BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Umpires’ Union Sues Reds’ Piniella

National League umpire Gary Darling and his union filed a $5-million defamation suit against Lou Piniella because the Cincinnati manager said Darling was biased against the Reds.

The suit, filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, alleges that Darling’s reputation was “severely damaged” by Piniella’s remarks made after the Reds’ 7-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.

Richie Phillips, counsel for of the Major League Umpires’ Assn., who filed the suit, declined comment.

Texas Ranger pitcher John Barfield has a stress fracture of the first rib on his left side and will miss the rest of the season, the team saied.

A 26-year-old left-hander, Barfield was 4-4 with a 4.54 ERA in 28 appearances.

Glenn Davis moved closer to returning to the Baltimore Orioles’ lineup, batting under simulated game conditions for about 20 minutes. “It’s just like going to school. You have to pass a series of tests before you can graduate, and this is one more test,” said Davis, who went on the disabled list April 26 with a nerve injury in his neck.