Section B · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, February 23, 1999
Rodman to sign with Lakers
The Associated Press
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Seven-time NBA rebounding champion Dennis Rodman said yesterday that he planned to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"There's a lot of things that have to occur before I even step on the floor with the Lakers," the former Chicago Bulls' player said during a news conference.
Rodman, under skeptical questioning, stated several minutes later that he would sign.
"I'm going to sign a contract tonight," he said, adding that he hoped it would be a two or three-year pact. He said he might play when the Lakers face the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.
Representatives of the Lakers
were not present at the news conference. Rodman attributed that to the fact that the team was playing out of town.
"We've been saying for the past couple of weeks that we would like to have Dennis Rodman on our team," general manager M i t c h K u p c h a k said in a statement. "Now that he b a s s
Rodman: Said he was ready to play again.
announced his desire and intention to play for us, we hope to
sign a deal and see him in a Lakers' uniform sometime very soon."
Rodman said he was in good shape and would be reliable, playing up to 35 minutes a game.
"You can count on me. You can count on me going to practice," Rodman said.
He insisted he absolutely wanted to play again.
The Lakers were scheduled to play Denver tonight, but Rodman said he didn't think he needed to travel there.
"I think there's enough distraction as it is." he said.
Whether Rodman would go to the Lakers has been in the news on almost a daily basis since a newspaper report Feb. 13 that quoted sources close to Rodman as saying he had decided to play for the Lakers.
Royals' pitchers Appier, Pichardo recover from last season's injuries
The Associated Press
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Kevin Appier, the ace of the Kansas City pitching staff until a shoulder surgery caused him to miss almost all of last season, said he felt great after throwing for eight minutes Sunday.
Royals pitchers and catchers went through their first workouts of the spring, and Hipolito Pichardo also was pleased with his progress. Although he didn't undergo surgery, he missed the rest of the season after leaving a game with an aching elbow on Aug. 20.
Appier spent last season going through rehabilitation after undergoing surgery late in spring training. He worked his way through every classification in the minor-league system, finally pitching three games
in the major leagues.
Appier, Pichardo and the other pitchers pitched through a series of twine targets devised by groundskeeper George Toma.
There are 37 pitchers on the 68-player spring roster, but manager Tony Muser focused primarily on Pincharo and Appler, whose ability to bounce back from injury will be key to the team's hopes.
"Hipo threw very well today, and Ape was OK," Muser said. "I think he got a little fatigued toward the end."
Muser started everybody out with a shuttle run, a 40-yard dash back and forth three times.
The pitchers did more than run and throw. Because of interleague play requiring pitchers to bat against National League teams, they were ushered into batting cages for
hunting practice.
"We were a little concerned when Austin went into the cage, never having had a bat in his hand before," Muser said. "But the staff was in there to make sure they didn't break any fingers and thumbs.
Nobody got hurt."
The Royals play their first spring game on March 5, against the Cleveland Indians in Winter Haven, then meet the New York Yankees in Haines City.
tees in Haines City the next day.
Among the early arrivals Sunday was outfielder Curtis Pride, hoping for a job after having been passed over by the Royals earlier because of recent arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist.
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