Baseball -- Felony Charge Filed Against Deion Sanders

CINCINNATI - Police today charged Cincinnati Reds outfielder Deion Sanders with a felony stemming from his confrontation with an off-duty police officer at Riverfront Stadium last month.

In upgrading earlier misdemeanor charges against Sanders, Safety Director William Gustavson said the baseball player was charged with failure to comply with an order or signal of a police officer.

Sanders also was charged with two misdemeanors for allegedly leaving the scene of an accident in the Aug. 8 incident.

"No matter what your position or station in life, if you cause injury to a Cincinnati police officer, you are going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Gustavson said.

Sanders was arrested after allegedly ignoring an officer's warning and driving his motor scooter through a restricted gate following a Reds home game.

Police said the officer was dragged about 30-40 feet while trying to turn Sanders' motorcycle off.

Notes

-- Jose Canseco, who once took out his marital frustrations by ramming a Porsche into his then-wife's BMW, was the subject of a domestic violence call this week in Coral Gables, Fla. But the complainer was Canseco, who told police his girlfriend, Jessica Sekely, had slapped him. Police made no arrest.

-- Right-hander John Smoltz, recuperating from arthroscopic surgery on his pitching arm, is expected to begin throwing in two months and should be fully recovered by the time Atlanta is

scheduled to start spring training in February.

-- Andy MacPhail, Minnesota general manager, had to wait at least one more day to find out if he would be allowed to take a job as president and chief executive officer of the Chicago Cubs. MacPhail's meeting with Twin owner Carl Pohlad was postponed until today. MacPhail, who has two years remaining on his contract, can't go to Chicago without Pohlad's permission.

-- Spokane, the Class A Northwest League club owned by George Brett and his brothers, signed a four-year player-development contract with Kansas City.

-- Todd Hollandsworth's pinch-hit single in the eighth inning drove in the winning run as the Albuquerque Dukes beat the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 7-5 to even their best-of-five Pacific Coast League playoff series at 1-1.

-- First baseman J.P. Roberge drove in three runs as Yakima defeated Boise 8-5 to tie the Northwest League championship series at one game apiece.