Johnny Pesky dies at age 92  —  Johnny Pesky, who spent 61 of his 73 years in baseball as a member of the Red Sox organization and was perhaps the greatest good-will ambassador in team history, died Monday of natural causes.  He would have turned 93 next month.

Yankees Sign Nicaraguan Lefties Corby McCoy, Luis Garcia  —  The Yankees have signed two Nicaraguan lefthanders, including Corby McCoy, one of the top pitchers from the country for this year's July 2 class.  —  McCoy, a 16-year-old who signed for $150,000, is 6-foot-3, 170 pounds with an athletic, projectable body.

Grandal takes BP, likely to rehab this week  —  ATLANTA — It's been exactly two weeks since Padres rookie catcher Yasmani Grandal suffered a strained right oblique muscle while taking a swing in a game in Cincinnati.  —  On Monday, Grandal took early batting practice and then another round …

Amazin's need to start looking toward the future  —  Mets on Twitter  —  The Mets have yet to place Scott Hairston on waivers this month, according to an industry source, which makes sense.  It figures that the Mets want to reap the benefits of Hairston for a while longer before putting …

Yankees sign RHP Derek Lowe  —  The New York Yankees today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Derek Lowe to a Major League contract and selected him to the 25-man active roster.  Lowe is scheduled to join the team tonight and is expected to pitch out of the bullpen.

Q&A: Doug Fister, Cat-and-Mouse Simplicity  —  Doug Fister believes in keeping things simple.  The Detroit Tigers right-hander isn't big on statistics, nor does he rely much on scouting reports.  What he does do is play cat-and-mouse with opposing hitters: He changes speeds and pounds the bottom of the strike zone.

Gonzalez, Machado share AL Player of Week honors  —  At the start of last week, Orioles third baseman Manny Machado hadn't even played in a Major League game.  By the end of it, however, he had not only made his debut, but Machado had made a big enough splash in his first four games …

BERKMAN FACING DIFFICULT DECISION ABOUT HIS FUTURE  —  • Cardinals Insider > Joe Strauss  PHILADELPHIA  • His family's Houston residence boasts spurs on a rustic den wall, a signed Major Applewhite Longhorn helmet in a display case and a map of Stephen Austin's Texas hanging within …

Red Sox Minor League Roundup: Andrew Bailey is ready; Mark Prior struggles  —  Andrew Bailey is expected to be activated for Tuesday's game in Baltimore (AP)  —  The Red Sox bullpen looks like it soon will feature a long-anticipated reinforcement . . .  TRIPLE-A PAWTUCKET RED SOX: 9-3 LOSS AT BUFFALO (METS)

Hairston not expected to land on DL  —  MIAMI — The left hip injury that knocked Jerry Hairston out of Saturday night's Dodgers game with the Marlins is not expected to land him on the disabled list, manager Don Mattingly said on Sunday.  —  “Sue [Falsone, our trainer], thinks it will be a day, but we'll see,” Mattingly said.