BASEBALL

Mets’ Martinez Making Strides in Rehab

Pedro Martinez said he is making strides in his rehab, but doesn’t expect to return the Mets’ rotation until midseason.

“The rehabilitation process is better than expected,” Martinez said.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner is recovering from shoulder surgery. Martinez said he was in the initial phase of rehabilitation and planned to step up treatment in January. He will travel to Florida next week for another checkup.

“I am going for a checkup every two weeks, because this is what we agreed with the doctors,” he said.

Martinez also said he is not going to change the way he pitches.

“I am not planning to make changes in my windup in any way,” he said. “This is how I have had success and I’ll keep doing it.”

Matsuzaka Bid Will Stand

The Boston Red Sox cannot reduce their $51.1 million bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka in order to sign him, even if his Japanese team agrees to take less, baseball officials said Tuesday.

“There are no side deals in the situation,” executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office, Jimmie Lee Solomon, said. “Everybody’s been assured that’s not allowed, and everybody’s been made aware of the rules.”

A Red Sox official said the team is not trying to reduce the bid, called a posting fee, which was by far the highest in baseball history. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team is not commenting publicly on the negotiations.

Counsell Agrees To $6 Million, 2-Year Deal With Brewers

Craig Counsell decided he’d rather be a backup for his hometown team than a starter someplace else.

Counsell returned to the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday, agreeing to a $6 million, two-year contract. Counsell is a native of the Milwaukee area and played for the Brewers in 2004.

He drew interest from the San Diego Padres, potentially as a starting second baseman. But his decision became easy when the Brewers general manager, Doug Melvin, called.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Miami Gets Invited To MPC Computers Bowl

Larry Coker’s difficult and final year at Miami will end on the blue turf of Boise.

The Hurricanes accepted an invitation yesterday to the MPC Computers Bowl, where they’ll meet Nevada (8–4) of the Western Athletic Conference on December 31 in Idaho’s capital city. It’ll be the first meeting between the programs, plus Miami’s first appearance in that bowl.

It will also be Coker’s 75th and final game at Miami; he was fired last week after a 6–6 regular season, one that dropped his six-year record with the Hurricanes to 59–15 with one national championship. The school retained him for the bowl game, while it conducts a search for his replacement.

“We have a lot of young players, and I think a bowl experience will be very good for them,” Coker, whose team will resume practice in mid-December after finals, said.

HOCKEY

Flyers Sign RW Knuble To Two-Year Deal

The last-place Flyers signed rightwinger Mike Knuble to a two-year contract extension yesterday, keeping him in Philadelphia through the 2008–09 season.

The 34-year-old Knuble has seven goals and 15 points for the Flyers this season. In two seasons with the Flyers, Knuble has 41 goals and 80 points in 100 games.

Knuble had 34 goals and 31 assists for 65 points in 82 games for the Flyers last season. His goals, assists and points totals were all new career highs.

FOOTBALL

Vick Fined $10,000, Will Donate Another $10,000 After Obscene Gesture

Michael Vick was fined $10,000 by the NFL and agreed to donate another $10,000 to charity for an obscene hand gesture toward Falcons fans following last weekend’s loss to New Orleans.

“I broke a rule and now I’m paying the price,” Vick said yesterday. “The good thing is I get to donate a portion of it to charity.”

But that didn’t make up for a dismal performance by the Falcons, who dropped five passes and were booed loudly following their fourth straight loss. Vick showed his unhappiness by making the gesture with both hands as he walked off the Georgia Dome field.

— Associated Press