NL Beat: About rumors, Piazza says, 'I'm not gay'

Responding to questions and rumors about his sexual orientation, Mike Piazza said last night that the major leagues are ready for gay players but he's not one of them.

"I'm not gay. I'm heterosexual," the New York Mets All-Star catcher said before playing Philadelphia.

Piazza, who wanted to set the record straight about his sexual orientation, said he's aware of the rumors but doesn't know why they started.

"I can't control what people think. I date women," Piazza said.

He also agrees with Mets Manager Bobby Valentine that players can accept an openly gay teammate.

"In this day and age, it's irrelevant," he said. "I don't think it would be a problem at all."

Piazza's sexual orientation became an issue Monday when the New York Post suggested Valentine's remarks about gays in an upcoming magazine article could be a prelude to one of his players saying he is homosexual. The newspaper said that, "There is a persistent rumor around town that one Mets star who spends a lot of time with pretty models in clubs is actually gay and has started to think about declaring his sexual orientation."

Arizona: OF Danny Bautista was back in the lineup after sitting out two games with a sore back.

Atlanta: SS Mark DeRosa had surgery to repair torn tissue and ligaments in his right ankle in Atlanta. He injured his ankle while running the bases in Colorado on Friday and is currently on the 60-day disabled list.

Chicago: RHP Kyle Farnsworth, on the DL since April 10 with a broken bone in his right foot, will need a rehab assignment when he's healthy, Manager Don Baylor said.

Cincinnati: Ken Griffey Jr. looked so smooth while catching fly balls that the Reds projected he could be back in the lineup this weekend. Griffey tore the patella tendon in his right knee April 7 and has been confined to batting practice and therapy. He caught fly balls for the first time since the injury and had no problems.

Colorado: RH starter Shawn Chacon, on the disabled list with a strained right pectoral muscle, threw for 20 minutes in a bullpen session.

Florida: The Marlins placed right-hander Brad Penny on the 15-day disabled list with a sore pitching arm.

Houston: RHP Wade Miller, on the disabled list with a pinched nerve in his neck since April 12, is scheduled to make his second rehab start today for AAA New Orleans and then pitch against St. Louis next week.

Los Angeles: Hideo Nomo (3-5, 4.00 earned-run average) will start against his former teammates tonight in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee: Nelson Figueroa (sprained ankle) came off the 15-day DL and started against the Dodgers. To make room for Figueroa on the roster, the Brewers outrighted LHP Takahito Nomura to AAA Indianapolis.

Montreal: 3B Fernando Tatis has just one hit in 17 at-bats (.059) with runners in scoring position.

Philadelphia: RHP Robert Person, out with a tendinitis in his right elbow, had a rehab start with AAA Scranton. He's expected to make another start Sunday.

St. Louis: 1B Tino Martinez was scratched from the lineup because of flu-like symptoms and was sent home.

San Diego: The Padres activated OF Ron Gant from the DL and optioned infielder Alex Pelaez to AAA Portland. Gant had been sidelined since breaking the little finger on his right hand while making a diving catch against Los Angeles on April 24.

San Francisco: The Giants placed shortstop Rich Aurilia on the 15-day DL and sent him home to undergo surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow. Aurilia, hitting .259 with three home runs, 10 doubles and 11 runs batted in, is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Aurilia, who makes his offseason home in Scottsdale, was just 2 for 20 in his last five games. The bone chips were discovered in an MRI exam Monday.

Major leagues: Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder has taken the first steps toward bringing a baseball team to the Virginia suburbs of Washington. Snyder said he has contacted and discussed working with the Virginia Stadium Baseball Authority, whose exclusive agreement with telecommunications executive William Collins expires at the end of the month.

— Times news services