BASEBALL

PODSEDNIK EDGES JETER FOR FINAL ALL-STAR SPOT

Speedy outfielder Scott Podsednik of the White Sox and Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt earned the final spots on the All-Star teams in Internet fan voting completed yesterday. In a surprise finish, the unheralded Podsednik edged popular Yankee Derek Jeter for the 32nd roster spot on the American League squad. Podsednik, the major league leader in stolen bases, also beat out Torii Hunter, Hideki Matsui, and Carl Crawford.

Acquired from Milwaukee in a trade last off-season for fellow All-Star Carlos Lee, Podsednik is batting .286 AVG/.359 OBA/.335 SLG with no homers and 41 stolen bases as the leadoff hitter for the first-place White Sox. He and Oswalt each made the All-Star team for the first time.

Oswalt is 11-7 with a 2.44 ERA. He topped four other NL pitchers: Trevor Hoffman, Brandon Webb, Billy Wagner, and Brett Myers – the first time fans had a chance to elect a pitcher to the All-Star game since 1934. There were 14.8 million votes cast online. Podsednik got 3,965,473, and Oswalt got 2,652,549.Totals for the other players were not released.

SCHILLING HEADS TO BULLPEN, FOULKE LANDS ON DL

With closer Keith Foulke headed to the disabled list and Curt Schilling at partial strength, the Boston Red Sox are sending their ace to the bullpen to plug a gap there and help him work his way back from an ankle injury.

Schilling has been on a minor-league rehab assignment while trying to recover from a right-ankle injury that put him on the disabled list after just three starts. In what was expected to be his last rehab appearance, he struggled to get through five innings with Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday. The team concluded that Schilling was “a long way” from being the ace who went 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA last season. Foulke, meanwhile, was put on the 15-day disabled list yesterday and will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today. Foulke has a 5-5 record with a 6.23 ERA.

BASKETBALL

LAYDEN RETURNS TO NBA WITH JAZZ

Scott Layden is returning to the NBA. Layden, the former president of the Knicks and an assistant coach and administrator with Utah, is coming back to the Jazz as an assistant on coach Jerry Sloan’s staff, the team announced yesterday.

Layden and Sloan were assistants with the Jazz under former coach and general manager Frank Layden, Scott’s father. It was Scott Layden who convinced his father in 1984 to use the 16th overall pick on Gonzaga guard John Stockton. A year later, he directed the draft again and Utah selected Karl Malone at no. 13. Layden hasn’t worked in the NBA since being fired as president of the Knicks in December 2003.

MCMILLAN LEAVES SEATTLE TO COACH BLAZERS

Nate McMillan is leaving the Seattle SuperSonics to coach the Portland Trail Blazers. Late last night, the Blazers hired McMillan, who led the Super-Sonics to the Northwest Division title this past season. He will be introduced today at a news conference, the Blazers said in a statement.

McMillan’s contract with the Sonics expired today. The terms of his contract were not immediately available.

McMillan, who has spent all of his 18 NBA season in Seattle, replaces interim coach Kevin Pritchard, who took over from the fired Maurice Cheeks in midseason. McMillan had coached the Sonics since November 27, 2000 and compiled a 212-193 record.

BROWN INSISTS HE WANTS TO COACH PISTONS

After Larry Brown’s agent and the Detroit Pistons talked about his future again, the Hall of Fame coach insisted nothing had changed from his perspective.

“I just want to get well and coach the Pistons,” Brown said last night in an interview with the Associated Press.

Brown was hospitalized last week for two days to address a medical problem that developed from complications following hip surgery in November and didn’t go away after a second procedure in March. The 64-year-old Brown has said if doctors deem him healthy enough, he wants to return next season to Detroit – and insisted he will not coach another NBA team.

REPORT: HORRY AGREES TO REMAIN WITH SPURS

San Antonio Spurs forward Robert Horry has agreed to a three-year deal with the NBA champions, according to reports. Horry’s agent, Robert Barr, told Houston television station KRIV and the San Antonio Express-News on Tuesday that the three-year deal would allow the Spurs the right to buy Horry out of the third year. Barr did not say how much the deal is worth.

FOOTBALL

TIM BROWN TO RETIRE AS A RAIDER

Tim Brown will end his prolific NFL career with the Oakland Raiders after all.

“Tim will sign a one-day contract and retire as a Raider,” team spokesman Mike Taylor said yesterday.

The Raiders plan to hold a news conference later this month with owner Al Davis to recognize Brown, the former Heisman Trophy winner and longest-tenured player in franchise history. Brown was released last August when he refused to accept a greatly diminished role in coach Norv Turner’s offense. He signed with Tampa Bay to play what turned out to be his last season with former Raiders coach Jon Gruden.

Brown, 38, played the first 16 of his 17 seasons with the Raiders, and always hoped to be remembered as the organization’s greatest receiver. With the Raiders, Brown had 1,070 catches for 14,734 yards and 99 touchdowns. He is tied for third with Steve Largent on the career receiving touchdown list with 100 and second all-time behind Jerry Rice for career receiving yards with 14,934. His 1,094 career catches ranks third.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BCS WANTS INSTANT REPLAY FOR BOWL GAMES Bowl Championship Series officials want instant replay used in all bowl games starting this season, and are confident it can be done. The Big Ten became the first conference to use video review of football game officials’ calls last season, with an official in the press box determining if a play would be reviewed and overturning the call if replay showed conclusively it was wrong. The NCAA gave all Division I-A conferences to opportunity to experiment with replay this season, and nine of 11 have adopted the Big Ten’s system or some variation.

TENNIS

DAVENPORT WITHDRAWS FROM AMERICAN FED CUP TEAM

Top-ranked Lindsay Davenport withdrew from the United States’ Fed Cup team yesterday due to a back injury. Wimbledon champion Venus Williams will now lead the U.S team during this weekend’s semifinal match against Russia. Mashona Washington, making her Fed Cup debut at age 29, will be the U.S. team’s no. 2 singles player. Jill Craybas was called up to play doubles with Corina Morariu.

– Associated Press