Diamondbacks’ Gilkey Nixes Trade to Pirates

Despite the laser eye surgery he underwent last September, Bernard Gilkey couldn’t see himself in a Pittsburgh Pirate uniform.

The Arizona outfielder Tuesday refused a restructuring of his contract, killing a trade that would have sent him to the Pirates for infielder Tony Womack and outfielder Al Martin.

The decision had nothing to do with money. Gilkey just wanted to stay with the Diamondbacks.

“There’s no knock against the Pittsburgh organization or anything like that,” Gilkey said. “This choice was made for me and the benefit of my family, and the possibility of taking us to the postseason.”

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Ron Gant, who was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Philadelphia Phillies three months ago, accused Tony La Russa, his former manager, of being a racist.

“Rickey Henderson didn’t like him, Royce Clayton didn’t like him,” Gant told reporters in Clearwater, Fla. “He treated Ozzie Smith like dirt. Brian Jordan didn’t like him. I don’t know too many people who did like him.”

All of those players are black.

“You do the math,” Gant said. “Something’s not right there.”

La Russa said, “That’s called unforgivable. That’s lower than cheap.”

La Russa also fired back about Gant’s lack of production. Gant struck out 162 times in 1997 and last season needed a strong September to wind up at .240 with 26 homers and 67 RBIs. In 382 games with the Cardinals in three seasons, he struck out 352 times.

“It was whiff, whiff, whiff,” La Russa said. “I really hope he goes to Philly and whiffs for them like he whiffed for us, and we’ll see what excuse he makes.”

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Florida Marlin third baseman Mike Lowell, who had a testicle removed on Sunday, found out that he has an excellent chance of recovery and should return to play this season. Lowell, 24, will receive a short dose of radiation treatment.

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Two years after luring professional hockey and basketball from the suburbs, officials in Washington said they would make a major pitch for professional baseball.

“Baseball will be an economic home run for the district,” said Mayor Anthony Williams, as he pledged the support of local officials to return major league baseball to the nation’s capital.

Williams said visions of a modern stadium within view of national landmarks such as the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol should be alluring for fans and teams alike.

The district hasn’t had baseball since the Washington Senators left after the 1971 season and became the Texas Rangers.

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Coming off the worst season of his major league career, Ryan Klesko assumed the unenviable task of trying to replace Andres Galarraga as the Atlanta Braves held their first full-squad workout at Kissimmee, Fla.

Galarraga, who hit .305 with 44 homers and 121 RBIs last year, is undergoing treatment for a cancerous tumor in his back and will miss the entire season.

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The one starting job with the New York Yankees is left field, where former Angel Chad Curtis will be competing with Darryl Strawberry, Shane Spencer and Ricky Ledee. Platooning is one possibility. . . . With pitchers and catchers already in camp, the rest of the San Diego Padres reported for their first spring workouts at Peoria, Ariz. However, left-handed reliever Randy Myers is still a no-show. The last day to report is March 2. . . . Jose Canseco was a no-show for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at St. Petersburg, Fla.