AMERICAN LEAGUE: AROUND THE HORN : BAD BOY BELLE NOT JUST HYPE.

Byline: - Matt McHale

For those who think Albert Belle's bad image is a media creation, ask Baltimore Orioles manager Ray Miller about the epic shouting match he had with Belle on Wednesday for barely running out a ground ball.

Miller, probably the least respected manager in baseball, became a hero for jumping in Belle's face after Belle exploded for being removed in a late-inning double switch. Belle, one of the most productive players this decade, is batting .244 with 10 homers and 35 RBI.

He already has alienated fans in Baltimore, who boo him regularly for his lackluster effort. He recently made an obscene gesture toward the bleacher section. The Orioles know that they made a $65 million mistake signing him last winter, but won't admit it because many people advised stubborn owner Peter Angelos against signing Belle.

Angelos is expected to blame new GM Frank Wren for the Belle fiasco and buy out the final two years of Wren's contract.

CORDERO OUT

Cleveland's Wil Cordero will miss at least 10 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a left wrist broken Tuesday on a diving catch of Jeromy Burnitz's fly ball to left. Cordero was hitting .316 with five homers and 26 RBI.

Before that game, Indians GM John Hart said the trade he regretted making the most was sending Burnitz to Milwaukee for Kevin Seitzer for the stretch run in 1996. Burnitz, who had 38 homers and 125 RBI last year, beat the Indians on Tuesday with his 10th home run.

CANSECO IN

Although the Devil Rays have the league's worst defense, Jose Canseco was not part of the problem when he took over in left field during interleague play. Canseco, who once let a fly ball bounce off his head and over the fence for a home run, played well and actually threw out Gerald Williams trying to stretch a single into a double.

``I didn't have any hit off my head or anything. No errors,'' he said. Sadly, the next night he left the game early with back pain, which he attributed to playing the outfield.

HAVE A LOOK

The Chicago White Sox could be showcasing right-hander Jaime Navarro, who has struggled since the team signed him, to National League teams when he pitches today at Wrigley Field.

After Navarro beat Houston on Tuesday, the Sox announced they are moving him ahead of struggling John Snyder to start the final game of the Cubs' series rather than staying on track to start Monday at Tampa Bay. While Navarro (5-4) has won three starts in a row, Snyder (6-5) has lost his last four starts.

HIGHER POWER

Oakland first baseman Jason Giambi hit one home run last Sunday but said he lost two other homers in the Giants series to the wind at 3Com Park.

``My hat is off to Willie Mays and all the other great players who played in this hole,'' Giambi said. ``It's terrible. They can blow it up.''

Giambi found it hard to believe that Mays finished with 660 career homers after playing a dozen years in Candlestick. ``He is a god,'' Giambi said.

RUNNING ON EMPTY

Of the Blue Jays' 27 victories entering the weekend, only one has come when they've scored four runs or fewer (a 3-2 win over the Angels on April 21). Toronto's poor play after a strong start has the club wondering about the money it will take to keep some of the better players, including David Wells, Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green.

Delgado and Green are two eligible for free agency after 2000. The Jays and Delgado have shelved contract discussions until the end of the season after the two sides couldn't reach agreement during the spring. Both want four years; Delgado for $44 million, the Jays for $34 million.

Wells, who is making $4.67 million this year, has been offered a two-year contract extension with an option for a third season that could be worth $24.65 million ($15.65 guaranteed).