Manuel Is Back in Hospital

Cleveland Indian Manager Charlie Manuel was hospitalized Tuesday with stomach inflammation and infection, the latest in a series of health problems.

The Indians said Manuel, 57, would undergo tests and that no timetable had been set for his return.

Players learned of Manuel’s hospitalization as they arrived at Jacobs Field for a night game against Toronto.

“Our primary concern is for Charlie,” first baseman Jim Thome said. “It’s tough to hear, but Charlie is a tough guy. Everybody is thinking of him first.”

Bench coach Grady Little will manage the Indians in Manuel’s absence. Grady guided the team when Manuel was ill earlier this season and in 2000.

Manuel was hospitalized twice in late August with a blockage in his colon that doctors attributed to scar tissue from a previous surgery. He had the scar tissue removed and returned to the team Sept. 2.

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Baseball disciplinarian Frank Robinson disputed accusations that his punishments have been too harsh on the New York Yankees and criticized Manager Joe Torre for berating him last month.

“I don’t have anything against the Yankees,” Robinson said. “I treat them the same as everyone else.”

Robinson, vice president of on-field operations for the major leagues, and Torre had a confrontation in August when Robinson called the manager to ask for his version of the events surrounding a beanball thrown by Yankee starter Ted Lilly.

When Robinson told Torre that Lilly would be suspended for six games, Torre yelled at Robinson, who then hung up on the manager.

“I thought it was way off base,” Robinson said. “I don’t think I deserved to be talked to in that tone or with that language.”

Torre was unavailable for comment before the Yankees played Tampa Bay on Tuesday night.

Robinson was at Yankee Stadium for an appeal of a suspension by catcher Jorge Posada.

The Yankees have been upset about some of Robinson’s recent punishments. They include the $50,000 fine to Roger Clemens for throwing the jagged barrel of Mike Piazza’s broken bat in the direction of the New York Met catcher in last year’s World Series, and the suspensions to Lilly and Posada.

Paul Beeston, baseball’s chief operating officer, is expected to rule today on Posada’s appeal of a six-game suspension for aggressive arguing and making contact with umpire Andy Fletcher.

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The Mets won two coin flips and would host, if involved, a tiebreaker playoff for the National League East title.

Philadelphia won a coin flip over Atlanta last week for the right stage the tiebreaker if the Braves and Phillies tie.

Kansas City Royal owner David Glass, who has said repeatedly that Manager Tony Muser will return next season, now appears to be wavering.

“No decision has been made,” Glass said .... Former Yankee Bill Stafford, the winning pitcher when Roger Maris hit his 61st home run, died of a heart attack Sept. 19. He was 63.