PITTSBURGH Pirates extend coach's contract

Randall Simon was suspended and fined for his role in "Sausage-gate."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates extended manager Lloyd McClendon's contract through 2004, dampening speculation that he could be fired if the team doesn't post its first winning season since 1992.
General manager Dave Littlefield made the announcement Friday, saying team officials are pleased with the direction McClendon is taking the team in his third season as manager. The team has an option to retain McClendon through the 2005 season, Littlefield said.
McClendon said Friday he was happy with the contract extension and never had any concerns about his job security.
"I went out there, did my job like I was supposed to and my bosses felt like I was doing a good job," he said in Houston before Friday night's game with the Astros. "I was moving this team in the right direction and they wanted me to continue to be a part of it. I am very appreciative for that."
Showing progress
Pittsburgh entered Friday in fourth place in the National League Central with a record of 40-48, six games behind division-leading Houston, where the Pirates were opening a series on Friday. Pittsburgh had won 15 of 24 going into the series with the Astros.
"Lloyd has shown strength and determination in his leadership abilities," Littlefield said. "He's been an asset to the Pirates by helping us make steady progress at the major league level and overall improvement through the organization."
In three seasons, McClendon has a record of 174-237.
The extension was something of a turnaround from the end of last season, when the Pirates said McClendon would return this season, but would not be offered a contract extension. He also had all but two of his coaches fired or reassigned.
McClendon has been part of the Pirates organization for 13 years, joining the team as a player in 1990. In 1996, he became a minor league hitting coordinator, rejoining the Pirates as a hitting coach the following year. He became manager after Gene Lamont was fired following the 2000 season.
"The fact is David certainly had options and he had choices," McClendon said. "I was his choice."
Simon suspended
Randall Simon was suspended for three games and fined $2,000 by major league baseball Friday for hitting one of the Milwaukee Brewers' sausage mascots with his bat.
The Pirates first baseman did not play Thursday against Milwaukee, so that game will count as one of the three games, a club spokesman said.
Simon chose not to appeal the fine or suspension, which he continued serving Friday night against the Astros.
Simon hit a 19-year-old woman in an Italian sausage costume during the Brewers' popular costume race Wednesday night at Miller Park. A 21-year-old woman in a hot dog costume also fell, and both women were treated for scraped knees.
After the game, Simon was arrested and booked for misdemeanor battery, and told to show up at the district attorney's office the next day.
Simon and one of the women met with prosecutors, but Simon was not charged with a crime. He said he did not mean to knock the women down.
Still, Simon was cited by the sheriff's department for disorderly conduct and fined $432.