01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, April 5, 2006

The Rev. Jesse Jackson says Major League Baseball and San Diego police failed to protect Barry Bonds and should be trying to find out who threw a syringe at him in the Giants' opener.

The object was thrown near the San Francisco slugger as he came off the field following the eighth inning Monday night in San Diego. Bonds picked up the syringe -- about the size of a large magic marker -- and carried it off the field.

"That fan should have been arrested," Jackson said. "That object could have had a needle in it. It could have hit him. The commissioner of baseball must be outspoken in protecting any players whose lives are in jeopardy, whose security is at risk."

The object did not appear to have a needle, and Bonds called it a syringe.

"There is no indication that he was hit," San Diego Police Department spokesman Dave Cohen said, adding that no arrests were made and police are not investigating.

ROUNDUP

SELIG BACKS MITCHELL: Commissioner Bud Selig defended his choice of George Mitchell to head baseball's steroid investigation, saying the former Senate Majority Leader has independence. Selig brushed off criticism that Mitchell is too much of an insider for the job -- Mitchell is a director of the Boston Red Sox and chairman of The Walt Disney Co., a national broadcaster of baseball and the network airing Barry Bonds' new reality show. "It's important for somebody who understands what I call the morays of culture of this sport as well as he does. That helps in the investigation. That doesn't hurt it," Selig said yesterday after helping hand out World Series rings to the Chicago White Sox. "He has complete autonomy. He wouldn't have taken this without complete autonomy. I mean the fact that we're friends had nothing to do with it. . . . He doesn't come back and talk to me. I don't want to hear from him. And he can do whatever he wants with whomever he wants. So I don't know how anybody could have more independence than Sen. Mitchell."

ON THE LIST: Cleveland Indians ace lefty C.C. Sabathia was put on the 15-day disabled list yesterday and is expected to be out three to five weeks with a strained right oblique muscle. The 6-foot-7, 290-pounder was hurt in Sunday night's season opener against the Chicago White Sox and had to leave in the third inning after throwing just 37 pitches. His injury is similar to one he had a year ago, when he began the season on the DL after hurting the muscle in spring training. He missed six weeks but still finished 15-10.

A'S, INDIANS TRADE: The Oakland Athletics acquired right-handed pitcher Kazuhito Tadano from the Cleveland Indians yesterday for minor league outfielder Ramon Alvarado. Tadano, from Japan, was to be optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. He pitched for Cleveland this spring training, going 0-1 with two saves and a 4.05 E.R.A. in six relief appearances. Tadano was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo -- where he spent most of the 2005 season -- on March 16 and designated for assignment on April 1.

NOMAR ON DL: The Dodgers placed first baseman Nomar Garciaparra on the 15-day disabled list yesterday because of a strained muscle in his right side and recalled James Loney from Triple-A Las Vegas. Garciaparra, signed as a free agent during the offseason, was injured while swinging in his first-at-bat Sunday in the Dodgers' exhibition finale against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim. When Garciaparra returns, he will be playing first base for the first time, having been a shortstop most of his career. "I believe it's only going to be a two-week thing," Garciaparra said. "Let's get this right so we can put this behind us."

TWO-YEAR DEAL: Salomon Torres, one of the majors' most-used relievers the last three seasons, agreed yesterday to a $6.5-million, two-year contract extension with the Pittsburgh Pirates that includes a club option for 2009.