Woodson, Greene Waived as 49ers Cut Costs

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 pair.

Clark did leave the door open for the possible return of the players 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 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.

“Sometimes the agent is involved in that kind of decision,” Colts coach Jim Mora said when Leaf failed to appear. “Perhaps he had something to do that extended into our meeting time.

“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. More than a little disappointing, to be honest with you.”

After catching just 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 percent 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 Twins 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 Mariners 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.

Tennis

Steffi Graf’s comeback from knee surgery will have to wait a little longer. This time, a strained calf has forced her to withdraw from the Paris Open.

Graf, the No. 1 women’s player for much of this decade, had been set to make her return in this indoor event after an eight-month absence following a knee operation last June.

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 put to sleep by a veterinarian, said Mike Tubbs, safety officer for the Sallisaw Fire Department. Nine horses were led from the barn, including the two later euthanized.

Tubbs said two of the people who helped rescue some of the horses were treated at a hospital and released.

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.