NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

* ORIGIN:

On March 9, 1995, major league owners unanimously vote to admit two new teams, Arizona and Tampa Bay. Each team pays $130 million to join the league.

PROBABLE OPENING-DAY LINEUP:

1. Quinton McCracken: CF

2. Mike Kelly: LF

3. Wade Boggs: 3B

4. Fred McGriff: 1B

5. Paul Sorrento: DH

6. Dave Martinez: RF

7. John Flaherty: C

8. Kevin Stocker: SS

9. Miguel Cairo: 2B

P. Wilson Alvarez

* PROBABLE ROSTER (and how acquired):

Catchers

John Flaherty: trade

Mike Difelice: expansion draft

Infielders

Boggs: free agent

Bobby Smith: expansion draft

McGriff: trade

Sorrento: free agent

Stocker: free agent

Cairo: expansion draft

Aaron Ledesma: expansion draft

Outfielders

Martinez: free agent

McCracken: expansion draft

Kelly: trade)

Rich Butler: expansion draft

Bubba Trammell: expansion draft

Starting Pitchers

Alvarez: free agent

Rolando Arrojo: free agent

Saunders: expansion draft

Dennis Springer: expansion draft

Rick Gorecki: expansion draft

Bullpen

Roberto Hernandez: free agent

Albie Lopez: expansion draft

Jim Mecir: expansion draft

Bryan Rekar: expansion draft

Vaughn Eshelman: expansion draft

Jose Paniagua: expansion draft)

* STADIUM:

Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla.

* Seating: 45,200

* DIMENSIONS: 315 feet down left field line, 407 to center, 322 to right. Expected to be a slight pitchers’ park.

* MANAGER: Larry Rothschild

* COACHES: Billy Hatcher, Steve Henderson, Frank Howard, Greg Riddoch, Rick Williams