BASEBALL NOTES

Ken Caminiti’s $5.5-million option was declined by the Houston Astros, who chose to give the 1996 National League most valuable player a $500,000 buyout.

Caminiti, who left the team last month to undergo evaluation for chemical dependency, sat out the final 97 games of the season after rupturing a tendon in his right wrist.

He hit .303 in 59 games this year with 15 homers and 45 runs bated in and becomes eligible for free agency.

Houston did exercise a $1.8-million option for 2001 on the versatile Bill Spiers, a year that could have been bought out for $300,000.

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The Mariners’ chartered plane was routed back to New York early Wednesday when smoke from a faulty microwave oven wafted into the passenger cabin. None of the more than 100 people on board was injured. The team boarded another plane and was greeted by about 50 fans upon arrival in Seattle. . . . Madison Square Garden sued the Yankees for the second time in two months, claiming the team put “an outlandish $2.4 billion” value on its television rights for the next 10 years. . . . Tom Gamboa, the manager at triple-A Albuquerque last season, was hired as bullpen coach of the Kansas City Royals. Gamboa replaces Tom Burgmeier, whose contract was not renewed.