BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJOR LEAGUES : Sandberg: Sign Me Now or Not at All

As the Chicago Cubs opened their spring training camp, All-Star second baseman Ryne Sandberg remained steadfast in his demand that his contract negotiations must be out of the way before March 1.

Unless Sandberg, who is in the final year of his current agreement, is signed before next month, he said he plans to file for free agency after the season and the Cubs would wind up with nothing in return for him.

Sandberg, 32, said his agent, Jim Turner, had given the Cubs the option of trading him to one of three teams in Southern California.

A Dodger official termed Sandberg’s Southern California reference as, “Contract negotiations talk, not trade talk.” And the Angels’ Whitey Herzog said the team has not discussed a trade with the Cubs.

Bill Swift, who made 71 relief appearances for Seattle last season, will be a starter for San Francisco this season.

Giant Manager Roger Craig said that Swift, who joined the Giants in a trade involving Kevin Mitchell, will be one of the Giants’ four main starters with Trevor Wilson, Bud Black and John Burkett.

A two-game exhibition series between the St. Louis Cardinals and a team of Japanese all-stars in the Olympic baseball stadium in Barcelona March 14-15 was called off by the Cardinals, who cited opposition by the players’ union as the reason.