Wells Objects to Portrayal in Magazine

David Wells of the Toronto Blue Jays, leading the majors with 14 victories, is upset with this week’s cover story about him in Sports Illustrated.

“It’s an honor to be on the cover, but the story is a total joke,” Wells said. “It’s terrible.”

The cover features an action photo of Wells, his shirt unbuttoned and his belly hanging over his belt with the headline, “The David Wells Diet: Chips, Beer and American League Batters.”

Inside, there is a feature story titled “Heavy Duty” written by Jeff Pearlman, who also wrote the article in which John Rocker of the Atlanta Braves made derogatory remarks about gays and minorities.

“All it talks about is me being fat and what I did when I was in New York basically,” said Wells, traded by the Yankees just before last season. “Read it. It’s stupid. The guy screwed John Rocker and all of a sudden I’m victim No. 2.”

Sports Illustrated spokesman Joe Assad disputed Wells’ characterization of the story and pointed out that it also describes the pitcher as one of the best in the game and a good influence in the clubhouse.

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Dick Vitale was rescued by another fan Monday when the college basketball TV analyst choked on a piece of fruit during a Tampa Bay Devil Ray game at St. Peterburg, Fla.

“I choked on a piece of melon and it gets lodged in the windpipe and it won’t go down,” Vitale, a Devil Ray season ticket-holder, recounted. “And now I start getting panicky. I’m drinking water and it’s still not going down. I finally stand up, and fortunately in the room was a guy--he’s big and strong and he’s a member of the St. Petersburg Fire and Rescue squad.

“He came running over, grabbed [me] in the Heimlich, and the first two times it won’t come out.

“Now I’m really scared, and my wife said my face was changing colors and I was panicking because I couldn’t breathe. . . . Finally, the third time he bent me over and he really used all his strength and it popped out.

“Oh my God. I was shaking. It was scary.”

Vitale said he plans to send the paramedic, John King, a cash gift and some basketball books.

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Kansas City Royal outfielder Carlo Beltran, the 1999 AL rookie of the year, was put on the disabled list because of a bone bruise in his right knee. . . . Veteran reliever Mike Maddux, older brother of Greg Maddux of the Atlanta Braves, was released by the Houston Astros after an injury-plagued season in which he went 2-2 with a 6.26 earned-run average.