INSIDE PITCH

GRAND PRIZE: Attention, Cubs and White Sox. But don't listenunless you're willing to open your checkbook.

Braves third baseman (yes, a real third baseman) Chipper Jones isworking on the final year of his contract. The defending NL MVP hadhoped to sign a new contract by the end of spring training, but talksstalled when Jones hinted at an annual salary of more than $15million.

No one really believes he will go anywhere, but . . .

"One of the methods of negotiating by the Braves is to ignoredeadlines," Jones said. "I'm going to play out the year and waituntil the offseason to make a decision."

HOME BODIES: The Rangers might not be overly interested in helpingopen a baseball season outside the United States, as the Cubs andMets did in Japan.

They rejected a chance to play games in Puerto Rico, althoughthere are rumors baseball officials would like the Rangers and BlueJays to open there next year.

"I feel we would like to support baseball wherever it's played,"Rangers president Jim Lites said. "And I would be happy to playexhibitions, but we work too hard to get to the playoffs to take anyrisks. One or two games could make all the difference in the world atplayoff time."

THE BIG THREE: That Mariners lineup could be a powerhouse, evenwithout Ken Griffey Jr.

Stuck in the middle of the order are three batting champions: AlexRodriguez (.358 in 1996), Edgar Martinez (.343 in 1992; .356 in 1995)and John Olerud (.363 in 1993).

Since 1960, there have been only two franchises that have startedseasons with three batting champions in the lineup: The 1988-89Kansas City Royals with George Brett, Willie Wilson and Bill Buckner,and the 1995-97 New York Yankees with Wade Boggs, Paul O'Neill andDon Mattingly in 1995, then with Tim Raines replacing Mattingly thelast two.

"I tell those guys all the time, `You guys can freakin' hit,' "first-year Mariners batting instructor Gerald Perry said. "No doubtabout it when those guys are whacking the ball it has to rub off onthe rest of the guys."

Perry was on the '89 Royals team with Brett, Wilson and Buckner.He said all champions show presence and confidence.

"Nothing is going to rattle those guys," he said. "They have aplan going up there, and they stick with that plan. If you have faithin yourself and really believe in yourself, you're going to besuccessful."

MICKEY MOUSE: Angels president Tony Tavares acknowledged thatDisney chairman Michael Eisner is just "not passionate about havingto own this team. If somebody came to him with the right offer, wouldhe get out? Yes. It's not necessarily part of Disney's core strategyany more."

That does have an effect on players.

"When a big corporation buys a team, you don't know if they do itto further their own business interests or because they have a realpassion for the game," Tim Salmon said. "Well, here we are today less(pitcher) Chuck Finley, less a few other things, so I don't know.

"I've spent my whole career in this organization, but the onething guys talk about when they come from an organization that haswon is that the commitment for winning starts at the top. We've hadit at times, but we've never experienced (the commitment) that aGeorge Steinbrenner gives the Yankees."