Woodson, Greene Waived in 49er Cost-Cutting Move

Defensive back Rod Woodson and linebacker Kevin Greene, former Pro Bowlers who helped the San Francisco 49ers defense attain a No. 1 ranking last season, were waived Monday in a dramatic cost-cutting move.

“Even though we anticipate an increase to the salary cap, it won’t be enough to allow us to keep Rod and Kevin at their current salaries,” said General Manager Dwight Clark in a statement.

The 49ers gained $5.9 million in salary cap space by releasing the two players.

Clark said it was possible the players could return at a lower pay.

Ryan Leaf wants the Indianapolis Colts to know he was having tests on his shoulder when he failed to meet with the team during last weekend’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

“He’d have rather been meeting with the Colts than doing what he was doing,” said Leaf’s agent, Leigh Steinberg.

Steinberg said Leaf, the Washington State quarterback who led the team to the 1998 Rose Bowl, spent three hours having an MRI exam on his right shoulder, a test requested by the Chicago Bears.

The Colts hold the first pick in April’s NFL draft. They had met earlier with quarterback Peyton Manning of Tennessee.

“When you set up an appointment with him, and he’s got a chance to be the No. 1 pick, and he just doesn’t show, it’s a little disappointing,” Colt Coach Jim Mora said of Leaf. “More than a little disappointing, to be honest with you.”

Green Bay offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis was interviewed for the third time about the Dallas Cowboys’ coaching vacancy in Indianapolis. Cowboy owner Jerry Jones also talked for a second time with Pittsburgh Steeler offensive coordinator Chan Gailey.

After catching only 11 passes this season, wide receiver Ernie Mills was released by the Carolina Panthers.

Baseball

Edgar Alfonzo, who led the New York Mets in hitting last season, was among five players in arbitration who agreed to one-year contracts. Alfonzo agreed to a 714% raise to $1.75 million.

Alfonzo, a 24-year-old infielder, hit .315 last season with 10 homers and 72 RBIs. He made $215,000 and asked for $2.25 million in arbitration. New York countered at $1.25 million.

Also settling were Minnesota Twin shortstop Pat Meares ($2.5 million), St. Louis Cardinal utility player John Mabry ($1.4 million), Detroit Tiger pitcher Bryce Florie ($600,000) and Seattle Mariner pitcher Felipe Lira ($415,000).

Twenty-five players remain in arbitration, with the first case scheduled to be argued Wednesday in Phoenix.

Tim Mead, Angel assistant general manager since 1994, was named vice president of communications for Anaheim Sports Inc., a role in which he will oversee community relations and media relations for the Angels and Mighty Ducks.

Mead replaces Bill Robertson, who resigned in January to become president of communications for the NHL expansion team in St. Paul, Minn.

Ken Forsch, who spent 16 years as a big league pitcher, was promoted from director of player development to assistant general manager, and Jeff Parker, formerly the manager for baseball operations, will assume Forsch’s old job overseeing the club’s minor league system.

With five dozen scouts watching in San Jose, Costa Rica, Cuban exile Orlando Hernandez pitched three shutout innings in his first public game in more than a year.

Hernandez, older brother of Florida Marlin right-hander Livan Hernandez, struck out seven and allowed only one baserunner as a team of Cuban exiles played an amateur Costa Rican club.

The Dominican Republic captured its second consecutive Caribbean Series baseball title with a 3-0 victory over host Venezuela.

Tennis

Steffi Graf’s comeback after an eight-month absence because of knee surgery was delayed again. This time, a strained calf has forced her to withdraw from the Paris Open.

Horse Racing

Eighteen race horses died when a fire swept through a barn at Blue Ribbon Downs in Sallisaw, Okla. Sixteen horses died in the barn and two had to be euthanized by a veterinarian, said Mike Tubbs, a fire department official.

Jurisprudence

A former legal secretary for a sports agent was sentenced in Minneapolis to 28 months in prison for embezzling $580,000 from her boss and sports figures.

Gail Bowar-Hyster, 45, also was sentenced in federal court to pay full restitution to the Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Co., which covered the losses.

Bowar-Hyster admitted embezzling from her boss, Ron Simon, and his clients, including Kent Hrbek and Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins.

Women’s Basketball

Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball Coach Denise Curry has been picked as an assistant for the U.S. Basketball Women’s Select Team, a pool of players that will be used to prepare college players for the 1999 World University Games.

Obituary

George “Bad News” Cafego, a two-time All-American at Tennessee and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, died in Knoxville at 82.