BASEBALL

METS TRADE WILSON TO TIGERS FOR MINOR LEAGUER

The Mets traded catcher Vance Wilson to the Detroit Tigers yesterday for minor-league infielder Anderson Hernandez. Wilson will back up Ivan Rodriguez in Detroit. In 67 games for the Mets last season, he hit .274 with four homers and 21 RBI, and threw out 11 of 32 runners who tried to steal.

Hernandez, 22, hit .283 in 138 games at Double-A Erie and Class A Lakeland last year.

ASTROS MAKE FINAL OFFER TO BELTRAN

The Houston Astros said yesterday that they’ve made their final offer to Carlos Beltran. They’ll find out this weekend whether it was enough to keep the All-Star center fielder.

“We’re not interested in going any higher,” general manager Tim Purpura said. Houston faces an 11 p.m. Saturday deadline to re-sign Beltran. After that, under baseball rules the Astros wouldn’t be allowed to strike a deal with him until May 1. Beltran’s agent, Scott Boras, is seeking a deal worth more than $100 million for the 27-year-old switch-hitter.

PIRATES SIGN WILSON TO TWO-YEAR DEAL

All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson and the Pittsburgh Pirates avoided salary arbitration yesterday by agreeing to an $8 million, two-year contract. Wilson, 27, was the first Pittsburgh shortstop since Honus Wagner in 1908 with more than 200 hits in a season. Wilson’s season justified his money: a .308 batting average, 11 homers, 59 RBI, 201 hits, an NL Silver Slugger award, and an excellent year defensively.

BASKETBALL

FANS NO LONGER BUYING BRYANT’S JERSEY

Kobe Bryant is no longer a fashion icon. For the past month, Bryant’s no. 8 Lakers jersey – previously one of the best sellers in the world – has fallen out of the top 50, according to point-of sale data tabulated by a Florida market research firm.

Bryant’s NBA jersey was still the 10th-highest selling jersey for the year, but he finished the month of December at no. 72 – and in one week plunged to no. 90, a drastic slide for the player many once saw as the sport’s next marketing golden boy. Bryant’s marketability has been hurt by the flurry of bad press he’s been receiving lately, analysts say. It began with his rape case and included his feud with former teammate Shaquille O’Neal, his spat with current teammate Karl Malone, and a new book by former coach Phil Jackson that portrays Bryant as an aloof prima donna.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

MIAMI FALLS TO GEORGIA TECH IN ACC DEBUT Will Bynum scored 21 points and ninth-ranked Georgia Tech bounced back from an overtime loss at no. 2 Kansas to ruin Miami’s Atlantic Coast Conference debut with an 80-69 victory last night.

The Yellow Jackets (10-2) built a 14-point halftime lead and held off a surge by Miami (9-3) in the first 5 minutes of the second half. Luke Schenscher scored 15 points and Jarrett Jack, who had a huge game against Kansas, chipped in 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds.

FOOTBALL 49ERS TO INTERVIEW CRENEL

One day after firing Dennis Erickson, the San Francisco 49ers received permission from New England yesterday to interview Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel for their coaching vacancy. Crennel will be the first candidate to interview for the job when he meets with team officials Saturday. He also is scheduled to interview with Cleveland today. Crennel has been New England’s defensive coordinator since 2001, helping the team win two Super Bowl titles and go 14-2 this season. Crennel also won two Super Bowls as an assistant for Bill Parcells with the Giants.

– Associated Press