Umpires not balking over calling balks

Veteran American League umpire Larry Barnett warns balk callswill continue if pitchers keep committing the infraction.

Barnett, chief of the crew that called six balks Sunday in agame between the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Yankees game,said he's surprised at the lack of adjustment to the new rule.

"The rule is so clear in the book it is not funny," Barnettsaid. "All these clubs had clinics during spring training. If theycontinue to abuse the rule, the same results will happen.

"I didn't make the rules, I just enforce them. Dr. (ALPresident Bobby) Brown signs the checks and as long as he does that,I think I'll do what he wants me to do."

In the first week of the season, umpires called 74 balks,according to Elias Sports Bureau. For the 1987 season, 356 balkswere called.

GEDMAN ON DISABLED LIST: The Boston Red Sox placed catcher RichGedman on the 15-day disabled list and recalled catcher DannySheaffer from Pawtucket of the Class AAA International League.Gedman broke a bone in his right foot when he fouled a ball off hisfoot in a game Sunday against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas. Dr.Arthur Pappas, an orthopedic specialist and team physician, said,"We're talking in the range of four weeks." John Marzano willreplace Gedman as Boston's starting catcher.

The Red Sox also said center fielder Ellis Burks will beactivated today. He underwent surgery for removal of a bone chipfrom his right ankle during spring training. Kevin Romine, ajourneyman outfielder, is expected to be sent to Pawtucket to makeroom for Burks. Rookie Brady Anderson, who started the season incenter, is expected to move to right field.

HALL OF FAME: The uniform worn by Philadelphia Phillies sluggerMike Schmidt when he hit his 500th career homer and a bat used byPaul Molitor of the Milwaukee Brewers during his 39-game hittingstreak have been added to the collection of the National BaseballHall of Fame.

Other pieces of memorabilia from the 1987 season acquired by theshrine include the cap worn by Brewers pitcher Juan Nieves when hethrew his April 15 no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, the batsNew York Yankee Don Mattingly used during his eight-game home runstreak and for his sixth grand slam of the season, and the mitt usedby Bob Boone of the California Angels when he broke the all-timerecord for games by a catcher.

The Hall of Fame also received a bat from American Leaguebatting champion Wade Boggs of the Boston Red Sox, the bat used byOakland Athletic Mark McGwire to smash the American League rookiehomer record and Rick Mahler's Atlanta Braves hat from his thirdstraight Opening Day shutout, Guilfoile said.

The Hall of Fame also has added to its "time line" of greatplayers and teams, with exhibits of the St. Louis Cardinals andDetroit Tigers as "teams of the 80s."

Included in the display are Kirk Gibson's batting helmet, thecap worn by Jack Morris in his April 7, 1984 no-hitter, Ozzie Smith'sglove, the cap worn by Whitey Herzog for his 1,000th victory as amanager and Darrell Porter's bat from the 1982 World Series when hewon the MVP award.

BITS: Boston will retire the No. 1 worn by Hall of Fame secondbaseman Bobby Doerr at a ceremony at Fenway Park next month. Doerrbatted .288 in 14 seasons with the Red Sox (1937-1951). He was anAmerican League All-Star nine times and was inducted into the Hall ofFame in 1986. Doerr, 70, will be honored in a ceremony May 19 beforethe Red Sox play a charity exhibition against Cincinnati. Baltimore hasn't won a series against an AL East team since lastApril. The last time the Orioles won a series against the AL Eastwas April 10-12, 1987, when they swept three games from the Indians.That's 25 straight series, including last weekend's four-game setagainst Cleveland, that the Orioles have either lost or tied. New York catcher Gary Carter said he expected to be in the startinglineup for the Mets' home opener today, despite suffering a mildconcussion Sunday in Philadelphia. Carter was hit on the right sideof the head by the bat of the Phillies' Von Hayes during the sixthinning. Feeling dizzy, Carter left in the eighth inning. The Pittsburgh Pirates' home opener Monday was the firstregular-season sellout in Three Rivers Stadium history. Incelebration of the 20th anniversary of "Mister Rogers Neighborhood,"which originated in Pittsburgh, Fred Rogers threw out the firstpitch. Seattle leadoff hitters are 10-for-21 this season. Yankee Willie Randolph is 0-for-9 and Don Mattingly is 3-for-22. Cleveland has a 1.45 earned-run average.