01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, April 9, 2005

Connecticut is die-hard New York Yankees country.

Even after losing the American League Championship Series to the Boston Red Sox, New York claims more fans in Connecticut than its AL rival, a Quinnipiac University poll says.

By a 43- to 35-percent margin, fans in the state prefer the Yankees over the Sox, according to the poll that was released yesterday. The proportion of Boston's fans in Connecticut increased by only 2 percentage points since June last year, before the team ended its 86-year dry spell and finally earned the right to be called world champions with a four-game sweep over St. Louis.

Nine percent of those polled say they are New York Mets fans.

Quinnipiac University, which regularly takes the pulse of voters to gauge the popularity of Connecticut governors and measures public opinion on issues such as taxes and the death penalty, conducts the baseball poll annually to prompt discussion.

"It's just something that people talk about," said poll director Douglas Schwartz.

The results were no shock to the Yankees' spokesman.

"It doesn't surprise me," Rick Cerrone said. "I've been a Yankees fan since I was 8 years old."

Messages seeking comment were left with the Red Sox front office.

A majority -- 54 percent to 41 percent -- said they would like to see the Red Sox win the World Series this year, repeating its 2004 victory. But only 20 percent of Connecticut's fans said they believe the Red Sox can do it.

"Most Connecticut baseball fans would like to see the Red Sox win another World Series, but they still remember the curse," Schwartz said.

Cerrone refused to take a swing.

"I won't even comment on it," he said. "Who cares?"

ROUNDUP ROCKIES GET SEAY: The Colorado Rockies acquired left-handed reliever Bobby Seay from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays yesterday in exchange for minor-league outfielder Reggie Taylor. Seay was expected to join the Rockies today in San Francisco. The team did not immediately say who would be bumped from the roster to make room. Seay has a 3.53 ERA and a 1-1 record over 44 2/3 innings in 45 major-league appearances. Taylor competed for a position in Colorado's outfield during spring training, hitting .265 in 13 games. He was reassigned to the team's farm camp on March 26.

JOHNSON RESTRICTED: Former All-Star Charles Johnson was placed on the restricted list without pay yesterday, two days after requesting a leave of absence from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to handle a personal matter. Tim Laker was promoted from Triple-A Durham to back up catcher Toby Hall. Johnson signed a one-year contract with Tampa Bay on Monday, less than a week after he was traded to Boston as part of a deal that sent reliever Byung-Hyun Kim to Colorado. The Red Sox immediately designated him for assignment and released him.

CAMERON ON DL: Outfielder Mike Cameron was put on the 15-day disabled list yesterday by the New York Mets, who recalled pitcher Aaron Heilman from Triple-A Norfolk. Cameron missed the season-opening series at Cincinnati after a cortisone shot last Saturday for tendinitis in the left wrist. He had surgery on Dec. 17 to repair damaged cartilage in the wrist.

ALOU IS AILING: The San Francisco Giants placed outfielder Moises Alou on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a right calf strain, similar to the injury that sidelined him during the 2000, '01 and '02 seasons. The move is retroactive to Thursday. The Giants recalled infielder Lance Niekro from Triple-A Fresno to take Alou's roster spot, and he was available for the Giants' game last night against the Colorado Rockies.

YOUNG OUT 2 MONTHS: San Diego Padres outfielder Eric Young will miss at least two months with a dislocated right shoulder he injured when he ran into the center field wall. Young crashed into the padded wall after making a leaping catch in the first inning of last night's 1-0 win over Pittsburgh at Petco Park in San Diego. He was placed on the 60-day disabled list yesterday, the Padres said in a press release.

VIRAL INFECTION: Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez sat out Detroit's game against Cleveland last night and could be sidelined all weekend with a viral infection. Ordonez, who missed several games at the end of spring training, played in Monday's opener but left Wednesday's game after four innings with dizziness. He did not play Thursday.

ON THE SIDELINE: Twins first baseman Justin Morneau was held out of Minnesota's lineup last night because of dizziness two days after he was hit in the head by a pitch. Morneau was beaned in the eighth inning of Minnesota's game at Seattle on Wednesday. He was cleared to fly home, and a precautionary CT scan showed no damage. But he felt lightheaded and a little dizzy before the Twins' home opener against the Chicago White Sox, and manager Ron Gardenhire didn't want to take any chances.

RETURN OF GILES: Braves second baseman Marcus Giles returned to Atlanta's lineup last night, just three days after a knee injury that originally appeared as if it would keep him out for weeks or months. Giles jammed his left knee on a late slide into second base in Tuesday's opener in Florida, then returned to Atlanta to have fluid drained from the knee Wednesday.