Wednesday, June 16, 2004 | 8:59 a.m.
SUN WIRE REPORTS
The fight is over for Bobby-Jo and Mark Ferrell. The daughter and son-in-law of Ted Williams told Florida Today Tuesday night that they will no longer attempt in any way to get the baseball great's remains out of an Arizona cryonics facility.
The couple signed a legal settlement earlier Tuesday. In those documents, obtained by Florida Today, the two agreed to no longer pursue getting Williams' remains removed from the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz. They both also agreed to no longer object in any form or fashion, or even go so far as to encourage others to object, to Williams' remains being cryonically preserved.
The Ferrells agreed to the settlement only after Ted Williams' estate brought litigation against them May 10. Earlier this year, the Ferrells sought legal documentation from Alcor showing that Ted Williams signed giving permission to have his body cryonically preserved. The Ferrells did not believe such a document existed, which they had hoped would lead to removing Ted Williams' remains from the facility.
But due to the lawsuit filed against them last month, the Ferrells have dropped their legal battle with Alcor and given up the fight altogether. In return, Al Cassidy, the executor of Ted Williams' estate, agreed to drop his litigation.
"It's over," Mark Ferrell said Tuesday night. "I no longer have any want or will to fight this. I am tired. They're not going to sue me and I'm not going to sue them. We've called a truce. It's time to put it to rest. We're going to leave it in God's hands now. Bobby-Jo and I are at peace with this. We have to be."
The Mets went into Tuesday night's game against Cleveland batting .246, next to last in the major leagues, trailed only by Montreal.
The team was particularly bad with the bases loaded, going just 6-for-59 (.102).
"I made the decision based primarily on results," general manager Jim Duquette said. "It had nothing to do with his work ethic or what we think of him as a person. We've struggled with what to do. Our failures are well known. We tried a number of things that didn't work. We felt the timing was now."
Walling came to the Mets a month after the team hired manager Art Howe in October 2002. Howe called him a close friend and was not happy with the firing.
The move was made retroactive to June 10, a day after Brown was forced to leave a start against Colorado after two innings. Outfielder Bubba Crosby was recalled from Triple-A Columbus.
The Yankees have the best record in the major leagues, but the health and depth of their rotation has been their top concern. Mike Mussina left his start Friday night against San Diego after three innings when he felt tightness in his right groin.
He didn't shut the door on the possibility he might someday accept a trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks, who insist they have no intention of dealing him to New York -- or anywhere else.
"Right now, I've not been approached by either team," Johnson said before Tuesday night's series opener between the two teams that met in the 2001 World Series. "It's kind of pointless. It's almost the same question being asked in spring training? 'How many more years am I going to play?'
"How can I address a question like that that's something down the road?"
Later, in the clubhouse, Johnson said he'd thought of a one-liner he wished he'd have used.
"I should have said, 'Yeah, but the clam chowder is better in Boston,' " said Johnson, who won't pitch in the three-game series against the Yankees.
His position was the surprise.
Braves manager Bobby Cox put Jones at third base for Tuesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals, replacing Mark DeRosa.
"It's the only way we can get him in the lineup," Cox said. "That's what we're going to do for a week or two. Or a game or two."
Jones, an everyday third baseman from 1995-01, had been taking grounders at first in the past few weeks and was expected to play there since an injured right hamstring limited his mobility in left field.
Instead, the 1999 NL MVP was back at third. Cox made the decision to leave Julio Franco at first, since Franco is one of the Braves' best hitters -- he was 7-for-18 (.389) on the recent six-game road trip.
Sosa was supposed to play right field in his third rehab start but was the designated hitter due to wet conditions. He was 2-for-7 with three strikeouts, a double and an RBI single in three games with the Diamond Jaxx.
Sosa was expected to return to Chicago today and plans to play with the Cubs on Friday against Oakland.
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