Atlanta Braves: The Braves placed pitcher Paul Byrd on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a sore right elbow.

The move was made retroactive to March 21. Byrd, supposed to be the Braves' fourth starter, will be eligible to be activated April 5.

Byrd pitched two scoreless innings in a game against Houston minor leaguers Monday without any problems. He pitched three innings Friday night in a game against Cleveland Class A minor leaguers, allowing three hits and one earned run in three innings.

It was only Byrd's third outing of spring training. He strained his groin early, then hurt his elbow by compensating for the other injury. Florida when the Braves left for home Thursday.

"He had a little bit of pain, but nothing he can't work with,'' Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He'll pitch in two or three more days and stretch it out to three or four innings, then do it again. After that, we'll see where we are.''

Without Byrd, rookie Horacio Ramirez will likely join Greg Maddux, Mike Hampton, Russ Ortiz and Jason Marquis in the Braves' rotation.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox placed pitchers Robert Person and Matt White on the 15-day disabled list Friday and claimed right-hander Dicky Gonzalez off waivers from the Montreal Expos.

The Red Sox also sent Adrian Brown outright to Triple-A Pawtucket after Tampa declined to take back outfielder, selected by Boston in the winter meeting draft.

Right-hander Hector Almonte and right-hander Bronson Arroyo also were sent outright to Pawtucket and catcher Chris Coste was reassigned to the minor league camp.

Person, who was 4-5 with a 5.44 ERA in 16 starts for the Philadelphia Phillies last season. He had right shoulder surgery on July 22 and didn't pitch again last season. The Red Sox signed him as a free agent, and he pitched five innings this spring with a 7.20 ERA.

The left-handed White, who has a right oblique strain, had a 1.93 ERA in 9 1-3 innings this spring.

Gonzalez, 24, went 8-5 with a 3.75 ERA last season in 22 starts for the New York Mets' Triple-A Norfolk farm team and one start with Montreal's Triple-A Ottawa team.

In eight relief appearances this spring with the Expos, he was 1-0 with a save and a 3.86 ERA, striking out 15 in 14 innings.

Lowe impressive against Braves
Derek Lowe closed out a shaky spring by pitching one-hit ball for six innings as the Red Sox beat the Atlanta Braves 4-0 Friday night at Turner Field.

Lowe, who went 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA last season, entered with an 8.36 ERA in five previous spring starts.

"I feel like I figured some things out," Lowe said. "I think the big thing ... a major league stadium, the crowd, your focus is a little more intense. Just a different atmosphere. Spring training, you kind of, you know, lose focus."

The right-hander, who will make his first regular-season start Wednesday against Tampa Bay, gave up 20 hits and 13 earned runs in 14 innings before Friday night.

He was nearly unhittable against the Braves, giving up only a ground single to center by Chipper Jones in the fifth inning. Lowe got 14 groundball outs, walked one and struck out two to lower his spring ERA to 5.85.

"I took this like a regular game. We get a lead, I try to make sure they don't score, that type attitude," he said. "I think the biggest thing tonight was I was able to consistently throw inside to right-handed hitters. If anything, that's what I was lacking."

Chicago Cubs: Matt Clement allowed one run over five innings in his final spring tuneup and Moises Alou hit a two-run homer as the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-3 Friday night.

Clement, the No. 2 starter in the Cubs' rotation behind Kerry Wood, had his best outing of what had been a difficult spring. The right-hander allowed five hits, struck out four and walked one.

Clement, who entered with a spring ERA of 7.07, retired his first 11 batters before Junior Spivey's two-out double in the fourth inning. Clement will start for the Cubs in their second game in New York against the Mets on Wednesday.

"He's been getting better and better and better," manager Dusty Baker said. "That's what you like to see, especially late in the spring like this. He threw the ball great. He had a no-hitter for a long time."

New York Yankees: Mike Mussina struck out seven over five innings and Bubba Trammell homered as the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 Friday in the final major league spring training game at Jack Russell Stadium.

The Phillies will move next year to a new spring training ballpark, a few miles away. Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, who started the first game at Jack Russell in 1955, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Mussina gave up four hits and one walk

"I feel better about the way I'm throwing the ball coming out of spring this year,'' Mussina said. "Hopefully, I can be consistent and throw the ball well and not have the struggles that I had the first part of last year.''

Cuban right-hander Jose Contreras made his first relief appearance since being informed earlier this week that he will start the season in the bullpen. He lost out to Jeff Weaver for the Yankees' fifth starter spot.

Contreras pitched two scoreless innings.

Surprise: Anderson stays with Yankees
Jason Anderson had to buy two suit coats.

The pitcher never expected to make the Yankees' major league roster, and went to spring training without any dressy attire. The Yankees, who start the season on the road, often require jackets to be worn on their trips.

"It's a foot in the door," Anderson said Friday after learning he made the team. "Even if I'm there a day, I can say I'm a major league baseball player."

Anderson, who has gone from struggling Class-A starter to the Yankees' bullpen in one year, beat out Randy Choate for the final bullpen spot.

"I was definitely shocked," Anderson said. "I wanted to get out of there before they changed their mind."

With Mariano Rivera (groin) and Steve Karsay (shoulder) starting the season on the disabled list, Anderson took advantage of the opportunity.

Left-handers Sterling Hitchcock, who started the spring trying to win the fifth starter spot, and Chris Hammond are set to be in the bullpen.

Choate spent parts of the past three seasons with the Yankees.

"You can kind of see it coming," Choate said.

Cincinnati Reds: The jet flew right over downtown on its approach to the airport, giving Reds players a spectacular view of their new ballpark.

One by one, they pressed foreheads to the right-side windows and looked down in wide-eyed amazement.

"Incredible," shortstop Barry Larkin said Friday. "The bird's-eye view we had last night on the plane -- an absolute Field of Dreams. The ballpark was lit up. It sits up kind of by itself, right on the river. Pretty sweet."

Players acted more like fans when they walked into Great American Ball Park on Friday and started getting accustomed to their new home -- one the franchise has been dreaming about since 1995.

The Reds showed up early for a sold-out exhibition against the Cleveland Indians that amounted to a dry-run for the ballpark.

One after another quickly ran out of adjectives to describe the baseball-only park that replaced Cinergy Field, one of the cookie-cutter stadiums that was built for both football and baseball but suited neither.

Even for the visitors, the contrast was stunning.

"It's not like the other place -- the cereal bowl," Indians pitcher Terry Mulholland said, swiveling his head from side. "Cincinnati has always been a baseball town. One of the things that kept people away was the stadium itself. This is an improvement."

Whether good or bad, the ballpark is distinct.

"Just the seat color -- red -- that alone separates it from most of the ballparks," Mulholland said. "They've got a lot of lighter colors to it. There's not the retro brick that you see in other ballparks."

Reds players were more interested in the spacious clubhouse, which has 20 television sets, and the maze of hallways leading to the trainer's rooms, weight rooms, batting cages and even a chapel.

Toronto Blue Jays : The Blue Jays are leaving Justin Miller behind in Florida.

Miller, who got a late start after injuring his right shoulder lifting weights in January, was optioned Friday to Class-A Dunedin of the Florida State League.

"We won't need a fifth starter until April 12,'' Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca said.

Miller was 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three games this spring. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- and six hits against the New York Yankees on Thursday.

"I still had to battle for the first two innings," he said. "I had trouble executing with two strikes on the hitters."

Miller will throw once on the side and pitch in two Class-A games with a 75-pitch limit in the first and a 90-pitch limit in the second.

Milwaukee Brewers: Right-hander Nick Neugebauer, likely out for the season, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday by the Brewers.

Neugebauer, 22, had arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on March 7, and Dr. Lewis Yocum repaired his rotator cuff and labrum.

Milwaukee's minor league pitcher of the year in 2001, Neugebauer made 14 starts in the major leagues in 2001 and 2002, going 2-8 with a 4.99 ERA.

Neugebauer spent time on the DL during both seasons and didn't pitch in spring training this year.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Kevin Brown struck out eight in the final tuneup for what he hopes will be his first injury-free season since 1999, and the Dodgers beat the Anaheim Angels 5-3 Friday night.

Brown gave up one run and six hits in 5 1-3 innings. He fanned Tim Salmon with the bases loaded and the tying run at the plate to end the fifth.

Brown went 2-1 with a 1.03 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 26 1-3 innings this spring and is scheduled to make his season debut Wednesday night at Arizona.

Brown, entering the fifth year of a $105 million, seven-year contract, totaled only 29 starts the last two seasons -- after averaging 32 starts over the previous 10 years. The 38-year-old right-hander, who underwent elbow surgery in Sept. 2001, has been on the disabled list six times since joining the Dodgers.

Dodgers release Veras
The Dodgers released infielder Quilvio Veras and sent four other players to the minors Friday.

Veras, who turns 32 next Thursday, batted .294 with four RBI in 20 spring training games. The seven-year veteran, who has played with Florida, San Diego and Atlanta, sat out the entire 2002 season while recovering from a knee injury.

The Dodgers also assigned infielder Larry Barnes, outfielder Calvin Murray and reliever Bryan Corey to the minors.

Infielder Gookie Dawkins, claimed on waivers March 17, was sent outright to Triple-A Las Vegas after going 0-for-17.

The Dodgers are down to 32 players on the roster, including 14 pitchers. They are considering starting the season with 12 pitchers.

Cleveland Indians: Right-hander Aaron Myette went on the 15-day disabled list Friday, giving left-hander Billy Traber a spot in the Indians' bullpen.

Myette strained his right thigh in practice on March 26, a day after he pitched three innings against Houston. He had a 3.27 ERA in seven appearances this spring.

Traber, who has never played in the major leagues, pitched 16 innings this spring and had a 1.69 ERA.

The Indians plan to put Cliff Lee, Mark Wohlers, Bob Wickman and Ricky Gutierrez on the disabled list Saturday.

Houston Astros: Right-hander Brandon Puffer was optioned Friday to Triple-A New Orleans as the Astros prepared to get their active roster down to the 25-man limit.

The team plans to purchase the contract of left-hander Bruce Chen from Triple- A New Orleans following Saturday night's exhibition finale.

Puffer was 3-3 with a 4.43 ERA in 55 games for the Astros last season. He had a 1.50 ERA in seven appearances this spring.

Chen signed a minor league contract with the Astros on March 10 and has pitched 5 1-3 scoreless innings in six appearances since joining the team.

Montreal Expos: Vladimir Guerrero hit a 498-foot home run in the first off winner Michael Tejera, as the Florida Marlins beat the Expos 8-4 Friday in their Florida spring training finale.

"I don't remember if I have hit one further in this park, Guerrero said.

Loser Zach Day gave up eight runs and 11 hits in four innings.

Florida's Juan Pierre went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Ivan Rodriquez was 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Florida Marlins: The Marlins released 35-year-old outfielder Al Martin on Friday after he refused to sign a form that would have given the club advance permission to demote him to the minor leagues.

The move means Gerald Williams will be the team's fifth outfielder.

Martin, in camp on a minor league contract, hit .342 with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBI this spring. Williams, a right-hander with a little more speed, hit .285 with six RBI.

"Both of these guys had good camps,'' general manager Larry Beinfest said. "It was a difficult decision.''

Florida had wanted Martin to agree now that he would not refuse an outright assignment to the minor leagues during the first 45 days of the season. Without that agreement, if Martin had been added to the major league roster, his major league salary this year would have become guaranteed.

The Marlins also assigned left-hander Juan Alvarez to their minor league camp and filled the final bullpen spot with left-hander Tommy Phelps, who has bounced around the minor leagues since 1993.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays : It didn't take Al Martin long to find work after being released by the Florida Marlins.

The Devil Rays signed the 35-year-old outfielder Friday.

The Devil Rays also signed left-handed pitcher Mike Venafro and claimed outfielder George Lombard off waivers from the Detroit Tigers.

Right-handed pitcher Brandon Backe and outfielder Jason Tyner were optioned to Triple-A Durham, and left-handed reliever Cedrick Bowers was reassigned to minor league camp.

Martin, like Venafro, agreed to a one-year contract. He hit .342 this spring for the Marlins with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBI. He last played in the majors two years ago for Devil Rays manager Lou Piniella in Seattle.

Venafro was released by the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. He appeared in eight games this spring, going 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA. He has pitched in 259 games, all in relief, during his career with the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics.

Venafro, 2-2 with a 4.62 ERA in 47 games for the A's last year, has a career record of 13-10 with five saves and a 4.06 ERA.

The 27-year-old Lombard was a second-round draft pick of the Braves in 1994. The Tigers acquired him last June and he hit .241 with five homers, 13 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 72 games the rest of the year.