Hey everyone...

I have lots of news to share with you. I know it's not quite as exciting
as previous years when I would be telling you about Jose's latest mammoth
home runs, but at least it's something.

Sounds like these Bears games could be a lot of fun to watch. I encourage
any of you in the north east to get to as many games as you can. Jose even
said he's going to be signing "a lot of autographs."

Here's some food for thought: Do you realize that on April 25, 1999 (just 2
years ago), Jose had 10 homers? Yes, TEN home runs. How many guys have 10
homers so far this year? Two. And as surprising as this will be to you,
neither of their names is Glenallen Hill.

Hill, batting an impressive .135 on the year after being given Jose's spot
in the Angels lineup, was placed on the DL this weekend and may be out up
to nine weeks. And to think, they got him because they thought he could
produce better than Jose AND stay healthy. Please excuse me while I go
laugh my ass off for a while - I must admit, I'm really enjoying watching
that ridiculous move backfire.

Actually, here's a quote from Scioscia that came a couple of days before
Hill went on the DL: "We made the move with Jose because we felt Glenallen
Hill would be more productive. We still feel that way. If Glenallen had not
been available, we would have thrown Canseco out there and hoped he would
hold up. (Hill) will be productive, and he will hold up."

hahahahahahahaha..... If anyone out there would like to go to a game in
Anaheim and boo Scioscia and the Angels with a fellow Canseco fan, email
Ramin at rsalem@...

All the latest is below. Enjoy...
-Mark

P.S. This is going to make a great movie someday.

==========
From the LA Times:
Canseco Joins Independent Team
By MIKE DIGIOVANNA

Jose Canseco, baseball's highest-paid player at $4.7 million a year in
1990, will make $3,000 a month as the newest member of the Newark Bears, an
independent team that plays in the eight-team Atlantic League.

Canseco, who struggled to find a job after his controversial March 28
release from the Angels following back and hamstring problems, agreed to
terms with the Bears on Wednesday and will join his brother, Ozzie Canseco,
on the team, which begins a 130-game season on May 1'.

The slugger, who has 446 career home runs but has been on the disabled list
seven times in the last six years, had an offer from Toronto to play at
triple-A Syracuse but spurned it to be Newark's starting center fielder. An
out clause in his contract will allow Canseco to leave the Bears if he
receives an offer from a major league team.

"Triple-A is a higher level of competition, but I don't think Jose needs to
prove he can hit," said Jeff Borris, Canseco's agent. "He has to prove he
can play every day and that he doesn't have back problems. He wants to play
center field because that's the most demanding outfield position."

Canseco criticized the Angels after his release, saying they contributed to
a perception that he is "damaged goods" and that their statements would
hinder his chances of finding a job.

==========
From www.newarkbears.com:
BEARS BRING IN THEIR OWN TWIN TOWERS
Twins, Jose and Ozzie Canseco to Play for the Bears in 2001

NEWARK, NJ -- Thursday, April 19, 2001 - The Newark Bears of the Atlantic
League of Professional Baseball announced today that they have finalized an
agreement that will bring former American League Most Valuable Player Jose
Canseco and his twin brother Ozzie to Newark for the 2001 Championship
Season. Negotiations, which were finalized late Wednesday evening, lasted
nearly two weeks.

"This is by far the greatest thing that has happened to the Bears and the
Atlantic League in our short period of existence," said Owner/President
Rick Cerone, adding, "We are happy to have added one of the premiere power
hitters in all of baseball to our roster. This gives Jose the opportunity
to show all 30 Major League teams that he his ready, willing and able to
contribute at the Major League level."

Jose had standing minor league offers from the Toronto Blue Jays and New
York Yankees. "I took my time in making my decision," Jose said, adding, "I
am 100% healthy and in evaluating the scenario, I felt it was in my best
interest to sign with the Atlantic League where I could showcase my
abilities for every Major League team. That, plus having the opportunity to
play with my twin brother Ozzie, was the deciding factor."

Last season, Jose started off the season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays,
where he was hitting .257, with 9 home runs and 30 RBI when he was put on
waivers. The New York Yankees claimed Jose off waivers on August 7th. Jose
finished off the 2000 campaign with the Yankees and was used primarily as a
Designated Hitter (final Yankees numbers .243, with 6 home runs and 19
RBI). During the off-season, Jose was signed by the Anaheim Angels to fill
the void left by Mo Vaughn, who had major elbow surgery. After 39 spring
training at-bats, the Angels released him, opting to trade for Glenallen Hill.

Jose Canseco - Major League Totals
AVG. AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB SB SLG
.266 6801 1140 1811 3509 332 14 46 1358 861 198 .516

Ozzie, who had just been released from his team in Korea, played for the
Newark Bears last season compiling astronomical numbers. He led the
Atlantic League in slugging percentage (.644), home runs (48), RBI's (129)
and total bases (291).

Both Canseco's are expected to join the rest of the Newark Bears in Haines
City, Florida for Spring Training 2001, which commences on Sunday, April 22nd.

Skippered by fourth year manager Tom O'Malley, the Newark Bears kick off
their 2001 campaign on Friday, May 4th versus the Atlantic League
Champions, Nashua Pride in Nashua. The Bears home opener is on Friday, May
11th versus the Long Island Ducks. All individual game tickets are on sale
now by calling the Bears Box Office at 973.483.6900 or by logging onto
NewarkBears.com. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE NOW!.

==========
From the AP:
Newark Bears bringing bashin' brothers to town
By WAYNE PARRY
Thursday, April 19, 2001

(04-19) 14:13 PDT NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- The Canseco brothers are coming to
Newark.

The Newark Bears, an independent minor league team struggling to fill the
seats in its $30 million downtown ballpark, signed former major league star
Jose Canseco and his brother, Ozzie, who hit 48 home runs for the Bears
last season.

It might seem like a bit of a comedown for Jose, who finished last season
with the World Champion New York Yankees, and who has 446 major league home
runs. But his stint with the Atlantic League franchise is likely to be
short, assuming he can prove to major league teams in need of a big stick
that he's over back and hamstring injuries.

``I am 100 percent healthy, and in evaluating the scenario, I felt it was
in my best interest to sign with the Atlantic League where I could showcase
my abilities for every major league team,'' said Canseco, who rose to fame
with the Oakland Athletics as part of the 1980s ``Bash Brothers'' duo with
Mark McGwire. ``That, plus having the opportunity to play with my twin
brother Ozzie was the deciding factor.''

Canseco signed with the Anaheim Angels in the off-season, but was released
shortly before the season began as the team opted for another ex-Yankee
slugger, Glenallen Hill.

He missed 10 exhibition games because of lower back and hamstring injuries.
Later, he said he easily could have played in more than half those games,
but was encouraged by the Angels to take his time and prepare for the season.

``This is by far the greatest thing that has happened to the Bears and the
Atlantic League in our short period of existence,'' said team owner Rick
Cerone, a former Yankees catcher. ``We are happy to have added one of the
premier power hitters in all of baseball to our roster.

``He's a Hall of Famer, and his brother hit 48 home runs last year. We're
really excited. This gives Jose the opportunity to show all 30 major league
teams that he is ready, willing and able to contribute at the major league
level.''

Cerone said Canseco expects to spend about two to three months with the
Bears, getting back into big league shape. The owner wouldn't say how much
Canseco would be paid, but noted the Atlantic League's maximum player
salary is $3,000 per month.

Canseco hit .252 with 15 homers and 49 RBI last year, mostly as a
designated hitter with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and the Yankees, who
claimed him off waivers on Aug. 7. He is a lifetime .266 hitter, with 1,140
hits and 1,358 RBI.

Ozzie Canseco was just released from a South Korean team. He led the
Atlantic League last year in slugging percentage (.644), home runs (48),
RBI (129) and total bases (291).

==========
From the New Jersey Star Ledger:
Jose Canseco, out of a job but not charisma, joins Bears
04/20/01
BY CHRIS THORNE

He has two World Series rings, muscles on top of muscles and almost as many
past appearances on the gossip pages as Michael Jackson. Now Jose Canseco
also has a job in Newark.

The 36-year-old Cuban-born slugger was introduced yesterday as the newest
member of minor league baseball's Newark Bears, something of a coup for the
4-year-old franchise.

"Our phones are already ringing like crazy for tickets," Bears general
manager Tom Cetnar said. "We've got people who decided not to renew their
season tickets changing their mind."

Bears owner and president Rick Cerone called it "the greatest thing that
has happened to the Bears and the Atlantic League in our short period of
existence."

At the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, the news spread
through a gathering of professors and engineers like the discovery of a way
to make faster computer chips.

"The Jose Canseco? Not his brother?" Daniel Rodriguez, an engineer from
Toms River, asked as his eyes widened and his hands reached for the
electronic organizer in his jacket pocket. "When is the home opener?"

(If you're scoring at home, the Bears signed Jose and his twin Ozzie, who
led the Bears and the Atlantic League with 48 home runs last season. The
home opener is May 11.)

Carlos Fuentes, an NJIT freshman who is not a baseball fan and has never
attended a Bears game, looked up from his chemistry book with a blank
stare. "I go past there every day," he said. "I think I'll go there just to
see him play."

Which is exactly why Cerone is more than happy to pay Canseco's $3,000 per
month salary -- the maximum allowed by the league's salary cap. The Bears
averaged about 3,000 fans per game at the 6,200-seat Riverfront Stadium
last year, an 8 percent drop from 1999, their first year at the new park.

Canseco, who was a member of the Yankees world championship team last year,
is not the first major leaguer to sign with an Atlantic League team but
easily will be the biggest draw in its brief history.

"It's going to be great for the area and the team," said the
outfielder-designated hitter, who was released by the Anaheim Angels this
spring. "Hopefully, we can get sold-out stadiums everywhere we go. My
brother and myself are going to be like ambassadors for the league. We're
going to sign a lot of autographs and deal with a lot of people and try and
endorse the league as much as possible."

Canseco chose Newark because he wants another chance to play on the same
team as his brother (they were teammates on the Oakland A's in 1990) and
because the Bears are not affiliated with any major league franchise.
Players in independent leagues such as the Atlantic League are generally
free to sign with any of the 30 major league teams at any point during the
season.

Cerone said he expects Canseco to remain in Newark at least through the
major leagues' All-Star Game in July. He is fully aware Canseco could pack
his bags at any point, but signing the former American League Most Valuable
Player was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"We want to win, but we also want to help Jose get back to the big
leagues," Cerone said. "It makes us look good and it makes the league look
good."

Canseco, who was speaking on a phone hookup from Miami yesterday, sounded
eager to prove he is healthy and deserving of another shot in the big
leagues. He has 446 career home runs and is aiming for 500. Only 17 players
in the history of the sport have hit 500.

"I'm completely healthy," said Canseco, who said he ran 40-yard dash in 4.5
seconds during a recent workout at the University of Miami.

Canseco has suffered elbow, hip and back injuries for much of the past
decade. He once was the most-feared hitter in baseball and was the rarest
blend of power and speed. In 1990, he signed a landmark five-year, $23.5
million contract with Oakland -- about 250 times as much for each month as
what he will make in Newark.

The Bears open their Atlantic League season on May 4 at Nashua, N.H.,
against the defending league champion Pride. The first home game is against
the Long Island Ducks, managed by former Mets shortstop and manager Bud
Harrelson.

==========
From the NJ Record:
Jose refuses to hibernate
By BOB KLAPISCH
Friday, April 20, 2001

Jose Canseco's voice sounded a little tinny over the speakerphone in the
Newark Bears' front office, but there was no mistaking his message -- or
his resolve. Canseco is determined to show the baseball world he's no
muscle-bound freak, as the Angels suggested in releasing him last month, or
that over-sized swing was finally sabotaged by his over-stressed joints.

Just how serious is Canseco about finding those last 54 more home runs, to
a career 500? Well, he's a Bear, isn't he?

"The Angels put it out there that I was damaged goods, and I don't want
people to think that," Canseco said on Thursday, after signing a $3,000 per
month contract with the independent Bears. It's the most the Atlantic
League is allowed to pay its players, but, obviously, this transaction has
nothing to do with cash.

For Canseco, it's a chance to shake his fist at Angels' general manager
Bill Stoneman, who the outfielder/designated hitter believes deceived him
in the last weeks of spring training. Canseco was never informed that his
bad back and tight hamstrings worried Anaheim officials, or that his 39
at-bat home run drought during camp had raised questions about his bat speed.

Canseco assumed he'd been signed by the Angels to be their DH, period. No
audition, no pressure. No questions to answer. As he put it, "I'm a
notoriously slow starter in spring training. And I'm a power hitter. It
takes time to get your swing going."

The Angels saw it differently -- that Canseco was a liability because of
one nagging injury or another, or else, when he was in the lineup, he was
neutralized by up-and-in fastballs. Virtually every GM believed the Angels,
not Canseco. And that is why when the Blue Jays and Yankees -- yes, the
Bombers -- offered only conditional minor league deals, Canseco turned to a
radical option.

Why not the Bears, where his identical twin brother Ozzie was already the
league leader in home runs, and a mini cult hero? Ozzie slammed 48 homers
last year, which is why it's realistic to imagine the two brothers
combining for 100.

To do that, of course, Canseco has to spend the whole summer in Newark, a
possibility no one considers likely. His contract allows him to leave any
time -- today or tomorrow, as soon as some big league team is convinced
Canseco can help.

In the meantime, it's an answered prayer for the Bears, who could use the
marketing help. They drew only 3,200 per game last year, which is only
slightly more than half of what their new $30 million stadium holds.

In fact, owner Rick Cerone was being dead-on honest when he said, "This is
about attracting more fans." The Bears barely squeezed a profit in their
first full season in Newark in 2000, as they competed against the Somerset
Patriots, who sell out every night, as well as the Yankees and Mets.

This year, the field becomes even more crowded. The Brooklyn Cyclones and
the Staten Island Yankees, both Rookie League franchises, are unveiling new
stadiums, which can only dampen the Bears' hopes in this slowing economy.

No wonder Cerone was beaming Thursday.

"This the greatest signing we've ever had," said the former Yankee catcher.
"It's a great day for us. People are going to go crazy for Jose."

Cerone might be right. But what the Bears need are more Yankee and Met fans
from Bergen County, a demographic that has largely ignored the Newark
franchise for whatever reason. Canseco could be the magic elixir because .
. . well, who doesn't recognize the big man and his biceps?

Who doesn't know that Canseco, the American League's Most Valuable Player
in 1988, was baseball's first 40-40 player, and that the Yankees all
endorse him kindly. Canseco should have no problem dominating Atlantic
League pitching -- a healthy Darryl Strawberry hit 26 HRs in 42 games
during a comeback stint with the independent St. Paul Saints in 1996 -- and
the Bears have agreed to use him in the outfield, as well.

Canseco is adamant about clearing his name, and proving that he's still
healthy at 36. He says he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds during spring
training, which, in his estimation, "Makes me one of the five fastest
players in the game.

"With a little work, I can get that down to 4.3," he said. "And last year
with the Yankees, I ran it in 3.39 seconds. That's why I have no idea why
the Angels would say I'm not healthy. I'm going to disprove that."

Of course, there's no guarantee Canseco will ever see another major league
at-bat. After all, teams scout each other in spring training, which means
they got a close-up look at Canseco in March. Why would they change their
minds now?

Such questions don't show up on Canseco's radar, obviously. He prefers the
best-case scenario, like the one that took Tim Raines from the Somerset
Patriots last summer right to the Expos today.

That's why, with fingers crossed, prayers mumbled -- and muscled flexed to
hit fastballs to the planets -- Canseco pushes on. The man has always loved
a stage. In Newark, it's all his.

==========
From the San Francisco Examiner:
"Swallow your Pride and Fix your Roster"

...If your league allows you to carry a 25 or a 28-man roster, and you have
a solid outfield, consider surprising some of your fellow fantasy owners by
picking up Jose Canseco. Mark my words, some team (Oakland?) will sign
Canseco. When this happens, it won't be to ride the pine -- he will be
earning his money while batting in the middle of the line-up....

==========
From MLB Radio:
Why Canseco can't let go
Journeyman slugger plans to showcase skills in Atlantic League -- briefly

Jose Canseco has never suffered from a lack of confidence. And despite
recently enduring what he thinks was a terrible slight at the hands of the
Anaheim Angels, that hasn't changed a bit.

"Even at 36 years old, I'm still the fastest guy for my size in baseball,
and maybe even one of the fastest guys overall," Canseco said during an
interview with me on MLB Radio on Thursday.

Here are the simple facts, at least according to Canseco: Signed by the
Angels during the offseason, Canseco was told he would have a large role on
the team, especially since Mo Vaughn was out for the year. His power bat,
Canseco thought, would prove invaluable.

Then, much to his surprise, the Angels traded for Glenallen Hill and
released Canseco. The Angels voiced doubts about Canseco's ability to stay
healthy over the course of the season. Canseco didn't worry about a next
move, figuring there were plenty of teams that needed a right-handed slugger.

"At the time, it seemed very simple because I thought a lot of teams would
be interested in me," Canseco said. "Obviously, things did not turn out
that way because of what the Angels said about me, that I was more or less
damaged goods.

"Obviously, that wasn't the case. I was completely healthy."

Canseco did get a few offers for Triple-A contracts, but turned them down
for two reasons:

1. He feared getting stuck in the minors. Many teams wanted Canseco to play
for a month or two down on the farm to prove he's healthy. Canseco was
afraid it would turn into a scenario in which a team he signed with
wouldn't have a spot for him in the Majors after a month. Even if he was
producing well and healthy, he'd get stuck serving out his time in the
minors as an insurance policy, making it nearly impossible for another
interested team to acquire his services.

2. Some of the offers had restrictions. Teams were willing to sign him to a
minor league deal, but only as a designated hitter. Canseco still fancies
himself a guy who can play the outfield at least semi-regularly.

So he shunned all Triple-A offers for a job in the Atlantic League.
Starting May 11, you can see Canseco -- probably in center field, of all
places -- playing for the Newark Bears. His reasons for signing with an
Atlantic League team were two-fold: One, it gives him more flexibility, and
allows him to sign a Major League deal when -- or if -- the call comes.
Two, it allows him to play alongside his twin brother, Ozzie, who set
Atlantic league records for home runs and RBIs last year.

"No one knows how long I'm going to be with the Newark Bears, but as long
as I'm there we're going to have a great time," said Canseco, who obviously
doesn't want to get too comfortable there. "My main concern is to get to
the Major League level in an outfield position. First, I have to prove that
I'm healthy. Second, I have to show I can play the outfield.

"What I want to do with the Newark Bears, I want to play center field every
day. I think I would be a very good center fielder, with my arm and speed.
People would have to actually see what kind of shape I'm in, what kind of
speed I have."

If you tuned in to Fox Sports on Thursday night, you saw step two in the
"Prove Jose's healthy" campaign. Canseco worked out in front of the cable
network's cameras to dispel any rumors about his well-being. According to
Canseco, among other things, he ran a 4.5 40-yard dash.

"Obviously, this Fox spot will prove a lot," Canseco said. "If people will
watch, will show I'm unequivocally 100-percent healthy. No one could
clinically do what I did for Fox Sports if they weren't healthy."

Ahh, there's that confidence again. You have to give the guy credit. He has
played more than 113 games in a season just once since 1991 (151 with
Toronto in 1998), but he still thinks he can be an everyday player. And in
the outfield, no less, where he hasn't played regularly since that '91 season.

Of course, the main reason he can't bring himself to hang it up has to do
with one number: 500. Canseco has 446 career home runs and sincerely
believes that he can get to the magical 500 plateau (14 of the 17 players
who have hit 500 home runs have made it into the Hall of Fame; the other
three -- Eddie Murray, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds -- are certainly headed
there when they become eligible).

Canseco was once a guy you loved to hate. But you had to admire his sheer,
pure power. I saw him hit a blast in Oakland Stadium that I still talk
about. Sure, he's been surly. Sure, he carries his share of on- and
off-field baggage. But I'd like to see him get a shot to play regularly
every day and take a crack at 500 -- if for no other reason than it would
be interesting to see if Canseco would become the first to reach that
milestone and not make the Hall of Fame.

Canseco can control only part of this campaign: his play with the Bears. He
can do what he can to stay healthy and be productive, but in the end, some
Major League team has to be willing to take the chance that Canseco has
something left in his tank.

"I can play every day for the Newark Bears, I can play every day and be
completely healthy, I can hit 60 home runs for them, win a Gold Glove,
whatever, and still not get any opportunities at the Major League level,"
Canseco admitted. "That's going to be completely out of my control.

"It may not make a difference and that's when it gets incredibly
frustrating. All I can do is do the best I can, just show everyone that
Jose Canseco is not through. I'm still a pretty decent outfielder, and I
can still play this game."

For some reason I can't quite explain, I hope he's right.

Jonathan Mayo is a senior writer for MLB.com.

==========
From the Press Enterprise:
Scioscia on DH Hill: 'right now, he's cold'
BY ANDREW BAGGARLY

Angels manager Mike Scioscia is willing to discount the current numbers on
the stat sheet, the ones that showed Glenallen Hill batting .146 with one
extra-base hit and two runs batted in in 48 at-bats as the Angels' main
designated hitter.

"Power hitters tend to run either very hot or very cold, and right now,
he's very cold," Scioscia said. "You're talking about only 50 at-bats."

Somewhere in South Florida, Jose Canseco is raising an eyebrow. Canseco
continues to work the talk-show circuit, claiming the Angels did not treat
him fairly when they released him a week before opening day. Canseco was
dumbfounded to think the Angels judged him on the basis of 39 spring at-bats.

Scioscia reiterated the decision to cut Canseco loose was predicated on
their concerns over his long-term health. Despite Hill's early struggles,
Scioscia said he believes the Angels made the right move when they acquired
Hill from the Yankees.

"We made the move with Jose because we felt Glenallen Hill would be more
productive," Scioscia said. "We still feel that way. If Glenallen had not
been available, we would have thrown Canseco out there and hoped he would
hold up. (Hill) will be productive, and he will hold up."

This week Canseco signed a contract to play for the independent Newark Bears.

==========
From the Orange County Register:
Hatcher's hitters are pressing
The batting coach wants his slumping charges to maintain their confidence.
April 21, 2001
By CHERYL ROSENBERG

...The struggles for Glenallen Hill are a bit different. The Angels
released Jose Canseco because Hill became available, and the Angels thought
Hill would be more productive.

But Hill hasn't been truly comfortable at the plate this season. He had a
meeting before Friday's game with Hatcher and Scioscia.

In Thursday's game, Scioscia pinch hit Scott Spiezio for Hill in the ninth,
a blow for Hill. In the past, Hill would be the one called off the bench
with the game on the line....

...His first choice of teams to be traded to was the Angels, where he is
the designated hitter. He got his wish. Then it really got tough. Hill
started the season 0 for 8. He is 7 for 52 (.135) after Friday's game, and
he is on an 0-for-12 skid....

...Scioscia said he will be patient with Hill. It is too early in the
season to predict how Hill's numbers will be at the end, but Scioscia is
confident they will be strong. He is not second-guessing the Angels'
decision to go with Hill over Canseco.

"Power hitters are very hot or very cold," Scioscia said. "Right now, he's
very cold. With Jose, you hope he's going to be productive. With Glenallen,
you know he's going to be productive."

==========
From the NJ Journal:
Road back to majors begins in Newark
04/20/01
By Angela Daidone

Jose Canseco may be bound for the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., but
he's stopping first with a minor league team in Newark.

Canseco, the muscular speedster with 446 major league home runs, is joining
his twin brother, Ozzie, on the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic
League with the hope of making his way back to the big show.

The 36-year-old brothers will be reporting to the Bears spring training
this weekend in Baseball City, Fla.

"It's going to be some great fun, I'm looking forward to it," Jose Canseco
said yesterday in a conference call from his home in Miami. "It's a great
situation for me, and I'm ready to prove that I can still play and get back
to the bigs."

The right-handed slugger was released by the Anaheim Angels three weeks
ago, just before opening day. Undaunted, the Florida native is looking to
regain his groove in the band-box where his brother set home run and RBI
records last season.

Canseco believes major league teams have shied away from signing him
because they believe he is not healthy. Over the past few years, Canseco
has been hampered by lower back and hamstring injuries. An injury-free stay
in Newark will be enough to convince some major league teams he's ready to
return. Canseco contends he is presently in "great shape."

"(The Angels) made it look like I was damaged goods, so obviously I'm not
happy about that," he said, adding that he has "absolutely no idea" why he
was released.

"I was told that it was because I didn't hit a home run in 39 (spring
training) at-bats. I didn't know I was under any audition," Canseco said.
"I didn't know they were judging me on that criteria alone. Obviously, no
one that's critically damaged in his back or legs can do what I did last
week," Canseco said.

He said he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds during a recent workout at
the University of Miami.

"Everyone is questioning the health issue, and not my ability," Canseco
said. "I am 100 percent healthy. That will be unequivocally proven when I
come to spring training. It might take me three or four days to get back in
hitting shape, but I'll be ready."

Canseco said he wants to play the outfield so he can show the shape he's
in, and Cerone said the Bears are willing to oblige.

"The ultimate decision, though, will be with (Bears' manager) Tom
O'Malley," said Cerone. "But wherever he plays, we'll take the home runs,
for sure."

Canseco said he had several offers to join minor league teams affiliated
with big-league clubs, but decided an independent league team was the way
to go.

"I didn't want to get locked into a Triple-A deal where one team controlled
what I was going to do," he said. "I knew that if I did go with a minor
league team, I'd end up being just an insurance policy for them, and I
didn't want that."

As far as the Bears are concerned, however, Canseco could be just the
insurance they need to get fans in the ballpark.

"Obviously, we want to win, but the bottom line here is to sell tickets,"
said Rick Cerone, Bears' owner and president. "Having Jose here this season
is great timing."

The Bears have had a tough time filling the 6,200 seat Riverfront Stadium -
last season they averaged 3,200 fans per game - but Cerone is hoping that
will change with the addition of Canseco to the roster.

"Our mission is to be sold out every day, and this is a good way for fans
to come out to this ballpark," Cerone said. "It's not too often you can buy
an $8 or $6 ticket and get to see a future Hall of Famer."

In a career spanning 15 years with six different major league teams,
Canseco has amassed 446 home runs. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1986
and voted the American League's Most Valuable Player in 1988 while playing
with the Oakland A's. Last season, he hit 15 homers with 49 RBI in a
combined 329 at-bats for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and world champion New
York Yankees.

Canseco also was the first player to reach the 40-40 mark in one season -
he had 40 stolen bases and 42 home runs, along with 124 RBI in the 1988 MVP
season.

"There's no doubt that Jose is Cooperstown-bound," said Cerone. "But first,
he has to get back into major league ball. That's also what we're here to
do. We'll do all we can to make that happen for him."

Neither Canseco nor Cerone would say how long their professional
relationship might last, but at minor league pay, Canseco will be looking
to get back to the majors as quickly as possible.

Teams in the Atlantic League are restricted to a $3,000 per month salary
cap per player.

"However long Jose is here, it'll be great," Cerone said. "The kids went
crazy last year with Ozzie. What are they going to do with Jose? I think
there's going to be some fun competition between the two brothers. Maybe
we'll open the gates early and let the fans watch batting practice."

Ozzie Canseco set Atlantic league records last season with 48 home runs and
129 RBI.

"The last time we played together was with the A's in 1991 when he came up
for short stint," Jose Canseco said. "It's always been a lifelong dream to
play on the same team, and obviously we'd like to have it at a major league
level, but this will be fun."

==========
From the Seattle Times:
500 club may lose some prestige

It's an amazing coincidence about the 500-home run club, which was reached
in such a captivating fashion Tuesday by San Francisco's Barry Bonds.
Seventeen members, and every one of them just happens to be a certified
baseball immortal.

To some extent, of course, it's a self-selecting phenomenon. It takes a
singular player to attain the longevity, and actually have the ability,
required to knock the ball out of the ballpark 500 times. It's a rarer feat
than 300 victories (20 pitchers) or 3,000 hits (24 players).

But the time could be coming when this exclusive domain, heretofore solely
the province of sure-fire Hall of Famers, is invaded by the mundane, the
pedestrian, the ordinary.

Bonds definitely doesn't fall in this category. Though he can be maddening
at times, both in his occasional lapses of hustle on the field and his
off-putting demeanor off it, he is indisputably one of the all-time greats,
defined by far more than his home runs. Bonds' combination of speed and
power is nearly unprecedented - he'll soon pioneer the 500-homer, 500-steal
club - and is augmented by superb defense in left field. Deduct points for
repeated postseason collapses, but don't forget that he made his teams
contenders, year after year. Put it together and it spells first-ballot
Hall of Fame, no questions asked.

But the questions are coming. Since the pace of home runs has accelerated
at a staggering rate the last five years, the road to 500 could become a
superhighway - if such roadblocks as the altered strike zone don't create a
detour.

Bonds, Mark McGwire and Eddie Murray are the only members of the 500 club
not in the Hall of Fame, but only because they haven't been eligible.
McGwire, possessor of the most prestigious record in sports, and Murray, a
member of the 3,000-hit club, are as automatic as Bonds.

But what about Jose Canseco, who is fighting to prolong his career while
playing for Newark, an independent minor-league team. Canseco, just 36, has
446 career home runs, well within range of 500 if another team gives him a
chance.

What about Fred McGriff, 37, who began this season with 417 homers, or
Rafael Palmeiro, 36, whose final homer of 2000 was No. 400? What about the
dozens of players coming on fast, riding the wave of small ballparks,
lively balls and diluted pitching to extraordinarily pumped-up home-run
stats? No player hit 50 home runs in the 1980s, but it happened 10 times in
the past five years - out of 29 such seasons in history.

Some fast-trackers certainly worthy of comparison to stars of any era, such
as Ken Griffey Jr., and others like Juan Gonzalez and Vladimir Guerrero
could eventually get there, too. But others evoke that same queasy feeling
that emanated from Dave Kingman, who could have made a strong run at 500 if
he hadn't elected to retire in 1986, at age 38, with 442 home runs.

Coming off a year in which he hit 35 homers for the A's, Kingman could
easily have bounced around long enough to hit 58 more home runs, which
combined with his .235 lifetime average and other deficiencies would have
been the first gut-check for the notion that 500 is sacred.

"I don't agree that 500 home runs has ever been an automatic standard for
the Hall of Fame," noted baseball author Bill James said. "All people who
have hit 500 home runs are in the Hall of Fame because they are great
players, but if Kingman had hit 500 home runs, that would not put him in
the Hall of Fame.

"It's safe to say that at some point someone will hit 500 home runs who is
not worthy of the Hall of Fame."

Of the most immediate crop, Griffey is a no-brainer. Palmeiro is making a
stronger case for himself by the season, and could make the point moot if
he attains 3,000 hits.

McGriff is a tougher sell, and probably falls short. Canseco may need to
reach 600 home runs before he could relax about his Hall chances. Sammy
Sosa (391) has those two monster years to boost his cause.

As for the crop that follows - including Frank Thomas, Alex Rodriguez,
Manny Ramirez and Jeff Bagwell - it's hard to say whether 500 homers will
have the same sort of cachet.

"Every time someone goes by a number, that number has that much less
significance," James said. "Enough people have gone by this one, and enough
will go by it in the next 20 years, I think it will lose most of the
significance it once had."

==========
From the Press-Enterprise:
Hill put on disabled list, could be out nine weeks
By ANDREW BAGGARLY

Glenallen Hill is batting .135 this season, and he won't get the chance to
repair those ugly numbers anytime soon.

The Angels placed Hill on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique
muscle in his left side. The injury could take anywhere from three to nine
weeks to completely heal....

...Until Hill returns, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he will patch
together the DH slot with right-hander Shawn Wooten and switch hitter Scott
Spiezio.

"We will be mixing and matching," Scioscia said.

Hill injured himself in pregame drills Friday but played that night. He was
hitless in four at-bats and struck out twice.

"Once you pull something in your side, it makes it hard to do anything,"
Hill said. "I'm frustrated because of the injury and because I'm not able
to work out of a slow start."

Believing Hill could provide health and consistency at designated hitter,
the Angels acquired him from the Yankees March 28 and released Jose Canseco
the same day.

Now the Angels aren't sure what to project from Hill.

"These things are tough to read," Scioscia said....