Cardinals Dispatch Lankford to Padres

Disgruntled outfielder Ray Lankford was traded Thursday from the St. Louis Cardinals to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Woody Williams.

The Padres also received $2.8 million.

Lankford had been on leave from the Cardinals since Tuesday. He complained about a lack of respect before leaving the team. Lankford waived a no-trade clause in his contract, but the Cardinals were unable to complete a deal with San Diego before the nonwaiver trade deadline on Tuesday.

Minutes before the move was made official, Cardinal Manager Tony La Russa remained angry at Lankford and his agent.

“They’re getting advice and it’s like a champion’s entourage,” La Russa said. “He knows the light’s red, but it must be green and he walks out and gets run over.”

Both players had to clear waivers by midday Thursday before the teams could agree on the swap. The deal then had to be approved by the commissioner’s office because of the amount of cash involved.

San Diego had been looking to trade Williams because he’ll make $7.25 million next year, and it wanted to open a spot for one of the organization’s young pitchers. The Padres are building toward the opening of their downtown ballpark in 2004.

Cardinal General Manager Walt Jocketty said the move signals that the team, 7 1/2 games behind National League Central-leading Chicago, wasn’t out of the race.

“It’s going to be tough to overcome two teams to win the division, but we still have a chance also at the wild card,” Jocketty said. “This should give you an indication we’re still trying to win.”

Williams, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays for Joey Hamilton as part of the Padres’ post-World Series retooling in 1998, said he was relieved that a deal finally happened after a week of rumors.

Williams is 8-8 with a 4.97 earned-run average this year and 58-62 with a 4.32 ERA in nine seasons.

Williams missed two months of the 2000 season after undergoing surgery to repair an aneurysm in his right armpit.

Lankford, 34, is batting .235 with 15 home runs, 39 runs batted in and 105 strikeouts in 264 at-bats. He has $8.6 million guaranteed next season and a $1-million buyout in 2003, with a $7.5-million option.

The New York Yankees placed third baseman Scott Brosius on the 15-day disabled list because of a hairline fracture in his left hand and activated designated hitter David Justice.

Brosius was hit in the hand by a pitch from Texas’ Kevin Foster in the sixth inning Wednesday night. He left the game an inning later and X-rays revealed the fracture. Brosius is expected to miss three to four weeks.

Justice, who has had only four at-bats since June 15 because of a strained left groin, returned from his second stint on the disabled list.

Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder Armando Rios, obtained Monday in a trade with the San Francisco Giants, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a torn left knee ligament.

Rios injured the knee Tuesday on a play in right field against the Giants and aggravated it Wednesday trying to catch a popup behind second base.

The Detroit Tigers signed reliever Bryce Florie to a minor league contract, three days after he was released by the Boston Red Sox.

Florie, 31, returned to the majors in late June, making his first appearance since being hit in the right eye by Ryan Thompson’s line drive in September. The liner broke several bones in Florie’s face and left his vision impaired.

Florie had an 11.42 ERA in seven appearances before being released by the Red Sox.

Reliever Paul Quantrill signed a three-year contract extension worth $9.6 million with Toronto.

The Cincinnati Reds hired former major league outfielder and coach Jose Cardenal as a special consultant.

Texas Ranger outfielder Rusty Greer will undergo surgery today to correct a pinched nerve in his lower back and will miss the rest of the season.

Greer has been on the disabled list since June 12 with a pulled left hamstring muscle.