Spring Training / Highlights : Candelaria Wants a Trade Rather Than a Seat in Bullpen

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher John Candelaria, angry over a decision to move him to the bullpen following an 18-3 exhibition loss to the Detroit Tigers, is renewing his fight to be traded.

“I don’t like it,” he said after an animated dugout discussion with Manager Chuck Tanner and a clubhouse shouting match with pitching coach Grant Jackson Friday. “If I am going to the bullpen, I want to be traded more than ever.”

Tanner toyed with the idea of using the 31-year-old Candelaria in the bullpen last season, when he used the southpaw in relief through the final weeks of the season.

“It was something different,” said Candelaria, who retired 17 of 18 batters he faced in relief then. “We were out of the race. I guess you could say it was something to do.”

This year, he said, “If I prove ineffective in the bullpen, then what? I’m in a Catch-22. I can’t win.”

The Baltimore Orioles have decided to place infielder Todd Cruz on waivers pending his unconditional release next Wednesday, according to Oriole General Manager Hank Peters.

Peters said the waivers would expire Wednesday, leaving Cruz a free agent and the Orioles with only 29 players in training camp, including three non-roster players.

Cruz, 29, batted .218 last season while playing in 96 games at third base.

Exhibition Notes

Rick Mahler and Steve Bedrosian combined on a five-hitter, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at West Palm Beach, Fla. . . . Right-hander Mike Krukow posted his fourth pitching victory of the exhibition season as the San Francisco Giants erupted for five runs in the fourth inning to down the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-2, at Scottsdale, Ariz. . . . Mike Schmidt and Ozzie Virgil hit their first spring training home runs to help the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Boston Red Sox, 4-2, at Clearwater, Fla.

Right-hander Mike Smithson, making only his third appearance of the spring, was tagged for six runs and 11 hits in six innings and the Houston Astros posted an 8-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins at Orlando, Fla. . . . Ron Hassey went 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored, while Phil Niekro spaced six hits over seven innings to pace the New York Yankees to 7-4 victory over the Texas Rangers at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Milt Wilcox hurled five shutout innings, allowing just two hits and walking two, to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 4-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Lakeland, Fla. . . . Frank White had three hits, including a home run, and Steve Balboni added a two-run homer as the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles, 6-1, at Miami. . . . Luis Salazar drove in five runs with a pair of homers, and Tom Seaver scattered six hits over seven innings as the Chicago White Sox defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-3, at Bradenton, Fla.