BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Indians Send Candiotti to Blue Jays in a Trade Involving Six Players

The Cleveland Indians, convinced they could no longer afford Tom Candiotti, traded the knuckleball pitcher to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday as part of a six-player deal.

Candiotti, 33, can become a free agent after the season, and he is seeking a four-year contract. The Indians were unwilling to offer more than three years. His salary this season is $2.5 million.

Cleveland sent Candiotti and minor league outfielder Turner Ward to Toronto for outfielders Mark Whiten and Glenallen Hill, left-handed pitcher Denis Boucher and a player to be named.

To make room for the newcomers, the Indians outrighted utility player Luis Lopez and optioned outfielder Beau Allred to triple-A Colorado Springs.

Candiotti (7-6) ranks third in the American League with a 2.24 earned-run average.

Toronto Manager Cito Gaston said Candiotti will start tonight against Seattle and added, “If he pitches for us the way he pitched against us, this will really help our staff.”

Boucher, who was pitching at Syracuse in the International League, will start for Cleveland tonight at Detroit, replacing Candiotti in the rotation.

High winds from a sudden rainstorm left a large tear in the roof of Olympic Stadium in Montreal, where the Expos begin a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight.

The wind left a tear almost 100 feet by 50 feet in the $117 million retractable roof’s Kevlar fabric, said Brigitte Tremblay, spokesperson for the Olympic Installations Board which operates the stadium.

“Technicians will come in (today) to see what needs to be done,” Tremblay said.

It was the second time this season the roof has been damaged by strong winds. Two long rips were opened by winds shortly before a Sunday night game against New York on April 21.

The stadium roof has been plagued by tears and trouble with its retraction system since it was completed in 1987.

American League veteran Joe Brinkman was named home plate umpire for the All-Star game July 9 in Toronto.

Also named from the AL were Ken Kaiser and Larry Young, joining John McSherry, Jim Quick and Greg Bonin of the National League.