The Hot Corner

Add the Royals' Jeff Montgomery to the list of established closers who are struggling. Montgomery, who had a 6.35 ERA and had blown three of his seven save chances through Sunday, was demoted last week by manager Tony Muser, who says Kansas City will go to a closer by committee. "I came back here to close," said Montgomery, who during the off-season re-signed with K.C. as a free agent. "I had a chance to go other places as a setup guy for a heck of a lot more money. Tony has never been on a major league mound and doesn't know how it feels not to be sharp. But he's the manager, and we'll do what he says."...

Righthander Mark Portugal, 36, returned to the Red Sox last weekend after a four-day absence. After being roughed up for six runs in three innings by the Tigers on Memorial Day—leaving him 3-3 with a 5.33 ERA—Portugal, who is divorced, cleaned out his locker, returned home to Barrington, R.I., and contemplated retiring to spend more time with his three children. "It was like I was a Saturday afternoon father," Portugal told The Boston Globe, adding that his family concerns had affected his recent performance....

It's getting hard to see the A's on the cap of Oakland rightfielder Matt Stairs, a wrestling and hockey nut. On the back Stairs is wearing the initials of Owen Hart, the WWF wrestler killed in a ring accident on May 23, whom Stairs had met. He also pays tribute to the recently retired Wayne Gretzky with a 99....

Barry Bonds is recovering from April 20 elbow surgery more quickly than expected and could return to the Giants' lineup sooner than the original target date of July I. Bonds and assistant trainer Stan Conte said last week that Bonds could play now if he were needed in a playoff series....

Two days after Angels second baseman Randy Velarde publicly ripped manager Terry Collins for lifting Velarde's green light to steal bases when Mo Vaughn is at the plate, a cadre of unnamed Anaheim players met with general manager Bill Bavasi to express concern over news that the superintense manager was about to receive a contract extension. Some among the Angels, presumably prospective free agents, reportedly told Bavasi that they're so upset with the job Collins has done that they'd consider leaving after the season if Collins stays....

Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack, a Swede, knew nothing about baseball before coming to Shea Stadium on June I to throw out the first ball at the Mets-Reds game. Awed by a routine Pokey Reese fly ball during batting practice, Brack asked, "Do they ever hit one over the blue wall?"...

Darrin Fletcher's blurred vision seems to have cleared. The Blue Jays catcher, who was hit in the right eye by a ball during BP on May I, homered twice in his return to action on June 2 and hit .368 in his first five games.