Mattingly May Be Hanging Up His Spikes

Don Mattingly’s baseball career seems over--at least for now. The Associated Press reported Monday that a source who has been in contact with Mattingly’s advisers said the free-agent first baseman will issue a statement saying he won’t be playing at the start of next season.

Mattingly, who will be 35 on April 20, wants to see how he likes retirement. He hit .288 last season with only seven homers and 49 RBIs in 458 at-bats, getting a $4.02-million salary in the final season of a $19.3-million, five-year contract he agreed to in April 1990, about three months before severe back pain struck. He filed for free agency after the World Series.

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Angel pitcher Mark Langston and Toronto outfielder Devon White won their seventh Gold Glove awards and Seattle outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. won his sixth in succession. Angel first baseman J.T. Snow was the only first-time winner among the American League selections. Other winners: Toronto second baseman Roberto Alomar, Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez, outfielder Kenny Lofton and shortstop Omar Vizquel of the Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankee third baseman Wade Boggs.

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Walt Weiss and the Colorado Rockies agreed to a $4.1-million, two-year contract with a player option for 1998. Weiss, 31, hit .260 for the Rockies last season, when he had a $1.6-million base as part of a $2.2-million, two-year deal.

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Kevin Kennedy, who led the Boston Red Sox to the American League East title in his first season as their manager, accepted a one-year contract extension through the 1997 season. Kennedy, fired by Texas after the 1994 season, succeeded Butch Hobson, who was fired after leading Boston to a 54-61 record and fourth-place finish.

The Red Sox turned that around last season with an 86-58 record and a seven-game advantage over the second-place Yankees. But they were swept in three games by Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs.

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Catcher Joe Girardi was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the New York Yankees for minor league pitcher Mike DeJean and a player to be determined later. Girardi, 31, hit .262 last season with eight homers and 55 RBIs. He has a career average of .269.

Soccer

FIFA president Joao Havelange agreed in principle to rotate the World Cup tournament among soccer’s regional confederations. The 1998 tournament will be in France, and Japan and South Korea are the two bidders for the 2002 tournament. Germany is thought to be the early favorite for 2006, and South Africa has indicated interest.

Cross-Country

Godfrey Siamusiye of Arkansas won the NCAA cross-country race and four teammates followed him in the top 50 at Ames, Iowa, as the Razorbacks earned their fifth men’s title in six years and their eighth since 1984. Providence ended Villanova’s run of women’s championships at six. Villanova’s six-year string of individual champions also was broken as Wisconsin’s Kathy Butler won the race. UCLA’s Mebrahtom Keflezighi finished ninth among 177 in the men’s individual standings.

Basketball

Arizona’s basketball team is back in the Associated Press’ top 25. Arizona’s streak of being ranked in 144 consecutive polls was broken when the Wildcats were missing from the preseason rankings last week. The Wildcats were 19th in the first regular-season voting after winning two games to reach the semifinals of the Preseason NIT. Kentucky, which is next in the consecutive poll streak with 90, remained No. 1 with 42 first-place votes and 1,567 points, 27 more than Kansas, which held second and had 18 first-place votes from sportswriters and broadcasters. Villanova is No. 3 and UCLA No. 4.

Golf

Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam, 25, received the Rolex player-of-the-year award and the Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average, making her the only player besides Nancy Lopez to take both honors the year after being LPGA rookie of the year.