CORONER CONCLUDES MARIJUANA DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO KILE'S DEATH

Cardinals RHP Darryl Kile died from a blockage of the arteries supplying
the heart, and there was no evidence that drugs contributed to his death,
Cook County's coroner said yesterday.

"This is a natural cause of death," Edmund Donoghue, the county's chief
medical examiner, said in a statement.

Toxicology tests did show evidence of marijuana use, although it was
probably weeks before and was not a factor in Kile's death, Donoghue said.

Meantime, the Cardinals and Cubs announced they will play a day-night
doubleheader Aug. 31 to make up the game canceled when Kile died. It will
be the first day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field.

* YANKEES FACE FINES: Yankees Manager Joe Torre already has received an
automatic $500 fine and RHP Orlando Hernandez, who was ejected in the
seventh inning, could face a fine and more for throwing at Blue Jays 1B
Carlos Delgado on Monday night.

Bob Watson, Major League Baseball's vice president in charge of discipline,
said he is investigating Hernandez's actions "to see if any disciplinary
action is warranted against the pitcher," meaning that the pitcher could be
suspended.

Hernandez denied throwing at Delgado, but several of his teammates gave him
credit for protecting them after Jason Giambi and Chris Widger were both
hit earlier in the game, from which Torre was also tossed.

* HEMOND HEALING: Former Orioles GM Roland Hemond is resting comfortably at
home after having triple bypass surgery last week. Hemond was the White
Sox' GM from 1970 to 1985, and the Orioles' from 1988 to '95.