Adam Greenberg struck out on three pitches Tuesday night when he batted for the first time in seven years after the Miami Marlins gave him a second chance.
Greenberg signed a one-day contract before the game and stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter leading off the sixth inning against New York Mets 20-game winner R.A. Dickey.
After Greenberg received a standing ovation from the modest crowd and his teammates, Dickey threw him three consecutive knuckleballs. Greenberg took the first for a strike, then swung at the next two and missed.
The game was Greenberg's first since his major league debut in 2005, when he was hit in the back of the head by the first pitch he saw — a 92 mph fastball that derailed his career.
Networks, MLB agree on TV deal
Major League Baseball agreed with Fox and Turner Sports on eight-year contracts that will run through 2021 and keep the World Series on Fox.
Fox also will retain rights to the All-Star Game and a League Championship series every year, and add coverage of two Division Series starting in 2014.
TBS will retain the rights to air one League Championship series, two Division Series and one wild-card game.
The amount baseball receives from the two networks will double to an average of about $800 million annually, with Fox's share averaging about $500 million.
Nationals rest Gonzalez, other starters
A day after clinching the NL East, Nationals manager Davey Johnson rested most of his regular lineup — and saved left-hander Gio Gonzalez for Game 1 of the playoffs.
Gonzalez originally was slated to start Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies, if the next-to-last game of the regular season still mattered for the division title.
But with that championship wrapped up Monday, Johnson decided to make sure Gonzalez, who is 21-8 with a 2.89 ERA, is fresh for Washington's NL Division Series opener.
Scherzer hurts ankle in celebration
Max Scherzer's shoulder appears to be fine. His right ankle is another issue.
The Tigers' right-hander will miss his start in the regular-season finale in Kansas City after twisting it during the on-field celebration of Detroit's AL Central title Monday night.
Manager Jim Leyland said Tuesday that someone apparently stepped on Scherzer after the Tigers had streamed out of the dugout and were jumping into a celebratory pile behind the pitcher's mound.
Pedroia plays despite broken finger
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was in the Red Sox's starting lineup for their game against the Yankees despite sitting out a night earlier because of a broken left ring finger.
Pedroia was given the OK to play in the second matchup of the season-ending three-game series.
