Live Bait  —  Is Fernando Martinez the Mets' Future or a Bargaining Chip?  —  While the streaking Mets actively shop for a corner outfielder to replace the injured Moises Alou and Ryan Church prior to baseball's July 31 trading deadline, 19-year-old Fernando Martinez, who can be either …

Cards mourn loss of Ricketts  —  PITTSBURGH — With an inexhaustible passion for teaching and the people he taught, Dave Ricketts molded several generations of catchers for the Cardinals, friends and pupils said Sunday after learning the longtime coach had died early that morning.  He had turned 73 on Saturday.

Sore shoulder won't keep Ramirez out of All-Star Game  —  LOS ANGELES - Hanley Ramirez proclaimed himself fit to play Sunday, but manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to give him the day off anyway.  —  Ramirez left Saturday's game after his second-inning at-bat with right-shoulder soreness.

Home run derby strategy goes deep for Sizemore  —  Headlining tonight's Home Run Derby, Grady Sizemore will take his American League-leading 23 home runs and compact swing to Yankee Stadium.  —  What many reporters wanted to know Sunday, though, is whether the Indians' leadoff man will come …

Pettitte rips Yankees effort as bats flop  —  TORONTO - The Yankees bats made little noise Sunday.  Andy Pettitte, however, certainly pumped up the volume afterward.  —  With the Yankees seemingly already in All-Star break mode during Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays, Pettitte called out his team …

Some impressed, others disappointed in Futures Game … Last year at the All-Star break, the best prospect in the minor leagues was Arizona's Justin Upton.  He was on the U.S. roster for the Futures Game, put on a show in BP, homered in the game and was in the big leagues a month later.

Celebration by Angels' Francisco Rodriguez leaves A's cold  —  Reliever's reaction after escaping a bases-loaded jam to secure his 38th save annoys some players in Oakland dugout.  —  OAKLAND — Francisco Rodriguez punctuated his major league-leading 38th save with a celebration …

NETWORKS IGNORE BALLPARK-TIX HIKES  —  ONE can understand, if not appreciate, why the story is not spoken during games on SNY and YES, networks owned by the Mets and Yankees, respectively.  —  But nothing prevents it from being told on national telecasts, those on Fox, ESPN and TBS, where the Mets and Yanks play almost every weekend.

Manny opens up  —  In a 6-minute 45-second interview that ran on Ch. 7's Sports Xtra Sunday night, Manny Ramirez talked about his future in baseball, his June scuffles with Kevin Youkilis and Jack McCormick, and even the call from inside the Wall last Wednesday.

Pelfrey leads Mets to ninth straight win  —  NEW YORK (AP)—Jerry Manuel insisted that the All-Star break was coming at a good time for the Mets.  A chance to rest a tired bullpen and maybe get some banged up guys back.  —  Then Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer Sunday night …

CBS set to replace Packer  —  Longtime college basketball analyst Billy Packer will not return to CBS next year and will be replaced by Clark Kellogg.  —  Facebook  —  AIM  —  bjackson@MiamiHerald.com  —  College basketball commentator Billy Packer, who has announced 34 consecutive Final Fours …

Mystery in his mastery: Dice-K's results tough to peg  —  + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email  —  If it's bottom-line results that matter to you with baseball, then Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats] has to be on your short list of American League Cy Young Award candidates.

Pettitte: “We stink”  —  The Yankees had 32 plate appearances against A.J. Burnett and 25 of them were over in three pitches or fewer.  Only four of those were strikeouts.  —  Joe Girardi defended his players, saying Burnett was able to get ahead of them.