BASEBALL : DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Cosell’s Analysis Is Decried by Rose

Pete Rose denied inferences in former announcer Howard Cosell’s book that Rose bet on baseball and caused the death of baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti.

The book, “What’s Wrong With Sports,” says that the Rose case led directly to Giamatti’s massive heart attack, which killed him two years ago, two weeks after he banished Rose from baseball.

“He said I killed Giamatti,” Rose said. “Giamatti didn’t go through half the stress that I went through, may God rest his soul. I liked him. We both cared about the game, loved the game and worried about it. Cosell’s no authority.”

Hal McRae, manager of the Kansas City Royals, served a two-game suspension, sitting out a doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees. McRae was suspended for bumping umpire Dale Scott during an argument June 6. . . . The Atlanta Braves’ Otis Nixon withdrew his appeal of a four-game suspension imposed after he was involved in a brawl in a June 4 game against the Philadelphia Phillies. . . . The Detroit Tigers released outfielder John Shelby to make room on their roster for shortstop Alan Trammell, who was activated from the disabled list.