Orioles’ Myers Flies Coop, Lands With Blue Jays

Saying Baltimore’s decision to force out Davey Johnson was a factor in his decision, Randy Myers left the Orioles on Wednesday and agreed to a three-year, $18-million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Finances weren’t as big a thing as much as the turmoil in Baltimore last season,” Myers said. “The way things were handled on and off the field weren’t up to the standards I expect from an organization.”

Myers, a 35-year-old left-hander, had a league-leading 45 saves in 46 chances last season, going 2-3 with a 1.51 earned-run average.

Toronto also signed catcher Darrin Fletcher, who played for Montreal last season, to a two-year, $4.35-million contract.

Fletcher, 31, hit .277 for the Expos last season with 17 homers and 50 runs batted in.

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Dodger right-hander Antonio Osuna will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Tuesday at Centinela Hospital Medical Center for torn cartilage. He sustained the injury while playing for Hermosillo in the Mexican winter league.

Osuna, who will be sidelined up to six weeks, is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

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Acting on a request from Barry Bonds, who wants to get remarried in the church, the Catholic Archdiocese has annulled the first marriage of the San Francisco outfielder. But Bonds’ ex-wife, Sun, is appealing the decree, her attorney said.

The Bonds’ seven-year marriage ended in a bitter divorce in 1995, including a fight over his $43.75-million, six-year contract and her $30,000 monthly alimony.

Because Bonds wants to get remarried in church to fiancee Elizabeth Watson, he petitioned the archbishop of San Francisco to have his first marriage annulled.

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Outfielder Stan Javier decided to remain with the San Francisco Giants, agreeing to a $3.5-million, two-year contract. Javier, 33, hit .286 with eight homers, 50 RBIs and 25 stolen bases last season. . . . The New York Mets signed Japanese high school pitcher Juei Ushiromatsu, an 18-year-old left-hander. Ushiromatsu is the first Japanese player to sign directly with a major league organization without playing professionally in Japan. . . . Pitcher Jamie Moyer’s $2.3-million option for 1999 was exercised by the Seattle Mariners. Moyer, a 35-year-old left-hander, had a career-best 17-5 record last season with a 3.86 ERA in 30 starts. He finished second in the American League in winning percentage at .773.

Right-handed reliever Doug Henry and the Houston Astros agreed on a $1,375,000, two-year contract. Henry, 33, had a 4-5 record for San Francisco last season with a 4.71 ERA and three saves. He pitched in a career-high 75 games, tied for seventh in the National League. . . . The Oakland Athletics traded pitcher Doug Bochtler (3-6, 4.77 earned-run average) and infielder David Newhan (.278 with seven home runs and 48 RBIs in 67 games at Class-A Visalia and .316 with five homers and 35 RBIs in 57 games at double-A Huntsville) to San Diego for pitcher Don Wengert (5-11, 6.04) and shortstop Jorge Velandia (.272 at triple-A Las Vegas).

Winter Sports

A snowfall of two to four feet at Mammoth Mountain caused organizers of the women’s World Cup races to shuffle the schedule. Today’s super-giant slalom was set back to Saturday, with the parallel slalom going as planned Friday.

Miscellany

Former WBA heavyweight champion Bruce Seldon was arrested and charged with sexual assault of a minor.

Police said a 15-year-old girl arrived at headquarters about 1 p.m. Wednesday and said Seldon picked her up while she was walking in Atlantic City, N.J., nine days ago. She said he took her to his home in Gloucester, N.J., where he raped her three times.

Seldon, 30, was charged with three counts of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a minor, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of marijuana and illegal weapons possession. He was free on $50,000 bail.

Iowa women’s basketball Coach Angie Lee was released on $250 bond and has a Dec. 9 court date after being arrested in Windsor Locks, Conn., for allegedly bumping a state trooper.

The Iowa players were getting off an illegally parked bus to take a plane to Iowa City when an airport police officer asked them to speed things up, police said. When Lee became verbally abusive, a state trooper was called, police said.

Anthony Phua, a 35-year-old lawyer new to golf, died after being hit by his playing partner’s backswing at a course in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Malay Mail reported.

Manuel Lapuente, the coach of Necaxa in the Mexican soccer league’s first division, is the front-runner to replace the fired Bora Milutinovic as Mexico’s national team coach, news reports said.

Kedra Holland-Corn scored 20 points to lead the San Jose Lasers past the Colorado Xplosion, 88-65, in an American Basketball League game at San Jose.