroa and Cliff Politte to the bullpen.

Person was 15-7 in 2001 and is widely regarded as the staff ace, but is 0-1 with a 19.13 ERA in four spring starts.

"If it wasn't for Person last year, we don't even come close to being in the race," said Bowa, whose club finished two games behind first-place Atlanta in the NL East last season. "I think it's an honor anytime you're an opening-day pitcher. There's only one opening day and there are 162 games."

The opening-day assignment will be the first for Person, 47-37 as a major leaguer since 1995, including 34-19 with the Phillies since 1998.

"I've considered myself an ace for the last three years, and this means that it's an official title now," Person said. "I've pitched like it, and now I'll be recognized publicly."

With Figueroa and Politte now relievers, right,handers Vicente Padilla and David Coggin become the top candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. Prospect Brett Myers is a longshot.

"I wanted to be honest with Nelson and Cliff, get their mindset where they're going to be coming into a game in relief," Bowa said. "Do they have the stuff to be a starter? Yeah. But we're deep in starting, so we have to go to Plan B."

Person will pitch again Sunday in a Triple-A game. Bowa hopes the opening-day assignment helps his confidence.

"We better get him straightened out or we'll be in trouble," Bowa said. "I want him to throw strikes a little more consistently, and obviously I hope his confidence increases a little bit."

Texas Rangers: Alex Rodriguez hit a grand slam but John Rocker had his worst outing of the spring and the Rangers lost to a Boston Red Sox split squad 6-5 Saturday.

Rocker, making a start as the Rangers tried to get work for some of their relievers, gave up three runs on three hits and his own throwing error in the first inning.

Johnny Damon tripled, Quilvio Veras had an RBI single and Trot Nixon doubled down the right-field line to start the Boston first before Tony Clark popped out.

Rocker fielded Shea Hillenbrand's chopper in front of the plate, but threw the ball over first baseman Herbert Perry, allowing two runs in.

Rocker, acquired from Cleveland in December, got two called third strikes to end the first. But he walked two batters and gave up another hit in the second, when he benefitted from a double play.

"I felt like I threw well. My velocity was good," said Rocker, who threw nearly 50 pitches in his two innings. "My fastball and slider were both good. I'm just a poor fielder."

Todd Van Poppel took over in the third and allowed three runs and five hits in two innings, including Veras' two-run triple in the fourth that made it 6-1.

It was the fifth appearance of the spring for Rocker, who in seven innings has given up five runs and nine hits. He has six walks and four strikeouts.

"I thought Rocker made some good pitches," Rangers manager Jerry Narron said. "The big thing is to see guys make pitches. I know he's working on some things. He'll be fine.

"Van Poppel needs to work on his location and command," Narron said.

Montreal Expos: Jose Canseco homered for the second time this spring, a two-run shot in the first inning, and the Montreal Expos went on to a 5-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

Endy Chavez, who was picked up off waivers from the New York Mets last month, also hit a two-run homer for the Expos.

John Smoltz pitched two scoreless innings for the Braves after giving up homers in each of his previous two outings.

"Today was good," said Smoltz, who surrendered only one hit and struck out four. "This felt more like what I can do."

Smoltz, who had surgery to remove half the fingernail on his right thumb in January, is still adjusting to the new feeling in his hand. He made a slight change while throwing in the bullpen Friday and got immediate results.

"Normally, you don't think about the thumb when you're throwing," he said. "When you're thinking about it, you're not going to throw right."

Smoltz lowered his ERA to 5.40 with his first two-inning stint of the spring.

"The ball was jumping out of my hand," he said. "My slider and splitter were really good."

Loser Albie Lopez wasn't so good. Working on a new slide step from the stretch, he hung a curve to Canseco and watched it sail over the left-field fence.

Lopez, who will be the Braves' fifth starter, was limited to four innings because of a sore back. He gave up five hits and three runs, raising his ERA to 6.00 in four starts.

On the other hand, winner Masato Yoshii is having a brilliant spring for the Expos. He pitched five scoreless innings, giving him 14 innings overall without an earned run.

Yoshii also drove in a run with a second-inning groundout.

Chavez's homer came in the seventh against Jose Cabrera, who is contending for one of three openings in the Atlanta bullpen.

The Braves were limited to six hits. Eddie Perez drove in their lone run with a double in the eighth.