Aria

Perhaps Arias' surprise upon learning of his designation as Nobel winner was because he had never thought of his plan as a peace plan. Perhaps he had always instinctively thought of it as a device for getting the best possible deal from a strong Soviet-backed Nicaragua if and when the U.S. finally "bugged out" on its Central American interests and commitments. For years Costa Rica was the greatest beneficiary of and most dependent on U.S. protection. Costa Rica really believed 40 years ago that the U.S. would carry them and so has no military force to meet the superior force of the Sandinistas.

George Arias hit 30 home runs and made 29 errors at double-A Midland last season, and the knock on him was that, although his bat might be major league material, he may not have the defensive skills to make it as a third baseman. So what happens when Arias reaches the big leagues this season? He makes like Brooks Robinson with the glove and Rafael Belliard with the bat. Arias has been way above average on defense, making several spectacular plays and only eight errors in 70 games.

President Oscar Arias Sanchez of Costa Rica welcomed a two-day Christmas cease-fire in Nicaragua but said Thursday that a longer truce is essential to Central American peace. Arias is visiting here after getting the Nobel Prize for his peace efforts in Central America.

George Arias came to spring training hoping to survive the Angels' first cut. It appears he will leave camp as the team's starting third baseman. Manager Marcel Lachemann said the final decision hasn't been made, but the Angels are leaning heavily toward starting the 24-year-old rookie over veteran Tim Wallach, and coaches have already talked to Wallach about a possible reserve role. "I'm still kind of in shock," said Arias, who had 30 home runs and 104 RBIs at double-A Midland last season.

The Angels say they haven't lost confidence in third baseman George Arias, but sometimes actions--in this case, the signing of third baseman Dave Hollins to a two-year, $3.8-million contract--speak louder than words. Arias was the surprise story of last spring, batting .388 in the exhibition season to win the starting job. But the only question this spring seems to be whether Arias would be better off on the big-league bench or playing at triple-A Vancouver.

George Arias knew he didn't exactly cement his position at third base last season--he hit .238 with six homers and 28 runs batted in 84 games as a rookie in 1996--but he figured he had at least earned the right to win the job this spring. Then the Angels signed Dave Hollins and Arias came to spring training with a defeatist attitude. "That was a mistake I wish I could take back," Arias said. "I had the wrong attitude and the wrong approach.

Piotr Beczala may be one of the new generation's top three tenors, along with Jonas Kaufmann and Juan Diego Flórez. Each has his specialty - Kaufmann's is drama, Flórez's is bel canto and Beczala's is ardent romanticism. That ardency was evident when the 45-year-old Polish tenor made his U.S. recital debut Saturday at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. The audience was primed and ready. Already some had loved him as Des Grieux opposite Anna Netrebro's Manon in a Met Opera broadcast this month.