Baseball -- Henderson Files Slander Suit

OAKLAND, Calif. - Taking his own legal at-bat, Oakland A's outfielder Rickey Henderson has accused his half-sister of slandering him and invading his privacy with her claims that he raped her when they were children.

In court papers filed this week in Alameda County Superior Court, Henderson, 35, said his half-sister, Paula Henderson of Oakland, is trying to extort money from him.

He asked a judge to seal information in his half-sister's suit, saying the allegations have hurt his chances for commercial endorsements and could affect his probable nomination into the Hall of Fame. Moreover, Henderson said, the claims have damaged his family.

"There is no way to explain to my three daughters why and how their aunt can say such vile lies about me," Henderson said.

Paula Henderson, 31, sued in August, saying Henderson sexually assaulted her beginning when she was 8 years old and continuing into her teenage years. She contended in the suit that he raped her repeatedly while under the influence of cocaine and marijuana and abused his position as a virtual father figure to convince her that the assaults were normal.

The woman's lawyer, Dan Horowitz, said he would withdraw the $3 million suit if Henderson would visit a therapist with his half-sister.

Bagwell top player

Houston's Jeff Bagwell, recently chosen as only the third unanimous Most Valuable Player in National League history, was honored as major-league player of the year by The Associated Press.

Bagwell, 26, a first baseman, batted .368 with 39 home runs and a major-league-leading 116 runs batted in. He had an 18-game hitting streak when he broke his left hand - hit by a pitch from San Diego's Andy Benes on Aug. 10 - two days before the players' strike. The injury was expected to sideline him from three to five weeks.

Bagwell received 31 votes in a nationwide poll of 58 sportswriters and broadcasters.

Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox first baseman, a two-time American League MVP, was runner-up with 16 votes, and San Francisco's Matt Williams, who led the majors with 43 home runs, was third with three.

Ken Griffey Jr. of Seattle, Albert Belle of Cleveland and Greg Maddux of Atlanta tied for fourth with two votes apiece.

Notes

-- Baseball players and owners, who have met at the bargaining table just four times since the players' strike began in August, probably will resume talks next week in New York, according to sources from both sides.

-- The Puerto Rican Winter League season opened in three cities, featuring several major-leaguers and a season certain to go uninterrupted by labor problems. The Puerto Rican league, which began in 1938, is a six-team league, with each team playing 54 games. The regular season ends Jan. 8.

Oakland A's pitcher Carlos Reyes starred for San Juan in its 2-1 victory over rival Santurce, giving up one earned run over five innings.