Spring Training / Highlights : Seaver Will Set a Record With 15th Start in Opener

Three-time Cy Young Award-winner Tom Seaver, already a familiar entry in baseball’s record books, will merit a new line April 9 when the Chicago White Sox right-hander makes his 15th opening-day start.

Manager Tony LaRussa Thursday named Seaver as his opening-day pitcher against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“He was our winningest pitcher last year, and nobody threw more effectively,” LaRussa said. “Plus, he’s throwing free and easy this spring.”

The 40-year-old Seaver, who made his American League debut last season with Chicago, will break the major league record for opening-day starts he shares with Walter Johnson.

Seaver was 15-11 with the White Sox, and he led the staff in shutouts with four. He has 288 career wins.

“Anytime you do something greater than a pillar of the game like Walter Johnson, it’s very rewarding,” said Seaver, who put in lengthy stints with the New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds before joining the White Sox.

He is 6-1 in opening-day starts.

New York Yankee outfielder Dave Winfield was hospitalized for treatment of an infected left elbow and is expected to remain there for five to seven days, the team announced.

Winfield, who is 1 for 15 in seven games this spring, suffered the injury in a March 16 exhibition game against the Chicago White Sox when he fouled a pitch off his left foot and fell on his arm.

The injury to Winfield’s foot, a bruised left instep, sidelined him for two days, and on March 18 X-rays of his elbow were negative.

However, Dr. Dan Kanel re-examined the elbow and diagnosed “olecranon bursitis.” Winfield was admitted to the North Beach Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Ted Simmons, Robin Yount, Doug Loman and Brian Giles hit home runs as the Milwaukee Brewers collected 18 hits in an 11-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants Thursday at Sun City, Ariz.

San Francisco starter Jim Gott gave up 10 runs on 12 hits in three innings.

Designated hitter Cliff Johnson slugged a game-tying homer in the second inning and ignited a six-run fifth with a two-run single as the Texas Rangers downed Minnesota, 10-2, at Pompano Beach, Fla.

Dave Engle had a bases-empty homer off winner Burt Hooton to put the Twins ahead in the top of the second.

After Johnson’s homer tied the score, Don Slaught’s run-scoring single in the fourth gave Texas a 2-1 lead.

Hooton allowed two hits in five innings. Dave Rozema went three shutout innings for Texas.