Wednesday, March 26, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
SUN WIRE REPORTS
The Boston Red Sox are putting a giant Coke bottle above the Green Monster. And that's not even the biggest threat for Fenway Park's baseball traditionalists.
Red Sox CEO John Harrington, who's also the head of baseball's realignment and expansion committee, said Tuesday he'll "have an open mind" about moving Boston to the National League if baseball realigns after the 1998 season.
"The fans wouldn't like it and I can understand that, but for the good of the game I could be convinced," Harrington said, adding that it isn't likely to happen. "But I think it would take a lot of selling for us to leave our relationship with the New York Yankees."
The loss of the team's biggest rivalry would be just one of the traditions abandoned if the Red Sox ended their charter membership in the AL, which was formed in 1901. But moving to the NL would put the Red Sox in new rivalries with teams in bigger markets, and that would translate into more money.
Harrington's committee has considered several proposals that would have a team change leagues for the first time this century. And the Boston boss said he wouldn't take the Red Sox off the table.
"Over half of the clubs have indicated they'd be open to switching leagues," Harrington said. "I told them I'd have to have an open mind, too."
No team can be forced to change leagues over its objections.
Harrington also explained that the bottle-board, which is 20 feet high and affixed to a light standard, will bring more than a million dollars to the team and at least $100,000 to the Jimmy Fund charity.
* CRUZ SENT DOWN: The Seattle Mariners' top minor league prospect will start the season in the minors. Jose Cruz Jr., 22, learned Tuesday he will be at Triple-A Tacoma instead of in left field in the Kingdome against the New York Yankees on Opening Night. "This is part of the game, I guess," Cruz said. "You've got to live with it." In 24 games with the Mariners this spring, Cruz hit .339 (20-for-59) with four home runs and a dozen RBIs. On Monday, he broke out of a 2-for-20 slump with two homers and a single in an exhibition victory over San Diego. Cruz thought he played well enough this spring to play in the same outfield with All-Stars Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner. "They said I impressed them a whole lot," Cruz said. "They mentioned that. I guess they weren't expecting me to do much coming in. I guess I opened their eyes a little bit more."
* REGINA EYES IRABU: The general manager of the Regina Cyclones would love to have Hideki Irabu as his opening-day pitcher against the Moose Jaw Diamond Dogs. Despite the contention by Japanese baseball officials that Irabu is not up for grabs among North America's independent leagues, the Cyclones might offer the power pitcher a contract this week. "It's an opportunity to get in a rotation and keep his arm alive for 1997," said Murray Brace, GM of the Prairie League club. "Don't keep him out, let him play ball. Let's be as positive as we can." The Cyclones are proceeding despite a letter Tuesday from Yoshiaki Kanai, the executive secretary of Japanese baseball, who said Irabu remains tied to the Chiba Lotte Marines and is prohibited from negotiating with anyone else.
* GILLIAM WIDOW SUES: The widow of former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Jim Gilliam has sued the team, claiming it is profiting from his image on posters, media guides and other products. Edwina Higgenbotham also sued major league baseball and commissioner Bud Selig in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, seeking unspecified general and punitive damages. The Dodgers' legal department did not return messages. Gilliam played for the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles from 1953-66, beating out Jackie Robinson at second base during his first year with the team.
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