Rangers Say They Won’t Trade Ivan Rodriguez

Tom Hicks, owner of the Texas Rangers, said Sunday that he assured catcher Ivan Rodriguez that the nine-time All-Star won’t be traded.

Speculation that Rodriguez was on the trading block had been growing with the approach of June 2, when Rodriguez becomes a 10-year veteran with five seasons with his current team, meaning he can veto any deal.

Rodriguez’s $42-million, five-year contract runs through the end of the 2002 season.

“I told him we have absolutely no interest in trading him before June 2,” Hicks said. “We have him under contract for a year-and-a-half. In our mind, he’ll be around for a year-and-a-half and, hopefully, for the rest of his career.”

The Rangers, at 15-28, are off to their worst start since 1982.

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Von Joshua was fired as hitting coach of the Chicago White Sox, a victim of the defending American League Central champion’s dismal start. Gary Ward, the hitting coach at Triple-A Charlotte, will replace Joshua. . . . Oakland recalled outfielder Eric Byrnes from triple-A Sacramento, and optioned infielder Jose Ortiz to the Rivercats. . . . Seattle optioned Brett Tomko, to triple-A Tacoma and purchased the contract of Ed Sprague from their Pacific Coast League farm club. . . . Jason Kendall, a three-time All-Star catcher for Pittsburgh, will begin making occasional starts in the outfield as early as this week to keep his bat in the lineup on days he might ordinarily rest. . . . The New York Mets designated newly acquired right-hander Justin Speier for assignment. The Mets got Speier from Cleveland on Saturday for a player to be named as insurance for their struggling bullpen. . . . Florida utilityman John Mabry, who missed four weeks because of a torn chest muscle, was reinstated from the 15-day disabled. To make room for Mabry on the roster, the Marlins designated outfielder Lyle Mouton for assignment. . . . Joe Lovitto, the Rangers’ opening-day center fielder in their first game in Texas in 1972, died of cancer Saturday night in his home in Arlington, Texas. Lovitto was 50.