Four Minor Leaguers Suspended for Steroids

Wednesday, April 19, 2006; Page E09

Diamondbacks minor league pitcher Angel Rocha was suspended for 100 games yesterday, the toughest penalty baseball has levied for a positive steroid test.

Rocha was suspended for 15 games last June 6. Three other players belonging to National League organizations were suspended for 50 games each for testing positive: Mets P Jorge Reyes , Cardinals OF Yonathan Sivira and Padres P Matthew Varner .

The penalty for an initial positive test this year was increased from 15 games to 50 for players with minor league contracts, and the penalty for a second positive test rose from 30 games to 100.

· METS BANGED UP: New York was missing three injured starters last night against the Braves: OF Carlos Beltran , OF Cliff Floyd and 2B Anderson Hernandez .

Beltran did not start for the third straight game because of tightness in his right hamstring, but he doesn't think he'll need to go on the disabled list.

"I feel better than yesterday," Beltran said. "That means it's healing."

Floyd sat out after straining a muscle in his left rib cage on Monday, but hopes to play today. Hernandez was a late scratch because of back spasms.

· GIANTS' TRAINER SUMMONED: San Francisco's head athletic trainer, Stan Conte , was told to appear before a federal grand jury investigating whether Barry Bonds lied about his connection to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroid scandal, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Conte, who is not related to BALCO owner Victor Conte , was subpoenaed to appear in a San Francisco federal courtroom on April 27, the Chronicle reported yesterday.