BASEBALL

MARTINEZ STILL LEADS ALL-STAR VOTING AT 1B

The Yankees’ Tino Martinez continues to lead the voting at first base in the latest American League All-Star voting released yesterday. Despite a batting average of .230, Martinez leads Texas’s Mark Teixeira, who is batting .290 with 16 homers and 48 RBI.

Boston’s David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, and Manny Ramirez still are atop the leaderboard at designated hitter, catcher, and outfield, respectively. The Orioles have two players leading at their positions. Second baseman Brian Roberts leads Texas’s Alfonso Soriano, while shortstop Miguel Tejada leads Derek Jeter. At third base, Alex Rodriguez has a huge lead over Boston’s Bill Mueller.

MRI ON MATSUI’S ANKLE NEGATIVE

An MRI exam yesterday on the right ankle of Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui was negative. Matsui slipped and fell while chasing a fly ball on Sunday and was assisted from the field by manager Joe Torre and a trainer. Matsui has played in 387 consecutive games since joining the Yankees and has a streak of 1,637 games in a row, including his years with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

ROLLINS, PHILLIES AGREE TO FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION

Jimmy Rollins agreed to a $40 million, five-year contract extension with the Philadelphia Phillies yesterday. The 26-year-old shortstop has spent his entire career with Philadelphia.

This season, Rollins has hit .263 with five home runs, 19 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. He was an NL All-Star in 2001-02, leading the league in triples both seasons.

D-RAYS RELEASE SANCHEZ

More than two months after violating Major League Baseball’s policy on steroids, outfielder Alex Sanchez was designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays despite a .346 batting average. The team has 10 days to trade, release, or ask waivers on the outfielder.

Sanchez, 28, is 48 plate appearances shy of qualifying with the third-highest batting average in the American League. His .372 average in May led the league.

BASKETBALL

FLORIDA’S WALSH HEADED TO NBA

Florida guard Matt Walsh told coach Billy Donovan he plans to remain in the NBA draft rather than return to school. The 6-foot-6 Walsh led the Gators in 3-point accuracy, hitting 42% from beyond the arc, and finished second in scoring at 14.6 points per game last year.

Also yesterday, Eric Williams dropped out of the NBA draft in order to return to Wake Forest for his senior year, his mother said. Williams led the Demon Deacons in scoring (16.1) and rebounding (7.7) his junior season and earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors

TENNIS

NAVRATILOVA OUSTED AT ORDINA OPEN

Martina Navratilova played her first singles match since Wimbledon last year, losing to Luxembourg’s Claudine Schaul 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 yesterday in the first round of the Ordina Open. The 48-year-old American could still receive a wild card to play singles at Wimbledon, which starts June 20.

But Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon singles champion, said she had no plans to play this year. She did not rule out playing singles again in the future, however. She said she planned on playing doubles this year at the All England Club.

– Associated Press