Sporting Digest: Baseball

FELIPE ALOU, who led the Montreal Expos to the best record in this year's truncated season, has been named National League manager of the year by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

KEVIN KENNEDY was hired to manage the Boston Red Sox yesterday, six days after being fired by the Texas Rangers. Kennedy, who managed the Rangers to first place in the American League West in the strike- shortened season, replaced Butch Hobson, who was fired on 20 September after three seasons in charge of Boston. The Oakland Athletics manager, Tony La Russa, who has been courted by several clubs, has signed a three-year contract to remain at the American League team.