Duncan Asks Mets for His Release and Gets It

Veteran infielder Mario Duncan, who has played on two World Series champions, was given his unconditional release by the New York Mets Saturday.

Duncan, 36, asked for his release when it became evident he wasn’t going to make the team.

Duncan was hitting .260 and had driven in two runs in 20 games this spring.

Duncan, who played on championship teams with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 and the New York Yankees in 1996, has spent 12 seasons in the major leagues. He also played for the Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays. His career batting average is .267, with 87 home runs and 491 RBIs.

Last year, Duncan played in Japan.

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Nomar Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox hit his third homer in two days since returning from a sore elbow, but the All-Star did not start at shortstop as scheduled in a 4-4, 10-inning game with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Garciaparra, who two home runs Friday against Texas in his first game since March 18, hit a a two-run homer in the first inning Saturday against Wilson Alvarez. One batter later Mike Stanley hit a solo shot to make the score 3-0.

Garciaparra was supposed to start at shortstop for the first time since March 11, but Manager Jimy Williams backed off when Garciaparra couldn’t take infield practice Friday because of rain.

He is expected to play in the field today against Minnesota.

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Jason Schmidt pitched four pain-free innings against minor-league hitters at Bradenton, Fla., almost assuring he will start the season in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rotation.

It also means that rookie Kris Benson most likely will be sent to triple-A Nashville despite an 0.50 earned-run average that is the best among major league starters this spring.

“I threw terrible but I felt great,” said Schmidt, expected to start the Pirates’ second game of the season April 6 against Montreal. “I was so worried about hurting myself on every pitch that I had no concentration. But the main thing is I feel good.”

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Jeff Blauser said over and over he’d be ready for the start of the season. And it looks as if he will be.

Blauser, whose recovery from off-season surgery to remove bone spurs in his right elbow has taken longer than expected, had two hits and drove in a run for the Chicago Cubs in their 10-6 victory over the White Sox at Mesa, Ariz.

Just a few days ago, Ed Lynch, the Cubs’ general manager, figured Blauser would have to start the season on the disabled list. He still had pain in his arm, and hadn’t played in a spring training game. But he has made so much progress in the last week that Lynch said Saturday he’ll be on the active roster.

“I never thought that wasn’t going to be the case,” said Blauser, who signed with the Cubs as a free agent in December 1997 after 11 seasons with Atlanta. “It wasn’t much of an option in my mind.”

Blauser did not play until Tuesday. He had a run-scoring triple Wednesday night and helped turn three double plays in three innings at second base. He had a pinch-hit single Thursday and doubled Friday.

“He’s swinging the bat very well,” Lynch said.

Gary Gaetti and Jose Nieves hit their first homers of the spring, and Kevin Tapani gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings for the Cubs in their win over the White Sox.

Brook Fordyce, who joined the White Sox on Friday after being traded from Cincinnati, hit his first homer of the spring, a two-run shot in the fourth inning, and also had a double. Jim Parque gave up six runs and 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings for the loss.