Hot Stove Report

The Pirates have entertained several offers for second baseman Tony Womack, including one from the Indians. Cleveland also would get lefthanded reliever Ricardo Rincon in a deal that would send outfielder Brian Giles and others to Pittsburgh....

The Indians had made the signing of free-agent second baseman Roberto Alomar (right) their number 1 off-season priority but have been turned off by Alomar's lack of eagerness to get a deal done—even with the intervention of his brother, Sandy, the Cleveland catcher. Roberto could wind up in St. Louis in what has been a lukewarm market for an All-Star whose drive is questioned by scouts....

Phillies ace Curt Schilling has agreed not to demand that his contract be renegotiated if he's traded to one of two teams: Cleveland or Atlanta....

The Blue Jays are shopping righthander Roger Clemens, who has veto power over a trade. "For the first time they've come to us telling us he's available," says one G.M. Toronto's asking price, though, is likely to preclude a deal. The Blue Jays opened talks with the Indians by asking for rightfielder Manny Ramirez, whom Cleveland is trying to sign to an extension, and asked the Astros for outfielders Derek Bell and Richard Hidalgo and righthander Shane Reynolds....

As if the May trade in which the Dodgers got Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich, Charles Johnson and Gary Sheffield from the Marlins for Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile wasn't disaster enough for Los Angeles, Johnson, who batted just .217 after moving west, opted not to go to the Arizona Fall League to work on his hitting as the Dodgers had requested. "We wanted him there," says L.A. senior vice president Tommy Lasorda. "Charles should be a much better hitter. He's got power out the ears, but he doesn't walk nearly enough, and he takes too many strikes." In three years as a major league regular, Johnson's strikeouts have climbed from 91 to 109 to 129....

The Blue Jays would like to bring back 34-year-old free-agent DH Jose Canseco (46 homers, 107 RBIs, .237 average) but only if Canseco reduces his asking price. "Jose has to realistically look at his value," says new Blue Jays assistant general manager Dave Stewart, who was a teammate of Canseco's with the A's from 1987 through '92. "Sometimes a player puts himself in a market where he doesn't belong." Canseco, whose '98 salary was $650,000, reportedly wants a four-year, $28 million deal. Plus, he wants to play in the field. "Somehow," Stewart said of Canseco's desire to don a glove again, "I don't think that'll happen."

...The A's have begun discussions with soon-to-be-40 outfielder Rickey Henderson (.236, major-league-high 66 stolen bases) about re-upping for one more season, but Henderson is seeking a multiyear contract. "You can probably make the argument that he deserves it," says Oakland general manager Billy Beane. "But with us, it comes down to economics. We want Rickey in Oakland. But can we afford him?" The Rangers have also expressed interest.