AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Canseco Sits Out Emotional Return to Oakland

Jose Canseco didn’t play, but he and his former manager, Tony La Russa, engaged in an indirect verbal battle Tuesday night, rekindling a love-hate affair that simmered for years before their acrimonious split.

Canseco, in his first game in Oakland since his trade to Texas on Aug. 31, lashed at La Russa for implying the outfielder’s laziness and indifferent attitude led to the deal. Canseco also criticized the A’s for locking him out of their “cliques.�

La Russa didn’t back down and didn’t want anything to do with Canseco. The two never faced each other eye to eye, but their accusations were relayed quickly to each other.

“He pretty clearly burned his bridge when he left here. He continues to set fire to it. I don’t have any desire to see him,� said La Russa, still fuming over Canseco’s crack that La Russa is “not a player’s manager.�

Canseco smiled, smirked and acted a touch sentimental before the game. He stayed on the bench with a sore shoulder as Oakland won, 5-0, in its first game after clinching the American League West title.

“No matter how hard I worked, that (laziness) will always be my label . . . I can look anybody in the eye, including Tony, and tell them I was playing even when I was dying in pain,� Canseco said.

Later he added: “First of all, I was never accepted over there. They alienated me big time. They had all of these cliques. They didn’t invite me to any of their functions.�

Before the game, Canseco wondered what kind of greeting he might get from the fans.

“I was sitting there and thinking, ‘They booed me when I hit 44 home runs. They wanted to trade me, they wanted to keep me. And when I leave, they love me, and if I stay, they hate me.’

“I’m probably more confused than anybody here.�

There was no ambivalence among the fans, who applauded and whistled the moment Canseco stepped onto the field.

“I love you, Jose,� one woman shouted.

Toronto 5, Boston 2--Jimmy Key won his fifth consecutive start and Devon White went three for five and scored twice at Toronto as the Blue Jays edged closer to their second East title in a row.

Key improved to 26-11 in September to help the Blue Jays reduce their magic number to three over Milwaukee.

Milwaukee 7, Seattle 4--Rookie Cal Eldred won his 10th consecutive game and the Brewers won their seventh in a row.

The Brewers tied their single-season record with nine doubles, three by Robin Yount. Kevin Seitzer and Paul Molitor each had two doubles at Seattle for Eldred (11-1), who pitched seven innings.

Minnesota 5, Chicago 4--A throwing error by shortstop Esteban Beltre let Bernardo Brito score from second base to cap the Twins’ four-run ninth inning at Minneapolis.

Baltimore 7, Detroit 2--Ben McDonald, winless in his previous eight starts, did not allow a hit through 5 1/3 innings and combined on a four-hitter at Detroit.

Cleveland 4, New York 3--Charles Nagy won his fourth consecutive start to improve to 17-10 and Albert Belle hit his 34th home run at Cleveland.