AROUND THE MAJORS : Leyland Confirms He Will Step Down

Manager Jim Leyland of the Colorado Rockies ended speculation about his managerial future Tuesday night at Montreal and confirmed that he will retire from managing at the end of the season.

Leyland, who managed the Florida Marlins to a World Series title in 1997, joined the Rockies in the off-season after managing the Marlins for two years. He had said earlier he was 99% sure he was retiring after this season, his 15th as a major league manager.

Colorado has not performed up to expectations this season and is 62-78.

“I love it from 7:05 to 10:00,” Leyland said. “The rest of it, I don’t feel like I’m getting the job done. And contrary to what anyone else thinks or what anyone else sarcastically writes, I am not going to manage anywhere.”

Leyland established himself as one of the premier managers in the majors during his first 11 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading the Pirates to three consecutive National League East titles from 1990 to 1992.

Leyland has a 1,058-1,117 record as a major league manager, including two games as interim manager of the Chicago White Sox in 1985.

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Hall of Famer Catfish Hunter is back at his Perquimans County, N.C., farm following his release from a hospital, four weeks after a fall on concrete steps.

Hunter, who has Lou Gehrig’s disease, was released Saturday from Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville after a faster than anticipated recovery, a family spokesman said.

Hunter, 53, hit his head on the steps at his home on Aug. 8. Hunter was unconscious for several days at the hospital but then improved from critical condition to fair, which was his condition when he was released.

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Third baseman Phil Nevin reached terms with the San Diego Padres on a $2.5-million, two-year contract extension. Nevin, college player of the year while at Cal State Fullerton in 1992, gets a $250,000 signing bonus and a $750,000 contract for 2000. He will make $1.5 million in 2001. The contract contains a club option of $2.6 million for 2002 that automatically vests with 502 plate appearances or 130 games played in 2001.

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Florida Marlin owner John Henry says downtown sites in Miami and Fort Lauderdale have emerged as the front-runners for a new ballpark. The sites are among six being considered by the Marlins. The team will settle on two finalists by December, then begin discussions with public officials about financing the estimated $400-million stadium.

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The Rockies, searching for a general manager, this week will interview Dan O’Dowd, former assistant general manager of the Cleveland Indians, and Gary Hughes, vice president of player development for the Rockies.

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Atlanta Brave reliever Rudy Seanez, placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 23 because of a stress fracture of his right elbow, will have surgery to remove a bone spur from the elbow and will sit out the rest of the season. . . . The St. Louis Cardinals activated pitcher Alan Benes from the 15-day disabled list and recalled Placido Polanco and Jose Jimenez, who threw a no-hitter this season, from triple-A Memphis.