BASEBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE MAJORS : Special or Not, Reds Open Against Cardinals Tonight

What was supposed to be a coming-out party for baseball--divisions realigned, playoffs revised, opening day given new prominence--has became just another controversy involving Cincinnati Red owner Marge Schott.

Schott’s Reds eagerly volunteered to play the St. Louis Cardinals in the first Sunday night opener on ESPN, then made a fuss when she learned a team oversight meant there could be no pregame parade.

She tried too late to renege on her commitment, then blamed the network and major league baseball for everything. Finally, she decided to snub the game, pretending it didn’t count. There will be a parade before Game 2 on Monday, which is designated as the opener on the Reds’ schedule.

“ESPN and major league baseball will have their opening day Sunday night,” she said. “The Reds’ opener is Monday.”

“This gives us a special opening night,” ESPN senior vice president Loren Matthews said.

It is special in several ways, notwithstanding Schott. Len Coleman gets to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, his first act as National League president. The game will be the first between teams in the new NL Central Division.

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The Toronto Blue Jays put bullpen stopper Duane Ward on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 25. Ward has been bothered by bicep tendinitis since reporting to spring training in late February. Todd Stottlemyre is expected to be the stopper until Ward returns.

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Shortstop Jeff Blauser and rookie left fielder Tony Tarasco will not be in the starting lineup when Atlanta opens the season Monday at San Diego because of injuries sustained during the final week of spring training.

Blauser bruised the ring finger on his throwing hand Friday on a bad-hop grounder.

“It’s not broken, but it’s swollen real bad,” Manager Bobby Cox said. “The way it looks now, I don’t think he’ll play in the opener.”

If not, Blauser will be replaced by Rafael Belliard.

Tarasco strained his right thigh muscle last week against Dodgers. Cox said he wants to rest Tarasco until he’s 100%.

Another rookie, Ryan Klesko, will replace Tarasco in left.

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Former Dodger Pedro Martinez yielded one hit and struck out eight in five innings, including the first six batters, as Montreal defeated Colorado, 2-1, in an exhibition game at Vancouver, Canada.