AMERICAN LEAGUE: AROUND THE HORN : BOGGS STILL ENJOYING RIDE.

Byline: - Matt McHale

Wade Boggs' run at 3,000 hits was a bit overshadowed this past week when Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire teamed up for some memorable baseball in St. Louis.

Boggs, who has played for three teams, isn't as lovable as Gwynn, a Padre since 1982. But that doesn't mean he isn't having fun, especially after talking to another 3,000-hit man, Paul Molitor, who played most of his career with Milwaukee but reached the milestone with Minnesota.

``I went out and sought his advice,'' said Boggs, now with Tampa Bay. ``I wanted to hear from somebody who had gone through this kind of thing before. He told me this can be a roller-coaster and to just enjoy the ride.''

Boggs has received well-wishes from celebrities such as Trisha Yearwood, Jeff Foxworthy and Bill Cosby, but recognition from other players has been the most gratifying. ``The biggest enjoyment that I'm getting are all the guys on the other teams saying they've enjoyed watching me and playing against me during my career.''

Good story

Toronto rookie closer Billy Koch has a 101-mph fastball and 22 saves in his first 25 attempts. But he isn't too big to remember his roots.

Before last Monday's game at Yankee Stadium, Koch made his first trip back to a Long Island hospital to meet the nurse who watched over him after he was born Dec. 11, 1974. He was 12 weeks premature, less than three pounds and given a 40 percent chance of survival.

``My mom kept in touch with them,'' said Koch. ``She felt since I was here, it would be a pretty good idea if I met up with the people who made sure I was here now.''

Some of the other intensive care staff remembered him, too, and Koch said they couldn't believe he now stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds - ``about 198 pounds heavier than they remembered.''

Good deal

A year and a few days after the Mariners traded Randy Johnson to Houston, the two pitchers they acquired in the deal - left-hander John Halama and right-hander Freddy Garcia - are a combined 20-8.

Garcia, 22, has won 11 games in his first big-league season, and no rookie has won more. Halama, 27, has now won nine consecutive games - tying the Mariners' single-season record. Brought out of the bullpen and into the rotation on May 25, Halama, who starts today against the Yankees, has gone 7-0 with a 3.35 ERA as a starter.

Off the table

A lot of teams were interested in right-hander Scott Erickson, but the Orioles now see him as a cornerstone for the future after he rebounded from a 1-8 start to win six straight decisions before losing his last time out.

Juan Guzman, who went to Cincinnati, was expendable because he figured to become a free agent at the end of the season, and the Orioles weren't going to pay him $8 million a year to re-sign.

Erickson is signed for a relatively modest $6.43 million per season over the next four years, and should be a bargain if free-agent prices remain as high as they were last winter.

One reason

The Indians keep saying that Travis Fryman (right knee) and Wil Cordero (left wrist) will be back between Sept. 1 and 15. But one of the reasons they didn't trade for Chuck Finley was that they didn't want to lose utility man Enrique Wilson.

If Fryman can't come back, and they are unable to land a veteran third baseman, Wilson is the safety net. GM John Hart toyed with the thought of trading for a veteran left-handed hitter - they talked to Tampa about Fred McGriff, Seattle about David Segui and Baltimore about Harold Baines - to stack their lineup with lefties in the postseason to counter right-handers such as Pedro Martinez and David Cone.