Associated Press
The baseball notebook …
NEW YORK ó Donald Fehr’s quarter century in charge of the players’ association was marked by a strike that canceled the World Series, record salaries and eventually 14 years of labor peace.
And to his detractors, it was marred by a go-slow approach to steroids.
Fehr, who turns 61 next month, said Monday he will leave the powerful union no later than the end of March. Fehr recommended that he be succeeded by union general counsel Michael Weiner, the No. 3 official and his longtime heir apparent. The move is subject to approval by the union’s executive board and possible ratification by all players.
YANKEES PROTEST
NEW YORK ó The New York Yankees filed an official protest with the commissioner’s office after a disputed loss to the Florida Marlins.
New York manager Joe Girardi protested Sunday’s 6-5 defeat at Florida because of a Marlins substitution mix-up in the eighth inning.
In an odd mix-up Sunday, Chris Coghlan started the top of the eighth in left field after Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez had removed him in a double switch. Alejandro De Aza batted for pitcher Renyel Pinto in the seventh and was supposed to take over in left, but never ran on the field.
Leo Nunez threw a pitch, then Girardi came out to protest. After about a 5-minute delay, Coghlan was removed, Jeremy Hermida went to left field and the Yankees played the rest of the game under protest. They were trailing 6-3 at the time.
MATSUZAKA ON DL
BOSTON ó Struggling Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka went on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and could be sidelined much longer.
“This is not going to be a two-week DL,” manager Terry Francona said. “We have to figure this out. We have a lot of work ahead of us to get him back to being Daisuke.”
In eight starts, Matsuzaka is 1-5 with an 8.23 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .378. Last season, he was 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA and a major league-best .211 batting average by opponents.
SMITHSONIANBOSTON ó The Boston Red Sox are going from the diamond to the display case.The Red Sox are giving memorabilia from their 2007 World Series championship to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History on Tuesday.
Red Sox president Larry Lucchino will be in Washington to present the donations, including a jersey worn by pitcher Jon Lester in the deciding Game 4 and a third base used during the series.
The items will be on display through Sunday.
STRUGGLING PHILLIESPHILADELPHIA ó When the Philadelphia Phillies return from a much-welcomed road trip, they should consider checking into a hotel.
Being home hasn’t been much fun for the defending World Series champions. They’re 13-22 at Citizens Bank Park following a 1-8 homestand that included consecutive three-game sweeps by Toronto and Baltimore.
ALL-STAR CONCERT
NEW YORK ó Sheryl Crow will headline a fundraising concert during All-Star game weekend in St. Louis as part of Major League Baseball’s commitment to participate in President Barack Obama’s United We Serve initiative.