Baseball

In hopes of putting some clout in the middle of their infield, the Montreal Expos were interested in trading for Minnesota second baseman Tommy Herr, but when pitcher Floyd Youmans was suspended for failing a drug test June 25, the Expos felt they couldn't deal veteran pitcher Bryn Smith quite yet. However, now that Montreal has righthanders John Dopson and Brian Holman in the rotation and minor league pitchers Randy Johnson, Sergio Valdez and Jeff Fischer close to being ready at Indianapolis, the Expos should be able to deal Smith before the Aug. 1 trading deadline.

Whether Herr, who becomes a free agent at the end of the season, would be willing to sign a long-term contract with Montreal—and that would likely be a precondition of a deal with the Twins—is another story. It's not easy getting players to move north of the border, mainly because Canada has stiff taxes and an unfavorable exchange rate. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John Tudor, for instance, has a clause in his contract that guarantees him an extra $50,000 on top of his $1.3 million salary if he is traded to a Canadian club. That sort of arrangement is fairly common these days.

TRADE RUMORS

If the Chicago Cubs seem to be out of contention in the National League East late in the season, look for them to deal pitcher Rick Sutcliffe....

Baltimore manager Frank Robinson has told the front office that he thinks the team would be making a big mistake if it traded or failed to resign shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. and pitcher Mike Boddicker, who he believes are the foundation of the Orioles' rebuilding program....

New Philadelphia Phillies general manager Lee Thomas is shopping outfielder Phil Bradley, who has been one of the year's biggest flops (he was hitting .227 with three home runs and 21 RBIs at week's end), and pitchers Don Carman and Shane Rawley. Thomas made his support for manager Lee Elia clear when he reprimanded first baseman Von Hayes on June 26 after Hayes flung his helmet in the dugout and struck Elia. It was the fourth time in two weeks that Elia, who stands near the helmet rack, had been pelted by a flying helmet....

The New York Yankees would love to trade outfielder Rickey Henderson, but he will make $1.95 million next year, has a no-trade clause in his contract and last month had three different leg ailments that kept him out of the lineup....

Dwight Gooden's 19-year-old nephew, Gary Sheffield, is tearing up the Texas League. Last month he hit six homers in nine days, and at week's end he was batting .306 with 18 home runs and 62 RBIs. But the Milwaukee Brewers are resisting the urge to bring up Sheffield, a shortstop, to the majors in part because of all the problems that have befallen other players from his Tampa neighborhood, like Gooden, Youmans and minor leaguer Vance Lovelace....

The three players the White Sox have used at third base this year—Kenny Williams, Donnie Hill and Steve Lyons—have together made 27 errors....

The California Angels' radar gun recently recorded Milwaukee reliever Dan Plesac's fastball at 98 mph. The Angels' next highest reading this season was 94 mph by Boston Red Sox starter Roger Clemens.