NOTEBOOK: Players’ union to fight request

The baseball players’ union doesn’t intend to agree to a request from Sen. George Mitchell’s staff to submit anonymous medical records to his steroids probe, according to several lawyers familiar with the negotiations.

Mitchell’s staff, which has been investigating steroids in baseball for more than a year, has been seeking medical records for several months.

The union has not agreed to a request for anonymous records because players fear Mitchell’s staff would use information in them – such as age, height, weight and blood type – to connect the records to specific players, the lawyers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the talks. Although the union has not formally rejected the request, it has no intention of agreeing, the lawyers said.

Indians will honor Doby

Larry Doby, who followed Jackie Robinson across baseball’s color barrier as the A.L.’s first black player, will have his legacy honored when every member of the Cleveland Indians wears his number on Aug. 10.

Major League Baseball gave the Indians permission to wear Doby’s retired No. 14, a tribute similar to the one given Robinson last month.

Clearing the bases

Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan will miss the rest of the season after having Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, a difficult blow for struggling Toronto. Ryan, who signed a $47 million, five-year contract before the 2006 season, is expected to be ready for spring training next year. … San Francisco center fielder Dave Roberts has decided to have surgery on his troublesome left elbow, possibly keeping him out for four weeks. Roberts said he could get the elbow cleaned out as soon as today or perhaps Monday. … Two fans were arrested after both ran onto the field at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night in the ninth inning of a game against Texas.