Livan Hernandez Denies Assault Charges

Livan Hernandez, the MVP of last year’s World Series, insists he did not assault his former girlfriend.

The Florida Marlin pitcher is accused of grabbing her hair, ripping a necklace off her and keeping her captive in a car at Coral Gables, Fla..

“I am innocent of all the accusations that have been made against me,” Hernandez, reading a statement in Spanish, said Wednesday.

The state Attorney’s office would not say if charges will be filed. Nor would the police talk until the investigation is complete, most likely by the end of next week.

*

Mark McGwire renewed his attack on the Jacobs Field scoreboard in batting practice, hitting an advertisement next to the beer sign he dented while with Oakland last season.

The St. Louis first baseman is the only player to hit the left-field scoreboard since the stadium opened in 1994--in batting practice or a regular game.

McGwire hit the longest homer at Jacobs Field last April, a 485-foot blast off Orel Hershiser that dented a Budweiser sign on the scoreboard.

*

A monument to baseball great Roberto Clemente was dedicated in a Hartford, Conn. park, nearly three decades after it was commissioned and then never claimed.

The 6-foot granite monument was discovered last fall in a debris-strewn lot in Bridgeport by police officers.

*

The Cleveland Indians traded unhappy slugger Geronimo Berroa to Detroit for a minor league outfielder, then claimed pitcher Tim Worrell on waivers from the Tigers. Worrell is the brother of retired Dodger closer Todd Worrell.

Berroa hit .283 with 26 homers and 90 RBIs last season with Oakland and Baltimore , but was batting .200 with no homers and three RBIs in 20 games for Cleveland.