Clayton Takes Feud Public

Texas shortstop Royce Clayton took his feud with teammate Chad Curtis public Thursday in Clayton’s diary for the Athletesdirect.com Web site.

A story attributed to Clayton said: “We were a team that had a good atmosphere. A team that won the West two years ago, a team that had great chemistry in which everybody got along. That feeling is gone in 2000. We may overcome this problem or the problem will be the demise of the ballclub. This is all due to one person and his self pride, not respecting the rights of others.”

Clayton said Curtis was unfriendly the first time they met and they have no relationship.

“I won’t stoop so low as to talk about Chad as a person because it is not my purpose to judge anyone,” Clayton wrote. “What I have a problem with is the lack of respect he brings to the clubhouse.”

After the Rangers’ 8-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles, Manager Johnny Oates got the players together. “They went face to face after the game and settled it,” Oates said. “You don’t have to go to dinner with your teammates but you have to be in the same clubhouse. They didn’t hug and shake hands, but it won’t linger. It’s over.”

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The Cleveland Indians put starting pitchers Jaret Wright and Charles Nagy and reliever Ricardo Rincon on the 15-day disabled list. An MRI exam performed on Wright revealed a strained right shoulder. Rincon has bone spurs that require surgery, and he could be out until August. Nagy has bone chips in his right elbow. . . . The New York Mets activated pitcher Bobby J. Jones from the disabled list and optioned pitcher Bill Pulsipher to triple-A Norfolk. . . . Reliever Dan Kolb was recalled from triple-A Oklahoma by Texas, which optioned starter Doug Davis to its triple-A team.