Mitchell tabbed to head steroid investigation

Major League Baseball will investigate alleged steroid use by Barry Bonds and other players, and plans to hire former Senate majority leader George Mitchell of Maine to lead the effort.

A baseball official told the Associated Press yesterday that plans were to be announced at a news conference today. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because commissioner Bud Selig had not made his intentions public. Selig's decision to launch the probe comes in the wake of ''Game of Shadows," a book by two San Francisco Chronicle reporters detailing alleged extensive steroid use by Bonds and other baseball stars.

Some in Congress have called for an independent investigation. Mitchell, a Maine Democrat and a director of the Red Sox, has been a director of the Florida Marlins and served on an economic study committee that Selig appointed in 1999.

The Indians locked up their center field position into the next decade, agreeing to a $23.45 million, six-year contract with Grady Sizemore. His deal has the most guaranteed money for a player with less than two years of major league service, $200,000 more than the Red Sox guaranteed shortstop Nomar Garciaparra in a five-year deal agreed to in March 1998. ''I didn't expect it to happen this fast," said Sizemore, 23. ''Last year, I was just trying to make the team." Sizemore batted .289 with 22 homers and 81 RBIs in 158 games last season. He also scored 111 runs, had 22 steals and became the second Indians player to record 20 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers, and 20 steals in the same season . . . Dodgers second baseman Jeff Kent, who turned 38 this month, agreed to an $11.5 million, one-year contract extension through 2007 with an option for 2008.

Toronto righthander A.J. Burnett won't make his first two starts of the season and will go on the disabled list. Burnett signed a $55 million, five-year contract during the offseason, three years after elbow surgery . . . Adam Eaton left his final spring training start for the Rangers in the second inning in Surprise, Ariz., feeling pain in the same finger that sent him to the disabled list in San Diego last season. Eaton was scheduled to pitch the Rangers' second game Tuesday against the Red Sox but said he probably would miss several starts. ''I knew something was wrong right away," said Eaton. ''When they came out to visit me at the mound, they put the ball in my hand, and I couldn't even squeeze it." . . . The Padres are leaning toward putting first baseman Ryan Klesko on the disabled list because of a sore left shoulder . . . Closer Eric Gagne pitched on consecutive days for the first time this year, throwing a scoreless eighth in the Dodgers' 4-3, 10-inning win over Washington in Vero Beach, Fla. Gagne threw 11 pitches to four batters, allowing a hit and striking out two . . . Livan Hernandez, who had offseason surgery on the right knee that hampered him for much of 2005, allowed two runs -- only one earned -- in six innings, the final tuneup for his Opening Day start against the Mets Monday in New York. He also hit a two-run single . . . The Indians decided to keep Kelly Shoppach as their backup catcher, despite his hitting .156 this spring, and Ramon Vazquez as a utility infielder . . . Pitcher Byung Hyun Kim, who strained his right hamstring running the bases Tuesday, was placed on the DL.

The Mariners assigned veteran righthander Kevin Appier to their minor league camp, a move that gives him time to get healthy and possibly return to the majors. Appier, 38, was a nonroster invitee who hasn't pitched in the major leagues in 23 months because of elbow trouble. Seattle also optioned shortstop Mike Morse to Triple-A Tacoma, choosing to keep nonroster invitee Roberto Petagine, 34, as a possible utility player. Petagine helped his cause by hitting a two-run, ninth-inning homer yesterday in a 10-10 tie with Kansas City in Peoria, Ariz. Petagine, who signed Feb. 21 after the Red Sox released him, entered yesterday batting .429 (18 for 42) with five doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs with a .500 on-base average in 22 spring training games. Jamie Moyer, scheduled to start Seattle's opener Monday, allowed eight runs, eight hits, and two wild pitches in five innings. Tony Graffanino, claimed off waivers from the Red Sox Tuesday, hit a grand slam in the second inning.