Benes Renews His Feud With Cardinal Coach -- Marks His Return To St. Louis With Heated Verbal Exchange

ST. LOUIS - In his first day back in St. Louis since signing a free-agent deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Andy Benes got into it with a Cardinal coach.

Benes and Rene Lachemann, the Cardinals' third-base coach, had words before Tuesday night's series opener.

"Hey, it's Andy Benes," Lachemann yelled at a group of reporters who were talking to Benes near the Arizona dugout.

Benes excused himself, looked over, and yelled back: "Hey, Lach, you managed once, right? Now you just follow Skip (Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa) around and (expletive)."

Benes' young son was standing nearby when he made the remarks.

Benes and Lachemann had a falling out last season. He accused Lachemann of riding former Cardinal player Mark Sweeney during one game soon after Sweeney had been traded to the Padres.

"Lach was on him so hard," Benes said. "It was embarrassing to me as one of the Cardinals to have a coach get on an opposing player. It's just not right."

Benes later apologized.

"I probably shouldn't have said what I said," Benes said. "But that's better than grabbing him around the neck and dropping him."

La Russa said he was surprised. "I thought Andy was a Christian," La Russa said. "Rene Lachemann's got more friends in baseball than Andy has innings pitched."

Benes was scheduled to start last night, but the game was rained out. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader this afternoon, and Benes will start the second game.

Benes said he didn't know whether fans would boo him for turning down a five-year, $30 million deal with St. Louis and ending up with a three-year, $18 million contract with Arizona.

"If they boo me, they boo me," he said. "That's their prerogative when they pay money to come to the ballpark."

Philadelphia officially apologizes

PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Ed Rendell sent the three Florida Marlin outfielders a formal letter of apology after they were bombarded with debris during the Phillies' home opener April 7. The giveaway that night was a refrigerator magnet schedule, and about 130 of them were thrown on the field.

Marlin outfielders Cliff Floyd, Mark Kotsay and Gary Sheffield were also hit with bottles and coins. Kotsay said he was surprised by the letter and added that the players considered it a nice gesture.

Rivera might return next week

NEW YORK - Mariano Rivera threw 25 pitches without a problem from the bullpen mound at Shea Stadium, but the New York Yankees expect he will need a few more similar drills before he returns to the bullpen.

Rivera, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list April 6 because of a strained groin muscle, is eligible to come back Tuesday, but he probably will need another three to five days.

"He didn't feel anything," Manager Joe Torre said. "But he's still going to have to get good and loose."

Notes

-- Center fielder Ray Lankford signed a five-year, $34 million contract extension with the St. Louis Cardinals. Lankford, 30, was in the final year of a three-year, $12 million contract, and the new deal carries him through 2002.

-- To play the makeup from yesterday's rainout of the Dodger game today, the Colorado Rockies had to agree to waive the clause about games in 20 consecutive days. Player rep Mike Munoz checked with a few teammates and gave the club permission.

-- The Yankees' Chili Davis, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a torn tendon inside his right ankle, seems headed for surgery. "I watched him hit (Tuesday) and he's favoring that leg," Manager Joe Torre said. "In some areas, he's feeling better. But in other areas, he's not getting anywhere. Straight-ahead running, he's fine, but that's not good enough. He still can't turn on it and he can't run the bases."

-- Oriole Manager Ray Miller held Eric Davis out of the starting lineup against Chicago last night after starting him in right field Tuesday. Davis hadn't appeared in the previous three games while nursing a sore left ankle.

-- Mike Grace threw in the bullpen for the Philadelphia Phillies and will return to the rotation Saturday in St. Louis. He missed one start after straining an abdominal muscle April 8.

-- St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Donovan Osborne, sidelined most of last season with injuries that carried into this spring, might get his first start today. The Cardinals plan to activate Osborne from the 15-day disabled list in time for him to pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

-- The San Diego Padres agreed to terms with left-hander Roberto Ramirez, who will be sent to their Class AAA club in Las Vegas.

Compiled from The Associated Press, Newsday, USA Today and Camden Courier-Post.