New York Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez, recovering from rotator cuff surgery, will make his first start of the season on Monday at Cincinnati. Martinez did a great job throwing 53 pitches in a Friday night bullpen session making the Mets’ decision to activate him easy. The three-time Cy Young winner underwent surgery last Oct.
The Pittsburgh Steelers acquired cornerback-kick returner Allen Rossum from the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday for a conditional 2008 draft pick. Rossum, a 2005 Pro Bowl player as a return specialist, holds Falcons team records for kickoff and punt return yards and also had two punt return touchdowns. The former Notre Dame player broke into the NFL as a third-round pick with Philadelphia in 1998…
The Detroit Lions removed running back Kevin Jones from the physically unable to perform list Saturday, setting a day-to-day timetable for his return to the field. Jones missed the final three games of last season and all of training camp with a broken foot. He had run for 689 yards and three touchdowns while catching 61 passes for 520 yards and two touchdowns.
Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith made the Baltimore Ravens’ final roster Saturday as the team’s third-string quarterback. The former Ohio State star was not among the 20 players released as the defending AFC North champions cut the roster down to the mandatory 53-man limit. Among the notable cuts were former starting wide receiver Clarence Moore; offensive guard Brian Rimpf; running back Cory Ross,…
Equinox Bi took advantage of a late break by the leading Corleone Kosmos and won the $726,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot Final in 1:52 at Mohawk Racetrack. Winning driver Trevor Ritchie was a last-minute replacement for Mike Lachance, who competed at the World Trotting Derby in Illinois. “I got the call when I was home lying on the couch that I was going to drive the horse,” Ritchie said.
Brad Keselowski, driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports, injured a leg in a four-car crash midway through Saturday night’s NASCAR Busch Series race at California speedway.
Two executives with the Arizona Diamondbacks have purchased majority interest in the NASCAR team owned by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach, Sports Betting News learned Saturday night.
^At Gateway International Raceway< ^Madison, Ill.< ^Lap length: 1.25 miles< ^(Starting position in parentheses)
Jim Leyland constantly reminds himself and everybody else that Justin Verlander is only 24 and in his second full major league season. Leyland, the Tigers’ old-school skipper, hardly expects Verlander to be perfect or carry the team at this stage in his career. Yet the reigning AL Rookie of the Year sure did so Saturday.
Paul Byrd pitched a four-hit shutout, and Cleveland beat the Chicago White Sox 7-0 Saturday night for the Indians’ eighth straight win. Byrd (14-5) has won his last four starts and seven of his last eight decisions. It was his fifth career shutout. Casey Blake and Travis Hafner drove in two runs apiece while Franklin Gutierrez and Kelly Shoppach homered, helping Cleveland maintain its 5 1/2 -game…
